The first form of instrumentation I chose was the Armenian Duduk, as the sound greatly interested me during the listening during class. I was intrigued about how the sound had an almost vocal quality, and, having been so absorbed by the sound during class, wanted to explore it further. When I first began listening to duduk music, I was simply doing it out of interest and wanting to find out more about it. However, upon listening to various songs such as “Hovern’ Engan”, a deeply relaxing duduk composition, I feel that it is a style of music I will frequently come back to, if not only for the complex and fascinating sounds the instrument is capable of producing. According to Ethnomusicologist Jonathan McCollum, “The duduk is one of the oldest aerophone instruments in the world. It is actually a double-reed instrument similar to an oboe. It is actually the only truly Armenian instrument that’s survived through history, and as such is a symbol of Armenian national identity.” It is clear that the Duduk has a treasured place in the cultural history of Armenia. The piece “Hovern’ Engan”, performed by Levon Minassian and Armand Amar, has a hauntingly tranquil sound, and is deeply calming. The name of the piece translates to “A cool breeze is blowing”, which perfectly captures the ethereal nature of the composition. After searching around for pieces to listen to, this piece struck me the most as having an incredible atmosphere surrounding it. While I had no preconceived assumptions going into the listening, I did not expect the instruments to captivate me as they did. The duduk is an incredibly pleasing instrument to listen to, and I am thankful to have been able to sample some of it.
The second style of music I listened to was that of the Indian Sitar. Having probably one of the more divided reactions after having listened to it in class, I was eager to see whether or not I would be able to find a piece that managed to captivate me in the same way as the duduk had. Upon listening to more pieces of music, it appears as though my initial doubts over my liking of the instrument had simply been from a lack of exposure. Upon listening to the piece “Pancham Se Gara”, I have come to realize that I quite enjoy the style of music that the sitar offers. Upon further research, I discovered that the Sitar was the dominant instrument in the Hindu religion, and was thus commonly used in India for religious practices and ceremonies. Despite the doubts I had when researching the sitar, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed listening to it. It will continue to be an instrument that I will go back to to listen to.
Annotated Bibliography
bobanblazevski. “Levon Minassian & Armand Amar - Hovern Engan.” YouTube, YouTube, 15 Jan. 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRtCcnRToxA.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Sitar.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 9 June 2014, www.britannica.com/art/sitar.
“Nothing Sounds Armenian Like a Duduk: ALMA Lecture.” The Armenian Weekly, 12 Feb. 2010, armenianweekly.com/2010/02/12/nothing-sounds-armenian-like-a-duduk/.
SnapshotsMusic. “Anoushka Shankar Plays 'Pancham Se Gara'.” YouTube, YouTube, 16 Feb. 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CnhcGpmH9Y.
T. “Notes of an Anesthesioboist.” Hovern Engan, 1 Jan. 1970, anesthesioboist.blogspot.com/2008/03/hovern-enkan.html.
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