Awards and International Recognition:

 

November 28, 2012 Edison Award Jazz/World 2012 for Best World Music Album, Netherlands 

 

April 17, 2012 Best Folk Music Album 2011 at Armenian National Music Awards, Yerevan, Armenia 

 

January 7, 2012 WQXR, Classic music radio, Q2 Music Album of the Week for January 7 2012 (US)  

 

November, 2011 Editor’s choice as top of the world for the Songlines Magazine’s November/December issue  (UK)

 

September 19, 2011 Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Classic FM CD of the Week                   

International Press Reviews:

 

 

“The result is a delicate, haunting and atmospheric selection of instrumental pieces. ..they range from drifting, mesmeric arrangements for the duduk Armenian woodwind to subtle, sparse passages, or more sturdy dance pieces played on the zither-like kanon, the oud or the santur dulcimer. An intriguing, often gently exquisite set.” Robin Denselow, The Guardian  review link  (UK)

 

“Nun geht das Münchner Label ECM, bei dem schon Keith Jarrett’s„ Sacred Hymns“ (1980) und, Chants, Hymns and Dances“ (2004) mit dem griechischen Pianisten Vassilis Tsabropoulos und der Cellistin Anja Lechner erschienen waren, einen Schritt weiter, indem es 17 Gurdjieff-Kompositionen in wechselnden Besetzungen auf authentischen Instrumenten facettenreicher und in größerer Opulenz veröffentlicht. So wird die bis dato pianozentrierte Rezeption dieser Musik in der westlichen Welt zu ihren Wurzeln zurückgeführt. […] Sie präsentieren sich mit berückenden, sehnsuchtsvollen, tief beseelten Klängen, die auf musikalische Rituale des täglichen Lebens zurückgehen, auf Kirchen-, Liebes- und Tanzlieder, Hirtenmelodien und rituelle Musik. Das ist wie eine akustische Brücke über die Jahrhunderte und ein Toleranzprogramm der Weltgegenden.” Ulrich Steinmetzger, Mitteldeutsche Zeitung (Germany)

 

“Georges Gurdjieff composed and dictated volumes of piano music. Levon Eskenian’s Gurdjieff Folk Instruments Ensemble reclaims these pieces from the salons of Paris and takes them back to their roots in the Caucasus. […] they reveal their origins and themselves.” David Honigmann, Financial Times review link (UK)

 

“The combination of instrumental voices, and the otherness of the voices themselves creates deep, mysterious yet marvellously relaxing soundscapes to sit awhile in.” Phil Johnson, The Independent review link (UK)

 

“Allein wegen der zum Einsatz kommenden Instrumente möchte man der Aufnahme ein Echtheitszertifikat ausstellen.” Guido Fischer, Jazzthetik (Germany)

 

“Gurdjieff’s music was explored by Jarrett on his 1979 ECM album “Sacred Hymns” (which is worth revisiting). Here, though, it is rescued from classicism by Levon Eskenian, who has assembled some of the best Armenian traditional musicians into a flexible ensemble that delivers Gurdjieff’s music, if we choose to attribute it so, in small-scale arrangements at a time. The oud, central to “Chant From A Holy Book” and the three Sayyid chants, is now, partly thanks to ECM, the most familiar of these instruments, though all have some kinship with vernacular or classical instruments in the West: flutes, harps or zithers, reeds. The effect is strong and strange, and unexpectedly its very physicality and peasant alertness restore something of Gurdjieff’s muscular spirituality. Simply but immaculately recorded, it’s a beautiful set.” Brian Morton, The Wire (UK)

 

“Eine wahre Weltmusik kommt hier zum Klingen, in der Elemente von griechischen, arabischen und assyrischen bis zu kurdischen und kaukasischen Tänzen als heilige Weisen mitschwingen.” Klangraum review link (Germany)

 

“The result is magical. The traditional instruments reproduce this deeply rooted music in a way that a western tuned piano never could – not only the microtonal intervals that are an inherent part of this music but the sonic qualities unique to each instrument. The soft, sad sound of the three duduks on the opening track “Chanft From A Holy Book” place you right into the heart of Armenia, while the kamancha, tar, santur, kanon, oud and saz on the “Caucasian Dance” and “Atarnakh, Kurd Song” replant these folk melodies and spiritual chants into the soil out of which they came.” Sofi Mogensen, Properganda (UK)

 

“Das Besondere an diesem Album aber hier ist nun die spezielle Behandlung, die musikalische Umsetzung, die sich an die Tradition des Ostens hält, eben so, wie es der Meister auch gemeint hat. Es ist Musik, die stark von bestimmten Instrumenten geprägt und mit deren Ursprungsland verknüpft ist. Führende Musiker der armenischen Volksmusik sind hier vertreten, die Kompositionen mit armenischen, griechischen, arabischen, kurdischen, assyrischen und kaukasischen Einflüssen adäquat zum Klingen bringen.” Südwind (Austria)

 

“A fabulous collection of Armenian and Middle Eastern folk music with a fascinating story behind it”. The tunes were composed by Georges Gurdjieff, best known as a mystic philosopher and author of Meetings with Remarkables Men, turned into a film by Peter Brook. But Gurdjieff was also a composer who dictated his music to his pupil Thomas de Hartmann (presumably because he was unable to notate it himself). Gurdjieff was born in Armenia, but travelled widely in the Middle East and became faxcinated with the traditional music he heard. In 1920 he was in Istanbul, living close to the Mevlevi meeting place in Galata and `Sayyid Chant and Dance No 29´ on this disc is very reminiscent of the Whirling Dervish music he would have heard there. So this CD is a something like what Muzsiás did on their Bartók Album, using his compositions to recreate the sort of music he would have heard and collected. It´s been arranged by Levon Eskenian for his Yerevan-based group called The Gurdjieff Folk Instruments Ensemble including plaintive duduks (Armenian oboes), oud (lute), tar (lute), kamancheh (fiddle), kanun (zither), blul (flute) and tombak (drum). A lot of the music comes from Gurdjieff´s native Armenia, notably the opening `Chant from a Holy Book´, a plangent, spiritual duduk tune and a gorgeous Armenian song. Another track named `Assyrian Women Mourners´ is arranged for four duduks and frame drum, confirming what Djivan Gasparyan once told me about duduks being used for funerals in Armenia. Two of the most delightful tracks are enigmatically called `No.11´ and `No.40, arrangements from a collection called `Asian Songs & Rhythms´, and have a spontaneous, improvisatory quality, while `Caucasian Dance´ has all the verve of the mountain music of Georgia and Armenia. A remarkable work.” Simon Broughton, Songlines (UK)

 

“Faszinierend anzuhören ist die nun dokumentierte Rückführung dieser für den Konzertsalon `veredelten´ Volksweisen in den ursprünglichen Kontext durch den Komponisten Levon Eskelian, der die ergreifenden Melodien mit Akribie, Einfühlungsvermögen und Sachkenntnis für sein 14-köpfiges Folkensemble restaurierte: Back to the roots!” Jürg Sommer, Aargauer Zeitung

 

“Hats off to the ECM label. They’ve had a long-standing interest in Gurdjieff, having released that Jarrett album back in 1980. ECM became aware of this 2008 recording from the Armenian capital Yerevan and remastered it for the release this year. You can hear the album as a musical document of Gurdjieff’s many travels. It is also an alluring and often moving window into the world of a remarkable man who sought a better understanding of life through a combination of ancient religions, self-awareness and expecially music.” Tom Huizenga, NPR Music review link (US)

 

“Mentre però al pianoforte le musiche di Gurdjieff sono l’apoteosi di un’iterazione estatica e di un esotismo assai posticci, qui accade una sorta di miracolo. Un breve, Levon Eskenian ha riunito un ensemble di eccellenti musicisti armeni e ha arrangiato – o meglio dis-arrangiato – una manciata di melodie di Gurdjieff riportandole nel loro alveo musicale originario e immaginario insieme. Semplice, perfetta, fittizia in quanto mai esistita in quella veste nella mente e nell’esperienza di Gurdjieff, ma solo in quella di Eskenian e dei suoi partner, questa musica emana un fascino straordinario. Forse proprio perché è finta, cioè reinventata, come tutta la grande arte.” Giordano Montecchi, L’Unita  review link (Italy)

 

“While such a large number of brief compositions outside of a variations or symphonic set can seem jarring, there’s a fluid line running through these deceptively modest works. Eskenian and his ensemble proceed with vinyasa-like flow, indulging in spontaneous yet organic movement while full of curiosity and wonder. The music is at once unadorned yet lush in an extrinsically baroque manner. Moods shift drastically and imperceptibly, the plaintive dourness of Assyrian Women Mourners sounding not too far off from the vibrant Caucasian Dance. And therein lies the appeal: Like Gurdjieff’s own philosophies, his music does not demand that its interpreters abandon any attempt to control the body, emotions or intellect of the work. Rather, they incorporate all of these elements with their own artistic alignments to present a complete, contradictory, and at times even enlightening package.” Q2 music- WQXR review link (US)

 

“This CD by the Gurdjieff Folk Instruments Ensemble, under their director Levon Eskenian, consists of arrangements of Gurdjieff’s compositions for traditional Armenian instruments. The duduk permeates everything with its mournful grace, with the oud and zar lute, the kanun zither, and the daf frame drum adding their evocative sound. We get religious chants and dances from Georgia, Greece, and Arabia, plus a beautiful Assyrian mourners’ song.” Michael Church, BBC Music Magazine (UK)

 

“Wybrane przez muzyków dzieła Gurdżijewa swoim charakterem graniczyły z mantrą; podane w sposób tak silne wyciszający i odrywający od rzeczywistości, że zdziwienie budziło zakończenie każdego z kolejnych utworów.” Magdalena Lubocka Kultura (Poland) review link

 

“Zderzenie współczesnej awangardy z antycznymi korzeniami odświeża ostatnie, uszlachetniając pierwsze. Na kanwie mimochodem przenikających się przez lata tradycji artyści snują niezwykłą baśń, przenosząc słuchaczy w fascynujące zakątki Bliskiego Wschodu i dalej.” Kontra (Poland) review link

 

“SILLONNER LE CAUCASE MUSIQUE TRADITIONNELLE Duduk, blul, kamancha, santor et oud… Rien qu’à enten- dre ces noms, on a déjà fait la moitié du voyage: cap sur la musique traditionnelle qui se cueille le long des routes de Grèce et des pays du Caucase. A l’instar de son contem- porain Béla Bartók, Georges Gurdjieff s’était inspiré de ces notes vagabondes dans ses compositions. Levon Eskenian fait aujourd’hui le chemin inverse et replace ces œuvres dans leur contexte d’ori- gine. La douzaine de musiciens qu’il rassemble autour de ce projet ne manquent pas d’affinités avec ces mélodies aux titres évocateurs. Ancienne danse grecque,Mélodie du berger kurde, Chant du Sayyid… et l’âme s’évad.” LA LIBERTÉ (Switzerland)

 

“Լ. Իսկենյանի աշխատանքն արժանի է գովեստի ամենաբարձր խոսքերի: Նրա օգնությամբ կարծես փակվեց մի շրջան` տեղ տալով զարգացման նոր ալիքի: Բխելով տարբեր ազգերի անանուն, անհայտ տեղեկություններից, բանավոր կերպով փոխանցվելով Գյուրջիեւին` այդ եղանակները հիշողությամբ նոտագրվեցին երրորդ անձի` դը Հարթմանի կողմից, որպեսզի գրեթե մեկ դար հետո վերագործիքավորվեն` հնարավորինս մոտենալով բնօրինակին:Լեւոն Իսկենյանը հիրավի հսկայական աշխատանք է կատարել: Կրթությամբ դաշնակահար` նա ուսումնասիրել է ժողովրդական գործիքները, դրանց կատարողական տեխնիկան, դրանց տարբեր համակցությունների գործածությունը, այնուհետեւ` ժողովրդական երաժշտության ոճերը: Նա համագործակցել է Հայաստանի լավագույն երիտասարդ կատարողների հետ եւ նրանց տեւական ու քրտնաջան աշխատանքի շնորհիվ պատրաստվել է մի ամբողջ համերգային ծրագիր:…Հարկ է հատկապես նշել կատարողների բարձր պրոֆեսիոնալիզմը: Նրանց առջեւ դրված էին անսովոր խնդիրներ, որոնց հետ ժողգործիք նվագողները հազվադեպ են առնչվում:….Սակայն փոխարենը ձեռք էր բերվել յուրաքանչյուր հնչյունը կամ ֆրազը «լսելու», վայելելու, գուրգուրելու հատկությունը, որը, ցավոք, այնքա՜ն հազվագյուտ երեւույթ է մեր օրերում` նույնիսկ դասական երաժշտության կատարողների մոտ, եւ որը երաժշտական կատարման բուն իմաստն է, դրա հոգին:”  ԱՐԹՈՒՐ ԱՎԱՆԵՍՈՎ, ԱԶԳ ՕՐԱԹԵՐԹ review link (Armenia)

 

“The Gurdjieff Folk Instruments Ensemble, directed by Levon Eskenian, delivers charming transcriptions of some of the many  piano pieces written by the great humanist philosopher, Georges Gurdjieff.Played on such exotic instruments as the duduk, santur, saz and oud, a cultural enrichment takes place, drawing on new resonances that a mere keyboard can only hint at. A wistful Armenian Song is a hesitation waltz that would fit perfectly on a soundtrack for the Armenian movie that Fellini never made.” William Dart, The New Zealand Herald review link (New Zealand)

 

“A prominent Armenian musician is shedding lovely new light on music hitherto heard on the piano. It is much more eloquently rendered by Levon Eskenian’s Gurdjieff Folk Instruments Ensemble.” Doug Spencer, ABC Radio National, The Weekend Planet review link (Australia)

 

“De muziek van de Armeense goeroe Gurdjieff (1866-1949) is vooral bekend geworden door de transcripties voor piano, gemaakt door zijn leerling Thomas de Hartmann. Met het speciaal voor dit project opgerichte Gurdjieff Folk Instruments Ensemble laat Levon Eskenian Gurdjieffs composities terugkeren naar hun vaderland in de Kaukasus.Je zou denken dat al die variatie afbreuk doet aan de verstilling die zo kenmerkend is voor Gurdjieffs muziek, maar niets is minder waar.” Ademt Rust, Volkskrant review link (Netherlands)

 

“Mystical, moody and spacious, the mix of strings, reeds and hands takes you on a trip to the Byzantine Empire.” George W.Harris, Jazz Weekly (US)

 

“La idea es fascinante y como tal a lo mejor no es nada más que otro falso apaño pero la verdad es que esta nueva visión puede y engancha.” Distrito Jazz review link (Spain)

 

con los dulces duduk, la flauta nay, los laúdes ’ud, las violas kemanché y tar, las cítara-salterios kanun y santur, las percusiones usadas desde Medio-Oriente hasta Irán, las melodías pre-cristianas, las danzas pré-islámicas, las oraciones sin indicación de religión recordadas/recompuestas por Gurdjieff, armonizadas (re/recompuestas) por Hartmann, hacen una suerte de peregrinación a las hipotéticas fuentes mediante la nueva armonización Levon Eskenian. Como en la inversión de un tema del Arte de la fuga previamente tratado por una simetría en espejo, la nueva metamorfosis de la música de Gurdjieff es o podría ser misteriosamente parecida a la original (imaginada, imaginaria): las interpretaciones, recomposiciones, o como quiera el oyente llamarlas, son unas novelizaciones, acaso unas novelas que imaginan otras obras, otras vidas, alejando sus límites, su horizonte (y el mío). Pierre Élie Mamou Diverdi review link (Spain)

 

“In a way, Music of George I. Gurdjieff is more than just music inspired by a certain figure from the past; it is a wonderful introduction to the music of the Armenian region, as well as another entry into the world of Gurdjieff. It opens up the doors to a rich musical world in its full glory and serves as a wonderful document awaiting discovery.” Nenad Georgievski, All About Jazz review link (US)

 

“Mystic Music: As a young man, Georges I. Gurdjieff traveled widely in Europe, Central Asia, and North Africa, studying with mystics and holy men from Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist traditions. The music of this Armenian writer and spiritual leader is imbued with the sounds he heard in monasteries and other sacred places. In this spellbinding collection, Music of Georges I. Gurdjieff (ECM), Gurdjieff’s compositions are rendered on traditional Middle Eastern and Central Asian instruments by an accomplished ensemble.” The Christian Science Monitor (US)

 

“The significance lies precisely in its re-invention of what we understand this music to be. Returning this music to its roots required considerable ingenuity in terms of both arrangement and appropriate instrumental interpretation. Mr. Eskenian and his artists with a doubt labored long and hard to produce a well-crafted work of integrity and value, yet they manage to make the result sound relaxed, informal, and effortless.” Lee Van Laer, Zen, Yoga, Gurdjieff-Perspectives on inner work review link (US)

 

“For one, there is just the pure enjoyment of hearing many of these ancient, soothing hymns, chants, and songs played as they were meant to be played. There is a “world music” element to this, but not in the pretentious manner that term often connotes. Rather, the pieces are heard in a much more organic way….the music recorded by the Gurdjieff Folk Instruments Ensemble is fascinating, and a great introduction to one of the true Renaissance men of the early twentieth century.” Greg Babrick, BC  Music review link (US)