#4306: Mystical Meets Modern
Listen to contemporary responses to all three branches of Abrahamic traditions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Plus, music for tanbur from Iranian musician and mystic Ostad Elahi and mbira music from the Shona people of Zimbabwe.
There’s music by Turkish-born Mercan Dede, who lives and works between Istanbul and Montreal. Dede fuses the profound, spiritual dimension of Sufi music, drawn from his study of the ney flute and of the 13th century philosopher and poet Rumi, with electronic beats and atmospheric effects. Then, listen to music by bluegrass mandolin player and Klezmer clarinetist Andy Statman. It’s a wordless song of praise, arranged for quartet, where Statman blends Chassidism, klezmer exuberance, and spiritual jazz.
Then, listen to a work by Santa Ratniece from Philadelphia choir The Crossing, conducted by Donald Nally, and their record featuring International Contemporary Ensemble – Seven Responses. These are musical responses to the German composer Dietrich Buxtehude and his cantatas on the body of the crucified Christ. Latvian composer Santa Ratniece’s response addresses The Face, and was inspired by the texts of St. Clare of Assisi (a close friend to St. Francis), who was an Italian saint and nun who founded the Order of Poor Ladies of San Damiano.
There’s also mbira music, which for the Shona people of Zimbabwe is a connection between the living and the spiritual world. Hear a work by Chipindura Mbira Trio - Chartwell Dutiro in a collaboration with renowned mbira maker and player Sebastian Pott and Elmar Pohl from an fRoots compilation (RIP fRoots magazine, 1979-2019.) Plus, hear the acoustic sounds of the tanbūr—an ancient, long-necked lute in music by Ostad Elahi (1895–1974), a 20th century Iranian mystic, philosopher, jurist, and hidden composer who did not perform in public. - Caryn Havlik
Program #4306: Mystical Meets Modern (First aired 12/06/2019)
ARTIST: Mercan Dede
WORK: Nar-i Mey [1:30]
RECORDING: Sufi traveler: Nar
SOURCE: Doublemoon #1-ITR 119
INFO: mercandede.com
ARTIST: Andy Statman
WORK: Maggid [9:39]
RECORDING: Between Heaven and Earth: Music of the Jewish Mystics
SOURCE: Shanachie Records SHANCD 64079
INFO:Available at Amazon.com or iTunes
ARTIST: Mercan Dede
WORK: Nar-i Mey [11:32]
RECORDING: Sufi traveler: Nar
SOURCE: Doublemoon #1-ITR 119
INFO: mercandede.com
ARTIST: The Crossing, Donald Nally, and International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE)
WORK: Santa Ratniece: My soul will sink within me [16:46]
RECORDING: Seven Responses
SOURCE: Innova 912
INFO: innova.mu
ARTIST: Chipindura Mbira Trio
WORK: Shumba Ya Mukwashi [6:05]
RECORDING: Pasichigare: Mystic Mbira Music of Zimbabwe
SOURCE/INFO: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/chartwelldutiro1
ARTIST: Ostad Elahi
WORK: Jelo Shahi Suite, excerpt [5:05]
RECORDING: The Sacred Lute: The Art of Ostad Elahi
SOURCE: Le Chant du Monde / Metropolitan Museum 8742259
INFO: Available at Amazon.com
