The Armenian duduk is a musical wind instrument with a thousand-year history. Duduk - what is it? Armenian music for the soul Classification of wind instruments
Duduk is one of the oldest wind musical instruments in the world, which has survived to this day almost unchanged. Some researchers believe that the duduk was first mentioned in the written monuments of the state of Urartu, located on the territory of the Armenian Highlands (XIII-VI centuries BC)
Others attribute the appearance of the duduk to the reign of the Armenian king Tigran II the Great (95-55 BC). In the works of the Armenian historian of the 5th century AD. Movses Khorenatsi speaks about the instrument "tsiranapokh" (an apricot tree pipe), which is one of the oldest written records of this instrument. Duduk was depicted in many medieval Armenian manuscripts.
Due to the existence of rather extensive Armenian states (Great Armenia, Lesser Armenia, the Kingdom of Cilicia, etc.) and thanks to the Armenians who lived not only within the Armenian Highlands, the duduk is spreading in the territories of Persia, the Middle East, Asia Minor, the Balkans , Caucasus, Crimea. The duduk also penetrated beyond its original distribution area thanks to the existing trade routes, some of which passed through Armenia as well.
Being borrowed in other countries and becoming an element of the culture of other peoples, the duduk has undergone some changes over the centuries. As a rule, this concerned the melody, the number of sound holes and the materials from which the instrument was made.
To varying degrees, musical instruments close to the duduk in design and sound are now available among many peoples:
- Balaban is a folk instrument in Azerbaijan, Iran, Uzbekistan and some peoples of the North Caucasus
- Guan is a folk instrument in China
- Mei is a folk instrument in Turkey
- Hitiriki is a folk instrument in Japan.
The unique sound of the duduk
History of duduk
The young wind flew high in the mountains and saw a beautiful tree. The wind began to play with him, and wondrous sounds rushed over the mountains. The prince of the winds was angry at this, and raised a great storm. The young wind protected its tree, but its strength quickly left. He fell at the feet of the prince, asked not to destroy beauty. The ruler agreed, but punished: "If you leave the tree, its death awaits." Time passed, the young wind got bored and one day rose into the sky. The tree died, only a branch remained, in which a particle of the wind got entangled.
A young man found that branch and cut a pipe out of it. Only the voice of that pipe was sad. Since that time, duduk has been played in Armenia at weddings, and at funerals, both in war and in peace.
Such is the legend of the Duduk, the Armenian national musical instrument.
Design features of the duduk. materials
The Armenian duduk is an ancient folk musical wind instrument, which is a wooden pipe with eight playing holes on the front side of the instrument and two on the back. The components of the duduk are as follows: barrel, mouthpiece, regulator and cap.
It is created only from a certain variety of apricot tree, which grows only in Armenia. Only the climate of Armenia favors the growth of this variety of apricot. It is no coincidence that apricot in Latin is “fructus armeniacus”, that is, “Armenian fruit”.
The great Armenian masters tried to use other types of wood. So, for example, in ancient times duduk was made from plum, pear, apple, walnut and even bone. But only apricot gave a unique prayer-like velvety voice, characteristic of this unique wind instrument. Other wind musical instruments are also made from apricot - shvi and zurna. Blooming apricot is considered a symbol of tender first love, and its wood is a symbol of strength of spirit, true and long love.
The performance of music on the duduk in a duet has become widespread, where the leading duduk player plays the melody, and the accompaniment is played on the second duduk, also called “dam”. When performing the part of the lady on the duduk, the musician is required to possess the following qualities: the technique of circular (continuous) breathing and have a completely even sound transmission.
“Dam” is a continuously sounding note of the tonic, against which the main melody of the work develops. The art of performing by a musician (damkash) lady at first glance may not seem to carry any particular complexity. But, as professional duduk players say, playing just a few notes of a dam is much more difficult than a whole score of a solo duduk. The art of performing the lady on the duduk requires special skills - the correct setting during the game, and the special support of the performer, who continuously passes air through himself.
The smooth sounding of the notes is ensured by the musician's special playing technique, which keeps the air inhaled through the nose in the cheeks, ensuring a continuous flow to the tongue. This is also called the technique of permanent breathing (or it is called circulating breathing).
It is believed that the duduk, like no other instrument, is able to express the soul of the Armenian people. The famous composer Aram Khachaturian once said that the duduk is the only instrument that makes him cry.
Varieties of duduk. Care
Depending on the length, several types of tool are distinguished:
The most common of the modern ones, the duduk in the La system, from 35 cm in length. It has a universal tuning suitable for most melodies.
The C instrument is only 31 cm long, due to which it has a higher and more delicate sound and is more suitable for duets and lyrical compositions.
The shortest duduk, building Mi, is used in dance folk music and its length is 28 cm.
Like any "live" musical instrument, the duduk requires constant care. Caring for the duduk consists in rubbing its main part with walnut oil. In addition to the fact that apricot wood has a high density (772 kg / m3) and high wear resistance, walnut oil gives the duduk surface even greater strength, which protects it from the aggressive effects of climate and the environment - humidity, heat, low temperatures. In addition, walnut oil gives the instrument a unique aesthetically beautiful look.
The tool must be stored in a dry, not damp place, while it is undesirable to keep it in closed and poorly ventilated places for a long time, contact with air is necessary. The same applies to canes. If duduk reeds are stored in some small sealed case or box, then it is advisable to make several small holes on this case so that air can get there.
If the instrument is not used for several hours, then the plates of the reed (mouthpiece) “stick together”; this is expressed in the absence of the necessary gap between them. In this case, the mouthpiece is filled with warm water, shaken well, closing its rear hole with a finger, then the water is poured out and held in an upright position for some time. After about 10-15 minutes, due to the presence of moisture inside, a gap opens at the mouthpiece.
Having started playing, you can adjust the instrument's pitch (within a semitone) by moving the regulator (clamp) in the middle part of the mouthpiece; the main thing is not to overtighten it too much, because the tighter the knob is pulled, the narrower the mouth of the reed becomes and, as a result, the timbre is more compressed and not saturated with overtones.
The modern legacy of the duduk
What unites the names of Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, Hans Ziemer, Peter Gabriel and Brian May from the legendary band Queen? A person familiar with cinema and interested in music can easily draw a parallel between them, because all of them at one time or another collaborated with a unique musician who did more than anyone else to recognize and popularize the “soul of the Armenian people” on the world stage. This, of course, is about Jivan Gasparyan.
Jivan Gasparyan is an Armenian musician, a living legend of world music, a person who introduced the world to Armenian folklore and duduk music.
He was born in a small village near Yerevan in 1928. He picked up his first duduk at the age of 6. He made his first steps in music completely independently - he learned to play the duduk given to him, simply by listening to the playing of the old masters, without any musical education and base.
At twenty, he made his first appearance on the professional stage. Over the years of his musical career, he has repeatedly received international awards, including from UNESCO, but gains wide world fame only in 1988.
And Brian Eno, one of the most talented and innovative musicians of his time, who is rightfully considered the father of electronic music, contributed to this. During his visit to Moscow, he accidentally heard Jivan Gasparyan play and invited him to London.
From that moment on, a new international stage began in his musical career, which brought him world fame and introduced the world to Armenian folk music. The name Jeevan becomes known to a wide audience thanks to the soundtrack, on which he worked with Peter Gabriel (Peter Gabriel) for Martin Scorsese's film "The Last Temptation of Christ."
Jivan Gasparyan begins to tour around the world - he performs together with the Kronos Quartet, the Vienna, Yerevan and Los Angeles Symphony Orchestras, tours around Europe and Asia. Performs in New York and gives a concert in Los Angeles with the local Philharmonic Orchestra.
In 1999 he worked on the music for the film "Sage", and in 2000. - begins collaboration with Hans Zimmer (Hans Zimmer) on the soundtrack to the film "Gladiator". The ballad “Siretsi, Yares Taran”, on the basis of which this soundtrack was “made”, brought Jivan Gasparyan the Golden Globe Award in 2001.
Here is what Hans Zimmer says about working with him: “I always wanted to write music for Jivan Gasparyan. I think he is one of the most amazing musicians in the world. He creates a one-of-a-kind unique sound that immediately sinks into memory.
Returning to his homeland, the musician becomes a professor at the Yerevan Conservatory. Without leaving the touring activity, he begins to teach and produces many well-known duduk performers. Among them is his grandson Jivan Gasparyan Jr.
Today we can hear the duduk in many films: from historical films to modern Hollywood blockbusters. Jeevan's music can be heard in over 30 films. Over the past twenty years, a record amount of music with duduk recordings has been released in the world. This instrument is taught not only in Armenia, but also in Russia, France, Britain, the USA and many other countries. In 2005, modern society recognized the sound of the Armenian duduk as a masterpiece of the UNESCO World Intangible Heritage.
Even in the modern world, through the centuries, the soul of the apricot tree continues to sound.
“Duduk is my shrine. If I didn't play this instrument, I don't know who I would be. In the 1940s I lost my mother, in 1941 my father went to the front. There were three of us, we grew up alone. Probably, God decided so that I would play the duduk, so that he would save me from all life's trials, ”says the artist.
Top photo provided by https://www.armmuseum.ru
Duduk, less often “tsiranapokh” (Armenian), which can literally be translated as “apricot pipe” or “soul of an apricot tree”, is one of the oldest wind musical instruments in the world. Some researchers believe that for the first time the duduk is mentioned in the written monuments of the state of Urartu. In line with this hypothesis, we can assume that its history has about three thousand years. Others attribute the appearance of the duduk to the reign of the Armenian king Tigran II the Great (95-55 BC). It is believed that the duduk under the name "tsiranapokh" is mentioned in the works of the historian of the 5th century. Movses Khorenatsi. Duduk was depicted in many medieval Armenian manuscripts.
Perhaps due to the existence of rather extensive Armenian states (Great Armenia, Lesser Armenia, the Kingdom of Cilicia, etc.) and thanks to the Armenians who lived not only within the Armenian Highlands, but also in Persia, the Middle East, Asia Minor, in the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Crimea, etc., the duduk also spread to these territories. The duduk could also penetrate beyond its original distribution area thanks to the trade routes that existed at the time, some of which also passed through Armenia. Being borrowed in other countries and becoming an element of the culture of other peoples, it has undergone some changes over the centuries. As a rule, this concerned the melody, the number of sound holes and the materials from which the instrument was made.
To varying degrees, similar to the duduk in design and sound, and, probably, being its variations, musical instruments are also found among many peoples:
in Azerbaijan - tyutyak, the name balaban is also used;
in Georgia - duduks;
in Turkey - mei;
in China - guan or guanzi;
in Japan - hichiriki or hitiriki
Music on the Armenian duduk is most often performed in pairs: the leading duduk, which plays a melody, and the second duduk, called “dam”, which, playing a continuous tonic background of a certain height, provides a specific ostinato sound of the main steps of the mode. A musician playing the lady (damkash) achieves a similar sound using the technique of continuous breathing: inhaling through the nose, he keeps the air in his puffed cheeks, and the air flow from the mouth at the same time creates pressure on the tongue of the duduk.
Usually duduk players (musicians who play the duduk) during their training also play two other wind instruments - zurna and shvi. When performing dance music, duduku is sometimes accompanied by a percussion musical instrument dool. Duduk is widely used in folk instrument orchestras, accompanies folk songs and dances, as well as wedding and funeral ceremonies.
Description
The duduk consists of a playing tube, traditionally made of apricot wood, and a removable cane made of reed. The length of the Armenian duduk is from 28 to 40 cm. There are 8 playing holes on the front side and two holes on the reverse side, one playing for the thumb, and the second is used to tune the instrument. The length of the cane, known as "ramish" (Armenian), is usually 9-14 cm.
The sound is generated by the vibration of two reed plates and is controlled by changing the air pressure, as well as closing and opening the playing holes. The reed is usually capped and has a tone control for fine tuning. Pressing the control in increases the tone, and decreasing it decreases the tone.
At the beginning of the XX century. duduk received the definition of a diatonic one-octave instrument. However, despite this, chromatic notes are achieved by partially covering the playing holes.
The duduk is made in the keys of G, A, Bb, H, C, D, E, Eb and F. There are also varieties: alto, tenor, bass duduk and piccolo.
For beginners, an instrument in the key of A (A) is recommended.
Game Basics
When playing the duduk, you need to monitor the position of your body and the instrument. You should be relaxed, keep your head straight and not arch your back. Hold the duduk at an angle of 50 degrees. relative to the body. The elbows are slightly raised, for free breathing. When playing while sitting, do not cross your legs, as this unnecessarily strains the abdominals, which directly affects breathing. When playing while standing, the right foot is slightly forward.
Equally important, when playing the duduk, is proper breathing. Inhalation should be fast and deep, and exhalation long and even. There are three types of breathing:
- thoracic or costal
- abdominal or diaphragmatic
- mixed or thoracoabdominal
Before starting practice, make sure the instrument is ready to play. The reed should be open, that is, have a small gap between the plates. If it is closed, drop some water inside. Pour it out and put on the cap, wait 15-20 minutes, after which you can start playing the duduk.
Next, lightly pinch the cane with your lips at the very end. Puff out your cheeks so that your lips are slightly away from your gums, and exhale smoothly and slowly.
To achieve proper sound extraction, it is recommended to start with simple exercises.
Hand positioning when playing the duduk is of two types: simplified, when the little finger on the left hand is not used, and full, in which all fingers are involved. For beginners, a simplified one is recommended.
Tool Care
Duduk needs periodic maintenance, which consists in lubricating the tube. Walnut oil is best suited for these purposes. The tube is lubricated on the outside, but never on the inside.
After playing, the reed must be pulled out of the tube, loosen the regulator on it, put on the cap and let it dry. It is recommended to store reeds in ventilated cases.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
My duduk does not play, what should I do?
1. Familiarize yourself with
2. Check the reed. If it does not open, which happens with rare use, then dip the reed in a small amount of water, approximately 1-1.5 cm. Check periodically and as soon as the reed opens, wipe it off and you can start playing. If it turned out that the cane opened too much, then put on the cap and set it aside for 15-20 minutes, thereby allowing it to dry. After that you can start playing.
3. Check the correct positioning of the fingers when playing. The holes should be tightly closed with the first phalanx. Perhaps one of the holes is not tightly clamped.
4. You may be squeezing the reed tightly with your lips while playing.
5. Watch your breath. A small amount of air pressure is enough to make the reed vibrate and make a sound.
My duduk does not build
1. Familiarize yourself with
2. Move the knob on the reeds lower or higher to achieve the desired sound.
3. To increase the overall tuning, you can wind the threads from the base of the reed. Similarly, to lower the threads are wound.
Musical instrument: Duduk
Armenia is an amazing ancient country. Who was lucky enough to visit there at least once, impressions and pleasant memories will remain for a lifetime. Armenia is famous for its extraordinary beauty of landscape nature with the mountain peaks of Ararat, kind people, national cuisine, the most delicious apricots in the world and interesting traditions. But there is another attraction, which the Armenian people treat with special trepidation, their pride is the ethnic musical instrument - the duduk. It is called an instrument with the soul of an apricot tree. The cultural life of Armenia and the duduk are inseparable from each other, it reflects the social identity inherent in the colorful and diverse Armenian people. Armenians assure that the duduk expresses all spiritual subtleties and experiences, the pain of their hearts. All important events in the life of the people: weddings, funerals, various celebrations and public holidays are accompanied by a prayer-like sound of this unique instrument.
Read the history of the duduk and many interesting facts about this musical instrument on our page.
Sound
Listening to the duduk, it is impossible to remain indifferent to its soft and warm, similar to a human voice, velvety expressive sound. The timbre of the instrument, distinguished by lyrical emotionality, is capable of conveying subtle emotional experiences and shades of human sorrow.
For a more colorful performance of music on the duduk, pair performance by two musicians is typical: one performs the main theme, and the other, who is called dam or damkash, creates a continuous background sound. It is in this performance that music brings a sense of peace, high spirituality and makes it possible to feel the breath of time.
A very small range of the duduk is a little more than an octave. With the diatonic structure of the instrument, but with incomplete overlap of the sound holes on it, it is permissible to extract chromatic sounds. Therefore, it is possible to perform music written in different keys on the duduk.
The sound of the duduk appears as a result of the reed tongue vibrating and the vibration in the instrument of the air jet that creates the performer.
Photo:
Interesting Facts
- Duduk today has three names: tsiranapokh (translated from Armenian as “apricot pipe” or “soul of an apricot tree”), duduk (the name passed from the Turks a little over 100 years ago) and the Armenian clarinet.
- Many peoples have instruments that are similar in structure to the duduk. Macedonian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Croatian forged; Georgian duduki; Dagestan, Azerbaijani, Iranian balaban; Chinese guan; Japanese hitiriki; Korean piri; Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian pipes; Moldovan, Romanian, Uzbek, Tajik Nai; Turkish mei is just a small list of instruments that are similar in design to the duduk.
- Duduk player is the name of a duduk performer.
- In order to achieve a beautiful sound, craftsmen who make duduk experimented a lot with the material, using different types of wood and even crystal.
- In Armenia, duduk is made from apricot trees that grow in this country, and according to the belief of its inhabitants, it symbolizes strength of mind and true long-term love.
- Outstanding Armenian Composer A. Khachaturyan said that of the instruments, only the duduk could make him cry.
- In Armenia, the duduk is a very famous and beloved instrument, and the performers on it are very respected and revered. However, this was not always the case; in the past, duduk players were considered frivolous and insolvent people, contemptuously calling them “zurnachs”. Families even denied them the matchmaking of their daughters.
- Varpet - this word in Armenia means not just a great master, but a creator. The Armenians still call Vache Hovsepyan the Great Varpet and King of the Duduk.
- In Armenia, there is a unique ensemble in which performers play only Armenian duduks. This musical group has the corresponding name - "Dudukner". The overall range of the ensemble, which is three octaves, allows you to perform music of various musical styles, from classical to jazz.
- Film directors from Hollywood are very interested in the burning voice of the duduk, including its sound in the musical accompaniment of their films. "Gladiator", "The Last Temptation of Christ", "Munich", "The Passion of the Christ", "The Da Vinci Code", "Ashes and Snow", "Onegin", "Syrian", "Raven", "Alexander", "Hulk" , "Xena - Warrior Princess", "Ararat", "Game of Thrones" - this is only a small list of 60 famous films, the soundtracks of which are decorated with the sound of the duduk.
- The international organization UNESCO in 2005 recognized the music performed on the Armenian duduk as a masterpiece of the intangible cultural heritage of mankind.
- In February 2015, according to the original idea of the production director A. Titel at the Musical Theater. Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko at the premiere of the opera " Khovanshchina "The duduk for the first time as part of an ensemble of Armenian folk instruments sounded in a Russian opera.
- In Moscow in 2006, a monument to the Armenian duduk was erected in Shemilovsky Lane. The monument, symbolizing the inseparability of generations and loyalty to national traditions, is called "The Song of the Motherland".
Design
Duduk, being a reed woodwind instrument, has practically not changed its external form during its centuries-old history. His very simple device includes a pipe and a reed, which is a double tongue.
- On the tube, which has a cylindrical shape, the length of which varies from 28 to 40 cm (28, 33, 40), sound holes are located: 7, sometimes 8, on the front and 1 or 2 on the reverse side. A special kind of apricot tree, which grows only in Armenia, is traditionally used as a material for making pipes. It is believed that it is its wood that has special resonant properties that give the instrument such a soulful and emotional sound.
- The reed, which is 9 to 14 cm long, usually has a cap, and it is also equipped with a tone control, which makes it possible to adjust the sound of the instrument.
Varieties
The duduk family can be divided into solo and ensemble instruments. Solo instruments differ in size and tuning.
- Duduk in G tuning. Range - mi small octave - la first octave Length - 38 cm. It has the lowest sound. The timbre is velvety, but penetrating.
- Duduk in A scale. Range - f-sharp of a small octave - si of the first octave. Length - 36 cm. The most common tool.
- Duduk in B scale. Range - salt of a small octave - up to the first octave. Length - 34 cm. Also very common.
- Duduk in the H scale. Range - G-sharp of a small octave - C-sharp of the second octave. Length - 33 cm. The color of the sound is light and bright. It is used in the performance of dance melodies.
- Duduk in C tuning. Range - la small octave - re second octave. Length - 30 cm. It sounds bright, high and piercing. It is used in ensembles as a solo and accompanying instrument.
- Duduk in D tuning. Range - B-flat of a small octave - D-sharp of the second octave. Length - 29 cm. The sound is light and clear. Quite often used as a solo and accompanying instrument.
Ensemble instruments include duduk-tenor, duduk-baritone and duduk-bass. They were designed relatively recently to create a unique ensemble, which consists of instruments of this type only.
Application
Duduk has become an integral part of Armenian culture throughout its centuries-old history. All vital events of the inhabitants of the country are accompanied by the sound of this unique instrument. His quiet philosophical lamentation accompanies man on his "last journey". He emotionally sings at various holidays: weddings, birthdays, state celebrations. In addition, attracting performers in various modern musical genres with its sound, today the range of its application is very extensive. In addition to participating in folk ensembles, duduk's voice very often adorns soundtracks for various films with its timbre color, as well as compositions in such musical directions as jazz , rock, blues, pop music, rock'n'roll And classical music.
The repertoire for the duduk is very limited due to its small range and is mainly based on Armenian folk music. Recently, with the advent of new varieties of the instrument, such as duduk-tenor, duduk-baritone and duduk-bass, the range of its sound has expanded significantly. In the ensemble performance on these instruments, it became possible to hear works of classical music I.S. Bach, V.A. Mozart, S. Rachmaninoff, D. Gershwin, as well as Armenian composers A. Khachaturian, A. Spendiarov, Komitas, G. Narekatsi, N. Shnorali, M. Yekmalyan.
Performers
In Armenia, they believe that only musicians who have Armenian roots in the family can really play the duduk beautifully, since they have it genetically.
Vache Hovsepyan is still considered one of the greatest duduk players of the 20th century, whom no one could surpass in the virtuosity of playing the instrument.
At the present time, an outstanding performer, well known all over the world and who has done a lot to popularize the instrument and its international recognition, is Jivan Gasparyan. His concerts, held in the best concert halls, are scheduled for many months ahead.
Of particular note is the contribution to the development of the instrument by a gifted musician-performer, teacher Georgy Minasov. Expanding the range and performance capabilities of the instrument, he created a unique ensemble of duduk players.
Among the talented performers who at the present time adequately represent the duduk on concert stages and delight listeners with the sound of a unique instrument, I would like to note O. Kasyan, G. Malkhasyan, L. Gharibyan, S. Karapetyan, G. Dabagyan, A. Martirosyan, K. Seyranyan , O. Ghazaryan, N. Barseghyan, R. Mkrtchyan, A. Avedikyan, Argishti.
From time immemorial, the duduk in Armenia was considered an exclusively male instrument. However, the first female duduk player who violated this stereotype was the laureate of the All-Union Music Festival Armine Simonyan.
Story
When the duduk appeared and who was the first to carve an instrument from an apricot tree, now no one can say for sure. But the fact that it has existed since ancient times, no one argues with this. Even in the ancient manuscripts of the state of Urartu, which existed in the third millennium BC on the territory that now partly belongs to Armenia, historians found information about the instrument extremely similar to the duduk. Then the instrument is again indirectly mentioned in the ancient sources of the first millennium before the birth of Christ, during the reign of the ruler Tigran the Great. And only the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi, who lived in the 5th century AD, gives more reliable information about the instrument, calling it “tsiranapokh”, that is, a pipe made of apricot wood.
But thanks to the images that have come down to us in the old manuscripts of the Middle Ages, we learn that the duduk was a very popular instrument not only in Armenia, but also in the countries of the Middle East, in the Crimea and the Balkans.
Over the years of its long existence, the duduk has not actually changed, but since ancient times there has been a belief in Armenia that the instrument will sound only if it is made by the musician himself, so that the duduk and the soul of the performer can merge into one. At present, no one adheres to this tradition, and craftsmen who know the hidden secrets of this delicate work are engaged in the manufacture of tools.
One of the initiators of the improvement of the duduk, which has remained unchanged for thousands of years, is the enthusiast and gifted musician-performer Georgy Minasov. Together with the talented master of musical instruments Sergey Avanesov, they created a set of instruments: tenor duduk, baritone duduk and bass duduk. The total range of instruments now began to be three octaves and allowed the performers to significantly expand their repertoire.
The duduk is an ancient instrument that has always enjoyed respect and love. The performing arts flourish there and attract more and more musicians and music lovers. Duduk, with its passionate and deep voice, reaches every heart, regardless of nationality and religion, thereby conquering cities and countries.
Video: listen to the duduk
They say that this instrument expresses all the subtleties and experiences of the Armenian people, the pain of their souls and hearts. With the development of this musical instrument and from the moment of acquaintance with it outside of Armenia, they became synonymous duduk and music for the soul.
Many people know that the Armenians are an ancient people who have experienced not only many hardships throughout their history, but at the same time tried with all their might to preserve their original culture -Armenian dudukand the Kochari dance give the most complete picture of Armenian culture.
The history of the creation and development of the duduk. Other names for a musical instrument
In Armenia itself duduk has many names that come either from the peculiarities of its manufacture, or these names are a literal translation.
Apricot pipe.
Armenians call duduk “tsiranapokh”, which means “apricot pipe” in translation. This name comes from the specifics of manufacturing technology. It is believed that for purity of sound, for special subtlety and lightness, it is necessary to make duduk only from apricot wood. This fact hardly fits into the head of a Russian person, but the apricot tree is the hallmark of Armenia because of its juicy and special apricot fruits. Those who have tried real Armenian apricots will never again be able to eat other varieties - not only the Armenians themselves are sure of this, but also those who have had a chance to try this fruit, unusual for its juiciness, sweetness and ripeness.In ancient times, the duduk was made by the musician himself, and it was believed that this is why duduk and soul musicians merged into one during the game and gave out unimaginable melodies. The virtuosos of the game did not pass on their instrument to their sons and descendants, but shared the features and subtleties of manufacturing, helped not only to make the right instrument, but also to put their soul into it. Over time, this tradition has lost its power. Currently, duduk is being made by craftsmen who know all the subtleties and wisdom of this craft. In order to become a duduk player, it is not necessary to play an instrument of your own making. At the same time, the most popular duduk player of the present time says that he made his first duduk himself, as a tribute to tradition and as a sign that he chose his path consciously.
Soul of the apricot tree.
Another name for the Armenian national heritage is considered to be “the soul of an apricot tree” and this is not just. At the time of the invention of the duduk, there was not a huge variety of materials, and everything that was produced by hand was made from improvised materials. Khachkars were made from tuff - the nature of the stone, often found on the territoryorii of Armenia, and the duduk frommade from apricot wood. The first version of historians is considered to be the abundance of apricot trees in the territory of Armenia and nearby regions, and therefore the ancestors of the Armenians simply did not feel sorry for using this tree to make a musical instrument.The second version of historians is reflected in the centuries-old history of Armenians. The essence of this version is subtly intertwined with the first, but this one is more concise and voluminous. As a result of a huge number of persecutions and pilgrimages, the Armenians were looking not only for an outlet, but also for something that would prove to everyone - they are a developed people, with their own culture, their own history, their own characteristics. On the way from one area to another, during the campaigns, the Armenians made duduks from “improvised means”. These improvised means were just apricot trees.
Duduk.
During the era of the Ottoman Empire, the descendants of the Turks called this instrument so because of the similarity of sound. Despite the enmity of the Turks and Armenians (the consequences of the 1915 genocide and many years of denial), the Armenians left this name, since it is shorter, more convenient for many to pronounce than “tsiranapokh”.
Playing the duduk is an innate gift of Armenians.
In the 20th century, thanks to the musician Jivan Gasparyan, the whole world learned about the duduk. Armenians all over the world rejoiced - their compatriot not only becomes famous himself, but also glorifies the national instrument! The rumor about Gasparyan, his talent scattered throughout the Soviet Union, and after and beyond. The diasporas of many countries wanted to see him with concerts in order to "close their eyes and plunge into their homeland." It was these impressions that Armenians shared when they attended Gasparyan's concerts. Jivan not only introduced the world to the Armenian national instrument, he was able to do the incredible - to raise the duduk to a new level. Duduk music has become the title melody of the popular Hollywood film "Gladiator".
This was a new stage in the history of the development of the duduk. A huge number of musicians wanted to learn the intricacies of playing the "apricot pipe", but they were unsuccessful. Gasparyan commented on this fiasco of professionals as follows: “I don’t want to offend anyone, but in order to play the duduk well, you need to be an Armenian. We have some kind of genetic program that allows us to convey everything through the duduk - experiences, pain, joy, jubilation. If I live to the moment when a non-Armenian plays the duduk perfectly, I will give him a standing ovation.”
Also, Armenians are incredibly proud of the fact that in 2005 duduk music became a masterpiece of UNESCO cultural heritage. This meant that the national Armenian instrument became close to the people of the whole world, and not only to the inhabitants of Armenia and the Armenian people.
A feature of playing the duduk is also the fact that it is impossible to play solo to complete the sound. Playing the duduk is a pair performance, where one duduk player is the soloist, and the second plays the background. At the same time, both musicians are equally important for any work. In some melodies, duduk players are joined by drum and wind instruments.
listening Armenian duduk, it is impossible not to be “infected” with the emotions that the musicians convey, and it doesn’t matter at all whether it is a sad, melodic composition or an incendiary one, the listener instantly finds himself in the captivity of the duduk, in the captivity of an instrument that plays music for the soul.