Inspired by Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh (Persian Book of Kings), Feridoun is a loosely-programmatic work depicting the struggle and coming to power of one of ancient Persia’s earliest kings.
In Persian mythology, the lands were ruled by an evil tyrant named Zahhak. Two snakes grew from his shoulders, and Zahhak ordered that two people must die each day in order to satiate the snakes. Fear spread amongst the people, and they longed for justice and revenge. One night, Zahhak dreamed that a boy named Feridoun would eventually dethrone him. Terrified, he ordered that this boy be found and killed.
For years, Feridoun’s mother kept him one step ahead of Zahhak. When he was a teenager, he learned that Zahhak had sacrificed and fed his father to the ever-hungry snakes. Enraged, he joined a small uprising against Zahhak and led his envoy into battle. Singlehandedly he defeated Zahhak and bound him in a cave beneath Mount Damavand. The tyrant cast down, Feridoun ruled the earth with benevolence and justice for the rest of his long lifetime.
Musically, Feridoun is a through-composed piece, each section directly relating to an aspect from the story. Many of the sections have subtitles, a few of which are “Zahhak,” “Kaveh’s Revolt,” “The Battle of Zahhak and Feridoun,” and “The Divine Farr.”
* This work includes extended techniques for both flute and piano, plus the usage of some small percussion instruments.
About
Inspired by stories from Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh (Persian Book of Kings), Div is a work depicting the dual facets of these colorful beings.
A “div” (pronunciation: deev) often has negative associations, and in Persian mythology is an evil spirit akin to a demon that loves to cause harm and destruction. However, some divs may actually be helpful and benign. Unlike in Judeo-Christian tradition, a div is a physical being, often pictured with combined human and animal features. Though they have two arms and legs like humans, often they feature tufted tails like a lion, hairy, multicolored bodies, and bestial faces. Divs are frequently mentioned in the Shahnameh; one famous story involves the struggle between the Persian hero Rostam and the Akvan Div, a white demon whose name means “evil mind.”
Musically, the first half of the piece represents the malevolent side of divs, whereas the latter half represents their benign nature. Subtitled Ahura, a Farsi word representing the “right” kind of divinity and the moral opposite of evil, this latter half utilizes much of the same melodic content, though slightly transformed. Does the work end in a pure, righteous state, or do some elements of the “evil” div mischievously return? The listener may fully decide.
Div was commissioned by the KU Helianthus Contemporary ensemble.
Lamb of God is a heavily-revised, but surviving “early” piece. It was originally composed as a Men’s trio, but later expanded for Men’s Chorus. This recording is of the KU Men’s Glee Club, directed by my friend Tod Fish.
Oh, just for the record, I’m singing the tenor solo in the middle of the piece.
Commissioned by Tod Fish, this work brings to life one of the “war poems” by Sextus Propertius (c. 50 – 15 BCE). The story is told from the point of view of a mortally-wounded soldier (Gallus) addressing another wounded soldier who is stumbling down the ramparts. Seeing his wounded comrade recoil in horror at the sight of his wounds, Gallus addresses him as a friend (“I am part of your closest armed comrades.”).
The poem (and the music) abruptly shift to a sense of urgency as Gallus tells his friend to leave. “Don’t stop! Get out and save yourself!” By leaving Gallus behind, the soldier can make it home to his family. This fate does not await dying soldiers like Gallus, who tells how he almost made it through enemy lines, but was struck by “an unknown hand.”
The final section contains Gallus’ simple, yet powerful, request – to be remembered. The idea of bleached bones lying uncovered is not only disturbing, but it is a permanent disfigurement of the funeral ritual – one that was not lost on the Romans. “…let him know that these bones are MINE.”
Original Text
Tu, qui consortem properas evadere casum,
miles ab Etruscis saucius aggeribus,
quid nostro gemitu turgentia lumina torques?
pars ego sum vestrae proxima militiae.
sic te servato ut possint gaudere parentes,
haec soror acta tuis sentiat e lacrimis:
Gallum per medios ereptum Caesaris enses
effugere ignotas non potuisse manus;
et quaecumque super dispersa invenerit ossa
montibus Etruscis, haec sciat esse mea.
My Translation
You, who hurries to avoid our common fate,
wounded soldier from the Etruscan ramparts,
what makes you turn your wide eyes toward my moaning?
I am one of your closest armed comrades.
Thus, save yourself, so that your parents may rejoice,
but let my sister know of my fate through your tears:
that Gallus stole away through the midst of Caesar’s swords
but was unable to escape an unknown hand;
and whoever will come upon these scattered bones
on the Etruscan hillside, let him know that these bones are mine.
A I mentioned in my last post, I’m working on some music for a play my wife is directing at KU called “Keely and Du.” Tonight I finished the music for the very end, when the lights go down.
It’s not the most uplifting play, if the music gives any indication of that.
Here’s the piece. The working title is “Exeunt.” It needs some mixing, but you get the idea.
It’s in! Yesterday I received a recording from the world premiere of “Persepolis.” For now, you can access the audio files on the left. See the page on “Symphony No. 1.” I have replaced the “mockups” with the live performance.
Here is an audio recording of the world premiere of “Kaykhosrow’s Ascension”, recorded in Carnegie Hall on 4 June 2006. The performers are Mike Kirkendoll and Mary Fukushima.
This is a large file (11.5 MB). It may take a while to start playing. Click on the “play” button to begin listening.
Program notes
Inspired by Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh (Persian Book of Kings), Kaykhosrow’s Ascension is a loosely-programmatic work depicting the suffering and eventual heavenly departure of Kaykhosrow, one of ancient Persia’s greatest kings.
After many years of honorable ruling, Kaykhosrow became sated with kingship. As the descendant of the righteous Kavus and the wicked Afrasyab, he began to feel the weight of his crooked heritage. For five weeks he locked himself away and prayed, anguishing lest he fall into wicked ways. One night the angel Sorush appeared to him in a dream and comforted him, saying “You will find a home beside the Source of Righteousness, there is no need for you to sojourn in this darkness any longer.” Kaykhosrow then gave away all of his riches and even his crown. With a party of his followers he made his way up a mountainside. During the night he disappeared, leaving no earthly trace.
Musically, the “ascension” of Kaykhosrow is found in the octatonic scale. Each section of the piece ascends by one note in the scale, though there is one slight alteration. There is one central theme – all thematic material grows out of the main idea. In the final section there is an eventual breakdown as the parts become disassociated with one another and eventually disappear, thus representing Kaykhosrow’s final moments and mystical renunciation of the world.
Kaykhosrow’s Ascension was commissioned by Mike Kirkendoll and Mary Fukushima.
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