JAVS Fall 2005

are feamrcd on another ECM disc reviewed this issue) in Lachrymae (1999) and as the lone instrumen ta list in Confess ing with Faith (1998) fo r viola and four voices. The viola concerto begi ns with a recitative-li ke movement with the viola alternati ng passages of a more refl ecti ve namre with increasingly rhythmic passages containing numerous double and triple stops. T he second and final Iento move ment is almost poincillistic with fragments of melody floati ng through a pizzicaro texture. Melodic lines emphasize half-ste p tension, apparently a characteristic ofArmenian folk music. Harmon ically the work is atonally tl1ough not serial. Listeners may be reminded of the vocabulary ol Schnirtke and other prominent SovieLera composers of rhe 1970s and 80s. T he overal l mood of the work is bleak but there arc certa in ly moments of beauty. Kashkashian is a powerful advocate for the work in full command of irs technical challenges. She plays with great articulation and an a ft c ring boldness. T he Munich Chamber O rchestra offers wonder ful accompaniment. On the second disc in this release, Kashkashian joins soprano saxo phonist Jan Garbarek in Mansurian's duo Lachrymac. T his highly evocative work draws heavi ly on Armeni an folk music

The fi nal work on me disc is fo r solo viola, two tenors, and two bari roncs wid1 a text by 11 th cen tu ry Armenian poet, Sr. Nerses Shnorhali . It opens wid1 an extended viola solo, d1en proceeds with three movements of two prayers each. The vocal setting is a combination of monody and polyphony with the viola weaving around the vocal lines. T his is a work of extraordinary beauty and powerful impact evoking at times medieval plainchant and at others rich renaissance polyphony. T he Hilliard Ensemble and Kashkashian sound, qLtite simply, magica l. Overall , this is a fascinating two-disc set with the addition of virtuoso vio linisLLeonidas Kavalms performing Mansruian's Violin ConcertO. Though not music of the easy-listen ing variety, the works of Mansurian offer layers ofmeaning and clepd1 of emotion that will reward me Listener on repc.':lted hearing. £3 Reviewer Sel Kardan studied viola with Paul CoLetti and Victoria Chiang and violin with Daniel Heifetz and Sylvia Rosenberg. He has served as Executive Director of the Shrit;er Hall Concert Series in Baltimore, and is currently President ofthe Music i nstitute ofChicago.

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