For many centuries, the music of the national musical instrument duduk has accompanied all important events in the life of the Armenian people: people were happy at weddings, cried at funerals, sang and danced to it. And now it is so difficult to imagine Armenian music without the soft, lyrical, sometimes sad and heartfelt notes of this instrument.
Probably, no other instrument can express the soul of the Armenian people so accurately and deeply — Armenian mountains sing in its music, old people cry and children laugh. In this article, we would like to introduce you to this unique musical instrument.
Armenian Duduk: history and general information
The duduk is considered one of the oldest musical instruments in the world. At this time, it is common among some peoples of the Caucasus, but it is believed that it is of Armenian origin. According to many studies, there is a version that the duduk appeared during the reign of the Armenian king Tigran II the Great (95-55 BC). In the V century, an Armenian historian mentioned the musical instrument "tsiranapoh" (the original name of the duduk) in his works, which are the oldest written references to this musical instrument.
Where did the name come from
The original name "tsiranapoh" translates as "a pipe made of apricot". It was called so for a reason: duduk is made from apricot wood. In other countries, duduk is made from other materials (plum wood, walnut wood), so its sound is different from Armenian. The instrument made of apricot wood has a soft and unique sound.
Features of the tool
The duduk itself is a tube 28.33 or 40 cm long and has 7 or 8 gaming holes, as well as one on the back for the thumb. Its sound is soft, velvety, lyrical, sometimes very sad and emotional. Probably, no instrument can convey the soul of the Armenian people so subtly. And the famous Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian once admitted that only the sound of a duduk can make him cry.
Listen with us Visiting Karen Hakobyan, a master in the manufacture of duduk.Master Karen will not only tell you the subtle technology of making a duduk, but also we will be able to enjoy the great sounds of the duduk of different keys.
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