Caucasian Melancholy

American Viola player of Armenian descent Kim Kashkashian has carved a niche for herself in the realm of contemporary Caucasian melancholy. The title piece of this disk, Neharot, Neharot, is by Israeli composer Betty Olivero. The title refers to rivers in Hebrew and specifically, rivers of tears shed by widows of war and conflict. The solo viola echoes the human voice and is surrounded by two string ensembles, accordion and percussion along with taped voices. Influences in the work range from fragments of Kurdish melody to Monteverdi. The Munchener Kammerorchester under Alexander Liebreich accompany. The middle section of the disk centres on pieces by Armenian composer Tigran Mansurian, a substantial work that is a kind of viola concerto in all but name accompanied by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project conducted by Gil Rose, a shorter piece with Kashkashian simply accompanied by understated percussion and a solo piano piece played by Mansurian and based on the music of legendary Armenian composer and folk musicologist Komitas. The disk ends with a work by another Israeli, Eitan Steinberg for viola and string quartet which sees Kashkashian joined by the Kuss Quartet. The overall feel remains melancholic but this evocation of a kabbalistic prayer to be said over a Sabbath meal also gives solace and reminds that there are more things binding humanity than there are dividing it.