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  • Will be an Historic Armenian duduk in future?

    Hello a grate thime of VSL

    As I see how VSL producing more and more historic winds I’d like to inquire. Are you planing in future to introduce historic Armenian duduk - the instrument so perfectly introduced by Hans Zimmer in a “Gladiator" where Jivan Gaspsryan played it?    

    Thanks in advance.


  • I do remember back in December or Jaanuary Paul, or maybe it was Dietz, saying that VSL had a lot of exciting projects in the works for this year (2017).  But, as usual, they won't go into any detail.  They don't want to spoil the surprise I guess.

    Although the Duduk is a "historic" wind (more like ancient historic) I think it would be considered more of an Ethnic instrument and VSL really hasn't taken a commited plunge in that direction as of yet because if your going to record a Duduk library then why not a Xiao or Sauna or (insert any ethnic wind here__________).

    BTW Do you know of any Duduk virtuosos living in Vienna?

    It would be nice but as of now I would just be satisfied with a Boys Choir.


  • Hello jasensmith

    and thanks for the comment. Yes, it is truth. Duduk is ancient historic instrument noun pretty much before B.C.

    The special character and color of the instrument attracted Armenian composers to create  a different colour combinations with the classic instruments. 

    Contemporary composer Avet Terteryan ( my teacher of instrumentation in Conservatoire ) used Duduks in his Symphony No.3. He was the first who set the good example for experimenting and in his next Symphonies he used more other traditional instruments. 

    I myself used Duduks in my Ballad for Voice and  two Duduks and Dhol dedicated to victims of the Armenian earthquake on 7 December, 1988. The Armenian Radio bought the Ballad and it there was my first earnings in my life as  a composer. I was very proud. 

    I don’t know any Duduk virtuosos living in Vienna. To my opinion, an ethnic instrumentalists used to live mostly in there natural environment.


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    @Gukas Pogosyan said:

    I don’t know any Duduk virtuosos living in Vienna. To my opinion, an ethnic instrumentalists used to live mostly in there natural environment.

    And therein lies the challange.  The talent would have to be imported to Vienna and that presents a whole host of logistical issues which unfortunately may make the project more trouble than it's worth.

    But I like the Duduk too and as I said before it would be nice to have a VSL sampled one.  The instrument has a haunting yet mellow sound to it.  Listening to a professional Duduk performance is like sipping a fine aged whiskey.  At least it is to my ears anyway.

    We can always hope.  


  • There are more than enough sampled "Duduks" in nearly all ethnic Samplelibraries.

    Especially Vienna has so much interesting own living musical traditions, which are still waiting to be sampled.

    After we got Dimension brass, we have got the incredible dimension strings, so after getting historic winds, why should'nt we wait for historic strings:

    - How about Viols (Viola da gamba) in vienese quality (Ok there are already a few sampled viols but none on the level we would expect from VSL?

    - Vienna is the hometown of the concentus musicus, so hurry up to get the most brilliant gutstring (Darmsaiten) ensemble on our screens as long they are active..


  • Absolutely truth! - Vienna is the hometown of the concentus musicus.

    I'd like to have a Viola da gamba too. It has a thimbre which is very close to Duduk. I'd like to compose a piece with the Duet and String orchestra.


  • I did not know them. But yes! This Orchestra has a special quality. WOW! Here's a link... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vccVPACD5I4 But as dimension Strings are the explained VSL-Standard now ... I guess we have to wait a little longer;)