Zartir

Description

ADVANCED RELEASE (originally scheduled for 26/01) 'Zartir' is the third album from Levon Eskenian's remarkable Gurdjieff Ensemble and probably its most personal and adventurous to date. In addition to offering a version of the music of the esoteric philosopher, spiritual teacher, and composer G. I. Gurdjieff using instrumentation characteristic of folk music. ‘Zartir’ aims to recontextualize Gurdjieff within the rich tradition of Armenian troubadours and bards, including Ashugh Jivani, Baghdasar Tbir, and the legendary Sayat-Nova. In parallel, the album features a collection of sacred dance pieces, culminating in The Great Prayer, a captivating collaboration between the Gurdjieff Ensemble and the National Chamber Choir of Armenia, drawing inspiration from the ritual music of various faiths. Arranger Levon Eskenian states: "I believe The Great Prayer is more than just a 'composition.' It is one of the most profound and moving pieces I have encountered in Gurdjieff's work." Zartir was recorded in Yerevan in 2021, then mixed and completed in Munich in November 2022 by Levon Eskenian, Tigran Kuzikyan, and Manfred Eicher.