"A soprano voice that combines lyricism with remarkable dramatic instincts" _ Time For her latest recording for CBC RECORDS, the multi-talented Armenian-Canadian soprano ISABEL BAYRAKDARIAN turns her versatile voice to the sultry and steamy world of Tango. ÒTango has the power to pull two strangers together into one, to dance out their desires...to be great lovers and heroes, if only for a moment. It's the whisper of sensuality brought on by the hint of perfume. The tango is also the glamour of the ballroom and the allure of the underworld. It's the opulence of Paris and the smoky darkness of a Buenos Aires cafe. It's the world of subtle metaphors that captures the melancholy heart (Guadalupe Jolicoeur, host of This is the Tango)." Although tango originated in Argentina and Uruguay, it is not limited to the bars and dance clubs of Latin America. As you will discover with Isabel Bayrakdarian's new collection, tango fever is an international epidemic. In addition to classics by Carlos Gardel and Astor Piazzola (two of the most prominent names in the world of tango), this collection features the classic Danish tango by Jacob Gade called Jalousie; as well as a Finnish tango by Anselmo Aieta, an Egyptian tango by Farid El Atrache and an Armenian tango by Arno Babajanian. Isabel is joined both by her husband, the Armenian-Canadian pianist/arranger, Serouj Kradjian, and by the Argentine bandone—n virtuoso, Fabian Carbone. The tango ensemble is made up of several of Canada's finest musicians, including Marie BŽrard, violin; Roman Borys, cello; Roberto Occhipinti, bass; Shalom Bard, clarinet; Daniel Bolshoy, guitar and Levon Ichkhanian, oud.

Une voix de soprano qui allie le lyrisme ˆ des instincts dramatiques remarquables " _ Time Sur son tout dernier enregistrement pour Les disques SRC, la talentueuse soprano armŽno-canadienne ISABEL BAYRAKDARIAN pr�te sa voix au monde sensuel et passionnŽ du Tango. "Le tango a le pouvoir de fusionner deux personnes Žtrang�res en un tout, en exprimant leurs dŽsirs par la danse... et, ne serait-ce que l'espace d'un moment, d'en faire de grands amants et des hŽros cŽl�bres. C'est le murmure de la sensualitŽ suscitŽe par un soup�on de parfum. Le tango, c'est aussi l'Žclat d'une salle de bal et la fascination d'un monde interlope. C'est l'opulence de Paris et l'obscuritŽ enfumŽe d'un cafŽ de Buenos Aires. C'est le monde des mŽtaphores subtiles qui capturent un coeur mŽlancolique. (Guadalupe Jolicoeur, animateur de This is the Tango). " Le tango a vu le jour en Argentine et en Uruguay, mais il a largement dŽpassŽ les confins des bars et des clubs de danse de l'AmŽrique latine. Vous dŽcouvrirez, avec la nouvelle collection d'Isabel Bayrakdarian, que la fi�vre du tango est une ŽpidŽmie internationale. En plus des classiques de Carlos Gardel et d'Astor Piazzola (deux noms rŽputŽs dans l'univers du tango), cette collection comprend Jalousie, le tango danois classique de Jacob Gade; un tango finlandais d'Anselmo Aieta, un tango Žgyptien de Farid El Atrache et un tango armŽnien d'Arno Babajanian. Isabel est entourŽe de son mari, le pianiste-arrangeur armŽno-canadien Serouj Kradjian, et du bandonŽiste virtuose argentin Fabian Carbone. L'ensemble de tango se compose de quelques-uns des meilleurs musiciens canadiens : Marie BŽrard, violon; Roman Borys, violoncelle; Roberto Occhipinti, contrebasse; Shalom Bard, clarinette; et Levon Ichkhanian, oud.

TRACK LISTING / LES PLAGES:

1 Tcheknagh Yeraz Arno Babadjanian 2:54
2 Ya Zahratan fee khayali Farid El-Atrache 3:35
3 Satumaa Unto Mononen 3:12
4 Jalousie Jacob Gade 3:59
5 Por Una Cabeza Carlos Gardel 2:45
6 Volver Carlos Gardel 4:11
7 El D’a Que Me Quieras Carlos Gardel 4:32
8 Che bandone—n Anibal Troilo 4:13
9 La Cumparsita Matos Rodriguez 3:10
10 Youkali Kurt Weill 6:23
11 Oblivion Astor Piazzola 4:08
12 Invierno Porte–o Astor Piazzolla 7:02
13 Tango Notturno Hans-Otto Borgmann 3:16
14 Che Tango Che Astor Piazzolla 2:38
15 Corralera Anselmo Aieta 2:06
16 Verano Porte–o Astor Piazzolla 6:28
17 Rinascero Astor Piazzolla 4:19

TOTAL 68:51

Tango!

This dance of unwavering passion yet unfulfilled love, this music of fiery temperament yet inconsolable melancholy... In the words of poet Jorge Luis Borges: "Tango is a direct expression of something that poets have often tried to state in words: the belief that a fight may be a celebration". The dance, which has come to symbolize glamour and elegance, had rather humble origins. At the end of the 19th century when immigrants from Europe and Africa streamed into Argentina, they were eager to dig deep into the riches of their newly- found paradise. Yet for many, disappointment arrived too soon. They were helpless strangers in a strange land. Desperately seeking to escape from their painful destinies, the men flooded the bordellos of Buenos Aires, finding love and happiness (however short-lived) in the arms of women and in alcohol. They "acted out" their relationships through a sensual dance, which was accompanied by the wailing sounds of the bandoneon, an instrument which had also made a remarkable journey: from Germany's houses of worship to Argentina's houses of mischief! A new music emerged and it gradually developed an audience that was captivated by its melodic and lyrical richness. Tango was born!

The undisputed king of tango, and the man who made the greatest contribution to the tango craze in the early decades of the 20th century, was Carlos Gardel. Creating and developing tango- canci—n (tango-song) he effectively elevated the music from the lower classes to new heights, and for many embodied the soul of the tango. Owing to his beautiful baritone and macho gangster looks, he also became a movie star in many Paramount motion pictures. "Por Una Cabeza" tells the story of a gambler torn between his addiction to horse races and his attraction to women. "El D’a Que Me Quieras" is perhaps the most romantic and lyrical tango ever written; it describes how even the stars in the sky are envious when they see the couple below walking hand in hand; "Volver", written and recorded shortly before Gardel's tragic death in a plane crash in 1935, is about the bittersweet return to a familiar place after a long absence.

After Gardel's death there was a deep division between the traditionalists and the evolutionists in tango. Anibal Troilo, belonging to the latter group, was said to be the bandoneonist who defined the instrument for his generation, and it is no surprise that he wrote a heartfelt ode to the instrument called "Che Bandone—n".

One of the most famous and recognizable tangos of all time is "La Cumparsita". Interestingly, it was not composed by an Argentine, but by an Uruguayan, Matos Rodriguez. Anselmo Aieta, on the other hand, had a remarkable talent for creating new melodies. "Corralera" is a charming example of a milonga, a livelier, faster form of tango with a strongly- accented beat.

In the first decades of the 20th century, tango scandalized the intellectual and aristocratic classes by its overt sensuality and sexuality. But soon afterwards, when the dance took Paris and all of Europe by storm, it became a worldwide phenomenon. As the leader of a cinema orchestra in Denmark, Jacob Gade wrote "Jalousie" as the accompaniment of a silent film. The tune literally swept over the world, making him a rich man. Kurt Weill wasn't as lucky. He wrote the "Youkali" tango when he was struggling to keep a roof over his head. He had just escaped to pre-war France from Nazi persecution in Germany and his description of an island paradise captures so well the longing to escape the Europe of the 1930's. On the other hand, Pola Negri was one of the most famous actresses of the Third Reich. She sang "Tango Notturno" in the film by the same name, in a role that was originally intended for Marlene Dietrich. The sombre mood of the song suggests just that. The passion for tango even engulfed the Middle East. Fareed el-Atrache, a highly regarded Egyptian composer, singer, and oud-player, composed the love song "Ya zahratan fee khayalee" with a tango feel while staying true to his Arabic roots.

After the Second World War, the popularity of tango grew steadily in Finland. In the early fifties every other popular hit in the country was a tango, the quintessential one being "Satumaa" by Unto Mononen. The melancholic mood of the music reflects the characteristics of the Finnish tango, almost always being in a minor key. Armenian composer Arno Babadjanian was an unlikely tango aficionado. He composed solo, chamber, and symphonic music before starting to write film scores. One of these songs, "Tcheknagh Yeraz", became very popular throughout the Soviet Union.

Alongside Carlos Gardel, the name associated most with tango is Astor Piazzolla. A composition student of Nadia Boulanger, he had the vision of the tango "for the ear rather than the feet". Taking elements of jazz and classical ideas of Bach, Bartok, Ravel, and Stravinsky, Piazzolla created "Nuevo Tango" paving the way for a new age of tango to begin. His music caused an outrage in Buenos Aires but his huge success in the rest of the world eventually made him a superstar in his native land. . Since then, every major tango musician has inevitably been touched in one way or another by Piazzolla's music. Verano Porte–o (Summer) with expressive dissonances and abrupt shifts in tempo, and Invierno Porte–o (Winter) with lush harmonies and a Baroque reference at the end, pay an homage to Vivaldi and his "Four Seasons". "Che Tango Che" is a cabaret song with a constant play on words, while "Oblivion", heard here in an unusual arrangement for voice is one of his signature pieces. Finally, "Rinascer˜" is a dramatic depiction of the powerful desire to be reborn.

From the Golden Age in the 1920's to the Nuevo Tango years, the evolution of tango - both in the dance and song form - with its sensual, sad, violent, and sexy qualities, touched the hearts of people from all corners of the world. The diverse program of this disc attests to the universal power of the tango to transcend physical borders, to unify humankind, regardless of cultural backgrounds or language barriers.

Serouj Kradjian