Customer Reviews

When Days Have No Nights (The Songs of Rumi Music by Mischa)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I listen to this CD often since I purchased it because Rumi's poetry means so much. I highly recommend it because it blends Eastern philosophy and instruments with Western music. The blend of Persian and English reading must be pleasing to Rumi. It is not an easy task to take an old language and cast it into modern terms without losing something -- but I believe this has been achieved. The composer and performers have produced a tribute to Rumi -- and one we can share with pleasure. Not only is it easy to listen to, but it is filled with Rumi's timeless love. Highly recommend.

I listen to this CD constantly. The melodies support the meaning of the lyrics perfectly. The readings in two languages are mesmerizing. It is refreshing to hear a westerner sing in a natural style without attempting some half assed Eastern imitation. The blend of East and West here is natural and appealing. I highly recommend this CD to everyone.

This is a sublime collection of devotional songs derived from the poetry of the 13th century Sufi master, Rumi. The songs use new English translations that express in very simple, modern language, many of the subtleties and deep emotions of Rumi's poetry more fully and more directly than other English versions. Most of the original poems were written by Rumi to his Master, Shams of Tabriz. They are love songs to the Divine Beloved. They sing of the joy of his presence, the agony of his absence, the anticipation of his coming, the longing for his return. Here are just a few examples of the lyrics:

Without You/ This whole universe is just/ Passing through my fingers/ Like some powdered sand or dust,/ So won't You come, come, come, please come?/ Bring Your light into our lives, please come!

* * *

No, don't say a word,/ Don't speak about the night./ We live in an endless day with limitless light,/ So don't waste your words, because you'll find,/ Our days have no night.

* * *

He has opened the gates,/ He invites me in./ Deep in silence He waits;/ the world continues to spin./ I will spin, turn and circle all through the night,/ Early in the morning I will turn into light./ I'll never stop turning till I merge in Him,/ Turn, turn, turn, circle and spin!

The songs blend Eastern and Western styles of devotional music to make a very tasteful kind of world-beat sound that is lively but also refined and graceful. There are virtuoso Near Eastern strings, winds and percussion supported by acoustic and electric guitars, synthesizers and keyboards, a terrific jazz-rock drummer, congas, tablas, saxophones, a trumpet, clarinet, and backup singers. The instrumentalists weave a tapestry of hypnotic sounds around Mischa's vocal melodies. It is part new-age, part art-rock, part folk, part jazz, part blues, and all evoking the kind of devotional atmosphere one might find at Rumi's tomb - but using modern pop song forms. The music is wonderfully recorded and surprisingly varied. One song even has a chorus in Spanish! Some songs even have the poems chanted in Persian and English.

The result is a very rich experience unlike any other CD I've ever heard. Though there are only 13 songs listed, there is a LOT of music here! Each song has extended instrumental sections that are like musical meditations on Rumi's themes, and there are some amazing rhythm grooves combining the Middle Eastern and contemporary percussion.

Highly recommended for anyone interested in spiritual or devotional music.

These renderings remind me and bring me back to the times when I felt God's love and complete acceptance and understanding. They are true to Rumi's passion and love. They blend the east and the west. They are beautiful songs sung to our Divine Beloved.

Mischa Rutenberg is able to convey Rumi's passionate, visceral understanding of the all consuming longing for union with The Beloved. Using a variety of musical styles, this troubador's haunting voice touches the heart, awakening us to that inviting dance we can all share as we journey towards mystical love. Rumi's words in Persian echo the musical themes giving them an even greater depth. I love this CD. It transports me straight into the intoxicating halls of the Divine Tavern reminding me of the pleasures awaiting around the bend.

Listening to this CD, I felt myself reach a new state of joy and consciousness, realizing I haven't felt this feeling in such a long time. This singer has the ability to be a close friend and companion just through his songs alone.

I LOVED IT!

Even if you have never heard of the Sufi poet Rumi, you will love this album. I have been listening to it on the computer for the past two weeks while I write-and can't stop. It is truly addictive. Mischa's voice is beautiful, and the tracks are set together in such a way as to create the sense of a narrative journey - a Rumiesque operetta. Each song reflects a different musical genre and cultural influence, harmoniously integrating Cole Porter with world beat and contemporary folk and pop. My favorite tracks are "Without You" "Our Days Have No Nights" "Circle Turn and Spin" and "Like a Marble of Love," the last of which translates Rumi's words into Spanish! Lovely.

This music by Mischa Rutenberg is unmatched. It is a doorway for the heart to approach the real in life.

Rumi might be snapping his fingers to the beat right now. It is very difficult to render the glories of ancient Sufi poetry into modern English, let alone turn these poems into contemporary songs, but this album succeeds. A wonderful touch, having actors read some of the beautiful original poetry as introduction. It adds a great dimension to the music.

These are songs that echo in your mind and heart long after they're over. Mischa Ruteberg has created an album of original, compelling music that evokes the poetry's Eastern origins while remaining exuberantly 21st century American. I wouldn't call this easy listening or background music -- you'll stop everything you're doing to catch every word and note. I would call it joyful listening.

The first time I listened to this CD, I found it almost sophomoric but the music and words managed to creep beneath my judgment and I found myself repeatedly playing the CD. It has the same mesmerizing quality about it I was caught by when watching a Dervish performance. It spoke to something in me beyond the cliches where simple words and music sometimes time. I recommend this CD.