Duo was founded 1997 year. Has 3 programs, two of which have been released on CDs.
"Chonyi Together" is the duo's first recording. Serial technique bestows the piece with a feel of strange bodiless alienation, wanderings of a pure spirit. Spiritual search has always been central in Gayvoronsky's music. The album by no means is a monothematic integral whole, and the title track does not dominate it. But at the same time it is a sort of a tuning fork that serves as a cornerstone for the very different if not contrasting moods of the other pieces, as if they all are that wandering spirits findings in its eternal ramblings.
The moods indeed are very different: idyllic jumble of The Pastoral; boisterous showing off of The Spanish Waltz; monotonous industrial rhythm of The Assembly Shop; introspective smoothness of The Ballad; indulgent, almost hysteric joyfulness of Sit-around Gatherings with obvious quotations from chastushki, sardonic Russian folk ditties; and finally, nostalgic impressionism of Memories of a Waltz.
After the music on this CD was recorded, and before it was released, one of the pieces, Celestial Yaha was awarded with the Special Composition Prize at the 5th International Astor Piazzola Competition in Italian city Castelfidardo, where in October 1998 the duo had their very successful international debut.
The duo successfully tours Russia and Europe: festival in Budapest "ETNO" '97
Fest. in Vienna "Good news from Russia" '98
Concerts in Lithuania '98
Fest. in Holland "OEROL" '99
Fest. in France "JAZZ a Mulhouse" '99
Fest. in London "UNSUNG MUSIC" 2000
fest. in Finland "S-Petersburg's days in Finland" 2000
The second CD "Nepriyutniye Pesni" ("Non-asylum Songs") is expected to be released in Moscow.
This programmer has more integrity in contents. Several
songs to real Russian folklore texts are unified by
bright, imaginative musical language into a cycle "Nepriyutniye Pesni".
The duo uses various traditional genre forms
(mourning, folk dance, chastushki,
"plainsong"),but in a modern manner (serial, jazz and improvisation techniques). The fiery rhythm
of "the Crow" with rap episodes, and of "Skomorokhi"
imitates vigorous dance. "The Field" is like a wide
valley : voice , accordion and trumpet mingle in
sonic unity. These titles are not very important, as
a song doesn't need any definitions.
The third
programmer is improvisational. The duo has collaborated
in joint projects with several musicians : Phil Minton (London) , duo
Arkady Shilkloper (Russia), duo
Arkady Kirichenko (USA) , duo...,
with recorded proceedings.