Rahilia Hasanova
for violoncello and piano
ca. 5'39"
Gaval Dash means "drumming stone." The Gaval dash is a huge, rounded piece of the stone that is the unique creation of nature. It produces sounds and overtones when you drum or touch it with any other piece of stone. The Gaval dash is in Gobustan - a place near Baku, Azerbaijan. Here you can meditate and contemplate strangely-shaped rocks and hills, murals with pictographic calendars and "dancing people" images, mud volcanic geysers touching and feeling an inner choir of the Gaval dash. This place is full of mystery. Nobody knows who could lift such a heavy but sensitive "drum" on top of the cone-shaped rock. Perhaps the Gaval dash consists of iron or some other chemical elements. It could be an explanation for its extraordinary timbre. No doubt, it was used for ritualistic dances of ancient people who lived here many centuries B.C.
This piece was recorded at a concert that took place at the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 2018, performed by Dorotea Racz, cello and Hui-Chuan Chen, piano.
Click here to listen to the recording.