Albums overview

It is the second album of Vardan Hovanissian & Emre Gültekin, released on October 2018. “Karin” is the ancient Armenian name for the town of Erzurum, located in what is now Turkey.  It refers to the birthplace of Vardan Hovanissian’s grandfather, who was one of 200 survivors following the deportation of around 40,000 people during the Armenian genocide.  The album is dedicated to the cosmopolitan period in Karin, which was a meeting place for the different cultures that existed along the Silk Road.

This album sees the duo continuing their exploration of the links between Turkish and Armenian traditions.  It broadens the scope to take in the richness of the musical heritage of the troubled region including Georgia, Iran and the Kurdish area.

Inspired by a wandering soul and guided by a borderless friendship, the duo’s music weaves links between languages and styles.  This latest collaboration is a hymn to intercultural exchanges, and it derives its strength from a spirit of sharing and generosity.  It delves into the wide variety of traditional repertoires, bringing several lost treasures back to life, but also offers new compositions that address topical issues such as the fate of refugees.

The lyrics pass from Armenian to Turkish, Kurdish and Georgian tracing the footsteps of the famous Armenian troubadour Sayat Nova. The melancholy air of the duduk provides a perfect counterpoint to the vibrations of the different long-necked lutes.

Tracks

  1. Kamancha
  2. Mawda
  3. Karin
  4. Hamchena Par
  5. Sivas’ Lament
  6. Germir Bağları
  7. Trapzoni Par
  8. Qalma Damtskevla
  9. Tamzara
  10. Vard Siretsi
  11. Medet Erenler

GET THE ALBUM

From Muziekpublique

  • By postal delivery: order on our website
  • At our office from Tuesday to Friday between 10.30-13.00 and 15-18.00, or during the concerts.

Record shops

  • In good record shops in Belgium, Holland, Luxemburg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, UK, Ireland, France and Japan

Online

 

Note to the fans

Initially, this album counted 12 tracks. However, its first recording titled “Houcher”, contained an interpretation of a theme from the musical work “Song of the Blind Arab”, written and composed by Azerbaijani composer Fikrat Amirov for the play “Sheikh Sanan” by Azerbaijani poet, writer and playwright Huseyn Javid (staged in 1956 at the Azerbaijan State Drama Theatre).

However, Vardan and Emre forgot to include the title and composer of the original version in the credits. Therefore, out of respect for the original composer, Vardan and Emre have decided to remove the concerned recording from the album. They wish to express their regret and offer their sincere apologies to the heirs of Mr. Amirov for this unfortunate mistake.

To all of you: we are sorry for this inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.

Buy the Album

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