We previously featured Ashot Danielyan for tapping into a high emotional quotient with his cinematic, improvised album, Spontaneous Piano Journeys, so when we found out that Ashot Danielyan was back with Make Classical Music Great Again, we were immediately intrigued by the clever and provocative title, and couldn’t wait to explore the concept more.
Make Classical Music Great Again opens with brooding piano notes with astral inflections on a track called Beginning Of This April. We appreciate the emotional resonance and the flowing yet intricate manifestation of the melodies. There is most certainly a classical adjacency and the performance is both delicate and timeless, bringing to life arpeggio motifs with more dramatic nuances.
Once again, we learn that the album was improvised, which speaks volumes as it is clear that this is a universally coded message from the composer’s heart-space. Beginning Of This April evolves into a stripped-back moment, allowing introspection before descending bass notes evoke melancholia. The tempo shifts are organic and sublime, truly capturing the raw sentiment of Ashot Danielyan as he delivers the opus. Once again, the rebuild of the track feels symbolic and invites us to reflect on themes of renewal as outlined by the seasonal sentiment of the piece and its title.
Cold Flowers opens with a delicate allure, tapping into a more onomatopoeic approach to music creation. We connect with the intricate nature of the piece and its peaceful nature. The track would serve well for a yin yoga practise or the score of a Luca Guadagnino film. There is romanticism here, but also sentiments of winter that manifest with the clean high notes like dew or snowflakes on a petal.
Next up is Middle Of This April, which delivers a more immersive approach with the pedal expression. The piece is cinematic and immediately invites introspection. We feel at peace, although there are also notions of melancholia that come to be with the evolution of the piece. It is most certainly a great fit for the score of a film like Pride and Prejudice originally composed by Dario Marianelli.
This leads us to Warm May Light, which evokes a more optimistic approach with glistening keys evoking notions of sunlight emerging. Again, the symbolic approach here is what makes Ashot Danielyan‘s compositions most genius. The intention is raw and almost poetic. We connect with the warmth and rejuvenating notions that come to be.
Middle Of This July opens with minimalism, which feels almost otherworldly, like we are bathing in sunlight in a peaceful dimension. We can feel the ripples of sunlight and the tempo is slowed to allow us to enjoy a more peaceful approach to life, which is something we all need. In fact, this is a poignant commentary on the entire album. As we know the title is inspired by President Trump’s tagline established over 12 years ago, and serves as a commentary on the loss that classical music has suffered over the decades. Make Classical Music Great Again feels like an intentional, legacy album that comes from the soul and Middle Of This July really cements this emotion as the longest and most emotive track on the record.
9 Days Until August (dedicated to Frederic Chopin) is a romantic summer piece that would work well in a film like Call Me By Your Name. We appreciate the elegance and the obvious nod to the great Polish-French composer and virtuoso of the Romantic era. The tempo is peaceful and loving, reminding us that love is the shortcut to world peace and classical music is most certainly a conduit towards a regulated collective nervous system. Again, this track would serve well during high tea or indeed a hatha or yin yoga flow.
Finally, we experience All The Worlds Are Funny, which feels existential in the expression of its title, although the composition itself is another slow tempo delight, designed to invite pacifism and introspection. The world is funny, we live in a comedy simulation, and anyone who has experienced synchronicities will be able to confirm this, but the piece itself holds a multitude of emotions from peace to sadness, melancholia and joy. We are truly captivated by the intricacy that Ashot Danielyan conveys with his delivery and the resonance of the opus.
Overall, the album is incredibly moving and awe-inspiring. The raw authenticity that transmutes is undeniable and we are always captivated by the emotion that the Russian composer conveys. Naturally, we have added various tracks to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to explore the exquisite, wider discography of Ashot Danielyan, and anticipate future releases.