Notes and Notions
  • Home
  • Blog

Duduk and Guitar -- by Vigan and Vahan

9/27/2014

1 Comment

 
Picture
There is an instrument that is unique to Armenia; it is made with apricot wood, along with a reed plant that grows along the Arax River.  It looks something like a recorder, except for the reed mouthpiece.  And the sound it makes is rich and warm.  Playing it requires cheeks full of air, and circular breathing.  

This is the "duduk" (DOO-dook); it's name comes from a Turkish word for "pipe." It is played in Armenia for social and cultural events, usually with one duduk player making a drone sound and another playing a melody.

It is an ancient instrument, known to be used in Armenia at least since the reign of Armenia's king "Tigram the Great," 95 - 55 BC.

Its distinct sound has been sought for use in some Western films-- the sound of Mr. Timnus playing his "flute" in The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion. the Witch and the Wardrobe  was  created with a duduk.  

The sound of the duduk has been compared to sounds of the oboe, clarinet, and saxophone.  But really, it doesn't mimic any of these-- because the sound it makes can only be made by the duduk.

Would you like to hear it?

Here is a lovely duet composition with duduk and guitar,  played in this Youtube video by Vigen Hovsepyan and Vahan Ghalechyan:

It looks like playing this instrument takes a lot of concentration; and for a slender and small instrument, it is quite powerful in its audio output.  I like the sound of the guitar along with the duduk.
1 Comment
    Author - Diane Hurst
    I am a music lover and songwriter.  Some of my own music can be heard at www.dianehurstmusic.com

    Please subscribe to my 
    email list 
    for info about 
    new songs,
    new discoveries, 
    new adventures :)

      
         SUBSCRIBE HERE
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Bluegrass
    Christian Music
    Classical Music
    Electronic Music
    Folk Music
    Humor
    Instrumental Music
    Jazz
    Music For Children
    Pop Music
    Renaissance Music
    Soul Music
    World Music

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    December 2022
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    April 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011

Photos used under Creative Commons from douglasalisson, Gareth Lovering 1,000,004 views thank you, Waiting For The Word, Hobbes vs Boyle, Wolfgang Wildner, Mr.Sai, bengt-re, Menlo Innovations, ky_olsen, craiglea123, cb6379, cogdogblog, außerirdische sind gesund, gabriel "gab" pinto, liz_com1981, Waifer X, Jenn Durfey, kevin dooley, Edmund Garman, keepingtime_ca, Strocchi, cmatulewicz, 1950sUnlimited, mwilkie, spakattacks