The Garden of Visions |
Concert of Persian music by Vahdat Ensemble Tue 26 November, 7pm Pod Bia³ym Bocianem Synagogue, ul. Paw³a W³odkowica 5a Admission free Concert as part of Voicencounters, practical seminar Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat reflect the evolution of Persian singing. University-educated and completely devoted to their artistic cause, they belong to a new generation of musicians. They continue a tradition that faces problems of identity in today’s Iran. Persian music has the capacity to constantly renew itself, a phenomenon unique to the East. As well as having a history of “faithful” transmission, it also has authenticity of emotion. Thanks to its mystical heritage, it is able to retain a feeling of nobility and depth that one could call oriental chivalrous, melancholic romanticism. This heritage is wonderfully portrayed by Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat. The two sisters take Persian poetry to new heights and to new spaces. Their voices soar and intertwine creating a new sonic landscape. Their songs describe the joys, sorrows, hopes, longings and loves of Iranian people. Without being visible in Iran, the sisters have permanent contact with a large appreciative audience around the world. Performed by singers Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat Musicians: Pasha Hanjani (ney, a Persian woodwind instrument), Atabak Elyasi (setar, a Persian string instrument), Ali Rahimi (daf, a Persian percussion instrument) Vahdat Ensemble, which comprises five artists, has taken shape over many years. It has performed at numerous world music festivals and has given many concerts around the world. Its sound is a unique take on Persian classical and regional music. It gives prominence to improvisation which is informed by the emotions, ideas, experiences and musical expression of all members of the group. The lyrics are mostly mystic and love poems of the Great Mystic Poets, such as Hafez, Rumi and Attar, and of contemporary poets, such as Mohammad Ebrahim Jafari and Houshang Ebtehaj (Sayeh), as well as orally transmitted Iranian literature. Since 2003, they have collaborated with Norwegian record label Kirkelig Kulturverskted (www.kkv.no), which led to the worldwide release of a number of records. With Persian Ensemble they released Twinklings of Hope in 2012, recorded and produced by Erik Hillestad. The album received enthusiastic reviews. Songlines magazine named it one of 10 best new releases in August and September 2012. Twinklings of Hope also won the category World Traditional of the 12th Annual Independent Music Awards in the US in June 2013. Traditional Persian music draws from many sources, including regional music styles, religious genres and popular songs that have been reworked by master musicians and their students. The music reflects central concepts in Iranian culture, particularly Islamic mysticism, and cultural themes found in other art forms, and has been associated with Sufi philosophy, particularly through poetic themes. It uses a modal system and puts particular emphasis on improvisation and ornamentation – vocal parts are often decorated with tahrir (a form of vocal ornamentation similar to yodeling). The flexibility of the musical forms and the extent of improvisatory freedom is such that a piece played twice by the same performer, at the same sitting, will be different in melodic composition, form, duration and emotional impact. The repertoire of Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat includes old Persian traditional songs, regional and folk songs from Iran as well as their own compositions. |