Well I was able to switch things around and made it to Armen's show. Amren played a beautiful solo set then performed an improv. with a vocal performer.
It was a masterful and inspiring performance.
Including a variety of classical pieces and his own transcendent adaptations of Komitas and Armenian modes.
A big surprise was the Cold Genius aria by Purcell which was interpreted in such a lovely way it stood on it's own out of context very well and both made me recall the moving Nomi performance of it and expanded on my understand of the piece with Armen's own take on it in the non-verbal theremin version. Just what you want when an accomplished player pulls out one of your pet pieces!
I always hope for any kind of printed program, I can't remember the names of all the pieces. Many familiar classics. Hearing a player more than twice live let's you perceive more when they play a piece again. The room, venue, audience, events just before performing and their own sense as artists in the moment can give subtle changes that make it sound new each time. Armen does that, it never sounds like he's playing mechanically. That fellow knows how to pharse and blossom a sound!
Good work Armen, thanks for letting us know.
