The Rubaiyat: A Musical Setting of Verses By Omar Khayyam

Alan Hovhaness (Composer), Gerard Schwartz (Conductor), Michael York (Performer), Seattle Symphony (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Delos
• ASIN: B000AIS9IC
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,531,998 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

plus: Exile Symphony; Meditation on Orpheus; Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Evocative and highly enjoyable., January 25, 2006

By 

Peter T. Sipos "Peter T. Sipos" (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rubaiyat: A Musical Setting of Verses By Omar Khayyam (Audio CD)

I'm surprised nobody has reviewed this CD yet - Hmmm.

In my opinion, Hovhaness created a magical piece of incidental music - it perfectly captures the tone of these popular poems, most of which alude to the transitory nature of life, with a melancholy tone. Hovhaness' setting features only about a dozen of the actual poems. They are presented a few at a time, the music acting as background while the poems are read (by Michael York, no less - fabulous readings) and providing interlude music in between the readings. The music often takes its cues from the poetry, moving through a variety of contrasting moods, but always maintaining a certain Eastern flavor. The accordion plays a prominent role in the orchestration.

Really, this is wonderful stuff - and that's coming from a person who mostly listens to the three B's and other high-brow music. But when I first discovered this disc, I'd come home night after night, and listen to it over and over while eating bread and drinking wine (I gained some weight, but enjoyed every sinful calorie and every undulgent sip) - it was almost a religious experience. I recommend it to every lover of life's pagan pleasures.

By the way, The Rubaiyat piece is only one of four on this CD by Hovhannes, so there is plenty of nice music to be discovered and relished. Definitely check it out.