David Dalle
Thursday November 21st, 2013 with David Dalle
Kayhan Kalhor in concert at the Smithsonian; Music of John Tavener

Today features a very special live recording of Kayhan Kalhor from the Freer Sackler Smithsonian museums of Asian Art concert series. Strangely, there has only been one existing recording of Kayhan Kalhor solo Kamanche (with percussion accompaniment), his famed 1998 recording "Scattering Stars Like Dust". So this is a very welcome addition. In this 70 minute piece, he traverses three different Persian classical modes, starting off in the brigher mode Dastgah Rast-panjgah before moving to the more sombre Afshari and Segah before returning to Rast-panjgah at the conclusion. He is accompanied on tombak by Behrouz Jamali. This performance is very profound and emotional, an exquisite example of why I find Persian classical music, especially in the hands of one of the greatest masters, speaks to the very core of being human. I love it. We also hear music from English composer John Tavener, who died on Nov. 12. John Tavener converted to Eastern Orthodox Christianity in 1977 and devoted his compositions to religious and mystical themes. He made use of archaic and liturgical forms from the Orthodox liturgical traditions but applied them in modern ways, often making use of sparse textures and simple forms, much like Arvo Part with whom he felt a musical kinship.