Music for Missing Someone: August Denhard and Munir Nurettin Beken

Oud/Lute

About the most lovely sound in the universe is the song of the lute.  Tonight’s  offering is a scrumptious and gentle concert of  lute, played by August Denhard, and oud (Arabian lute) played by Turkish master, Munir Nurettin Beken.

Denhard is from Seattle and the Director of the Early Music Guild (EMG) a collective of music lovers of which Frazier and Niles would be proud to be members.  In addition to his responsibilities of running EMG, Denhard, as this album demonstrates, is an outstanding lutenist himself.

Munir Nurettin Beken was born and raised in Istanbul. From the age of 11 he studied at the State Conservatory of Istanbul specializing in the Turkish classical repertoire, the oud (Turkish/Middle Eastern lute) and also Western classical music and composition. He graduated with honours and then taught at the Conservatory whilst studying for his bachelors degree. During this time he also began to perform on local television. He also represented his country at an international music festival in Poland and had many of his compositions performed by ensembles and orchestras. Following the completion of his BA studies, Beken helped to form the State Turkish Music Ensemble along with other respected Turkish classical musicians. He also began composing for local television, radio and ballet companies and has subsequently won numerous awards for his work on soundtracks. In 1989 he moved to the USA to study Ethnomusicology at the University of Maryland, where he subsequently became the Executive Director of the Centre for Turkish Music. He was invited by Rounder Records to compile Masters Of Turkish Music Volume Two, an anthology of recordings from the early twentieth century, and subsequently recorded his debut, The Art Of The Turkish Ud, for the same label. It featured solo ud performances of pieces from the Turkish classical repertoire, allowing Beken to display his mastery of the instrument and featuring a surprising variety of moods and tempos for a solo recording. (AMG)

This album is a series of duets and conversations between these two musical soulmates. Absolutely lovely music from the Renaissance and Medieval periods.  Great for Sunday mornings or afternoons when you are missing someone who’s company you love.

            Track Listing:

            01 Greensleeves

02 Piva

03 Estampie Fragment

04 Recercada I

05 Nota I

06 Estampie

07 Estampie IV

08 Lamento Da Tristano, Rotta

09 Spagna For Two Lutes

10 Aspire Refus Contre Doulce Priere

11 Notas II And III

12 La Manfredina Estampie

13 Douce Dame Jolie

14 Belle Fiore Dansa

15 Untitled

16 Un Fiore Gentile M'apparse

17 Calta Ala Spagnola

18 Saltarello

19 Buselik Saz Semaisi

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