The Gurdjieff Ensemble & Levon Eskenian - Zartir

Third album from the award-winning Gurdjieff Ensemble

The third album from Levon Eskenian's remarkable ensemble is its most adventurous to date. As well as reclaiming the music of esoteric teacher G. I. Gurdjieff for folk instrumentation, Zartir situates Eskenian's award-winning Gurdjieff Ensemble in a tradition of Armenian bards and troubadours including Ashugh Jivani, Baghdasar Tbir and the legendary Sayat-Nova.

In parallel, an emphasis on pieces for sacred dance reaches its apex in "The Great Prayer," an entrancing collaboration between the Gurdjieff Ensemble and the National Chamber Choir of Armenia, which draws upon ritual music of multiple faiths.

Arranger Eskenian says, "I believe 'The Great Prayer' is more than a mere ‘composition.' It is one of the most profound and transformative pieces I have encountered in Gurdjieff's work." Zartir was recorded in Yerevan in 2021 and mixed and completed in Munich in November 2022 by Manfred Eicher and Levon Eskenian.

The album's striking cover image is from Sergei Parajanov's allegorical art film The Colour of Pomegrates, based upon the life of Sayat-Nova.

Side A

Pythia

No. 10

Sayyid Chant and Dance No. 41

Introduction and Funeral March

Oriental Dance

Kankaravor Enker

Dard mi ani

Thirty Gestures

Side B

Prayer and Despair

Sayyid Chant and Dance No. 42

Ashkharhes Me Panjara e

Trembling Dervish

Zartir

The Great Prayer

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