Monodia
Tigran Mansurian's music is rooted in Armenian folk and church music filtered through contemporary Europeans, especially Bartók. In many respects he resembles other post-Soviet composers like Schnittke and Svirdov, sharing their combination of elusiveness and accessibility. Kim Kashkashian has long championed his works, and the outstanding violist is superb here. She's the center of gravity in the Viola Concerto, titled "...and then I was in time again," a quote from Faulkner and resembling his stream-of-consciousness style. The complex interplay of soloist and 18 strings fascinates, the two going their own ways and coming together again in unpredictable fashion but always to expressive effect. It's in two movements, the first more dramatic, the second poignant. In Lachrymae, Kashkashian is joined by Garbarek's soprano sax, the pair weaving their lines together, often blurring the distinction between their instruments. In the final piece, Confessing with Faith, the solo viola sings its expressive commentary to seven medieval prayers intensely sung with tonal purity by The Hilliard Ensemble. Leonidas Kavakos is the excellent soloist in the Violin Concerto, an earlier work in one long movement whose blend of drama and prayerful sadness are riveting--and rivetingly played. An important set of powerful, melodic music brilliantly performed, with ECM's usual first-rate sonic and production values.--Dan Davis