Moscow enchanted by sounds of Armenia

You’ve probably heard it, even if you’ve not heard of it. The amazing sound of the duduk, an Armenian instrument similar to the oboe, was made famous when it was used on the soundtrack of the Oscar winning film Gladiator. Now it’s reached Moscow in a conc

As well as playing on the Gladiator soundtrack, the Armenian music legend has recorded with Peter Gabriel, Lionel Richie and Brian May.

Gasparian started to play duduk intuitively at the age of six, without even learning to read music.

He went on to become a celebrated maestro who introduced his native music to a world audience.

“I can't remember any place where I have performed and people didn't like it. Japan, Germany, Italy, France, the U.S. – people all around the globe love our music,” he says.

The concerts, held on Friday and Saturday as part of Gasparian’s world tour, were a truly unifying event for Moscow’s Armenian community, although the concerts were popular with Russians too.

One fan said: “I've noticed that around 50 percent of the audience are Russian. And I feel very proud that Russian people also love and understand duduk.”

The duduk, often refereed to as ‘the soul of apricot tree’, is an ancient instrument that is capable of giving out the saddest and most heart-felt sounds. In Gasparian's view, duduk music reflects the very nature of Armenians.

“We Armenians are a lyrical nation. We love to sing, to respect others, to treat them specially. We don't like to hurt people,” he said.

The duduk has won many hearts through its use in films, with Djivan playing in more than fifteen, of which Gladiator is the most famous.

It won a Golden Globe for Best Score, and the composer Hans Zimmer joked that with his contribution, Gasparian had made it sound like an Armenian film.

Gasparian has become a spokesman for his country’s music, but also the spokesman of his instrument.

Many people say that you should listen to the duduk to clean your soul, and even compare its sound to prayer.

As Gasparian says: “Duduk music is what mountains and trees are talking about. It is about how warriors fight and weddings are celebrated.”