Twinklings of hope Mahsa & Marjan VahdaT - Kirkelig Kulturverksted

Twinklings of hopeMahsa & Marjan Vahdat

Twinklings of hopeLike water from deep sources, their music somehow finds its way to thehearts of people, even if many obstacles are trying to keep them hidden andcut away from their natural audience in their homeland, Iran.Together with their Persian ensemble, Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat havethrough several years developed a unique repertoire based on traditional andcontemporary Persian poetry.Without being visible in their own society, they have continuous contactwith a large audience who appreciate their art in countries throughout theworld. In ways nobody quite understands, even people in Iran know theirnames and skills and how to find their music.True art transcends across the boundaries. It may take some time from thedelivery till it reaches an open soul. Like the spring water in the mountainchains of old Persia can be heard beneath the soil without being seen beforeit reaches to the sea.Erik Hillestad

Vocals: Mahsa and Marjan VahdatSetar: Atabak ElyasiNey: Pasha HanjaniDaf and percussion: Ali RahimiAll arrangements are made by Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat and their ensemble.Recorded by Erik Hillestad in August 2011, in a beautiful garden, in theHarem of an old Persian patrician mansion built during the 19th century’s QajarDynasty in Tehran.Photos: Marianne Lystrup | Design: BRANDBOOKMixed By Martin Abrahamsen in Studio Nordraak, Oslo, December 2011.Mastered by Björn Engelmann, Cutting Room, Stockholm.Produced by Erik HillestadThanks to Carlo Cereti, Sohrab Mahdavi, Mona Flognfelt andMohammad Ebrahim Jafari. Special thanks to the Italian Embassy in Tehranand Germana Rivi and Alberto Bradanini.

Mahsa & Marjan Vahdat

1. Elegy for a gardenA poem by Hooshang Ebtehaj (contemporary poet)Music: Mahsa VahdatMusic of interlude is from song “Sheipourchi” from Lorestan provinceO yellow flower, yellow flower, yellow flowerCome to mourn with us because of painBecause the rein is under the grip of inhuman onesInhuman ones oppress human onesO flower, you who lost your petals! Where can I find your imprint?The sound of crying is heard from your gardenThe sound of crying is heard days and nightsThe heart of the nightingale burns for your heartache

2. Garden of VisionsA poem by Mohammad Ebrahim JafariMusic: Marjan Vahdat and Ali RahimiBased on “Golriz Bahar”SongO! Lonely nightingale, where are you?Where is your beautiful voice, the sound of the garden of vision?There is the sound of the breeze and the riverThere is the story of lifeIt is only in the dream that rivers are full of waterLips are smiling but eyes are full of waterThe breeze brought the scent of desire for making a journeyAnd it brought the memory of youYou are the scent of the jasmine flowerI am a bird of the night, and you are my flowerYou are the green meadow of the garden of visionYou are the beautiful season of the yearIt is only in the dream that rivers are full of waterLips are smiling, but eyes are full of water

3. LullabyTraditional lullabyFrom If you can’t sleep: Mohammad Ebrahim JafariMusic: Mahsa and Marjan VahdatLalalala, my paradise garden flowerLalalala, my destinyGo to sleep, my soul’s and heart’s companionGo to sleep, my sweet –tongued nightingaleIf you can’t sleep, be my companion.Comfort my heart and soul,Show compassion to my sorrows.As long as you can’t sleep, be awake and aware.Lalalala, I want you to be on alert.with your heart longing for desire,We shall be soul mates, sharing the very same feelings.Pray that our land will be free.Lalala my darling, lalala, my precious one.I sing you a lullaby and bring you to sleepI sing you a lullaby and bring you up till you’re 100 years old!

4. Golden strawsof wheatA folk song from the Fars provinceO! Golden straws of wheatDressed in your God given golden garmentTell my beloved, who is the precious stone of my ringHow hard separation isFragile one, I will come to your homeMy soul is tied to your soulO! My heart of soul, my leaf of flower, my fresh sweetness, my water of lifeO! My peerless oneMy dearest oneMy heart longs for youMy heart desires to come to your dwelling placeO! You, the light of my homeO! My heart of soul, my leaf of flower, my fresh sweetness, my water of life

5. When the curl ofyour tress appearsA Poem by Attar of Nishapur 1142 - 1220Music: Marjan Vahdat and Pasha HanjaniWhen the curl of your tress appears,A hundred lovers lose their heartO you, my heart and soul! When I see your tressMy heart is lost, and so is my soulMy heart can never cry for your tressThese words are coming from a sorrowful soulMy heart was lost because of your sorrowMy soul laments for my heartYou always put an end to repentingO, you are the commander of repentance

6. The moon of ourbeloved’s faceA poem by HafezMusic :traditional SongRoses in my bosom, a cup of wine in hand, and the beloved of my desire;On such a day the sultan of the world is my slave.Tell them no candle is needed at our gathering;Tonight the moon of our beloved’s face is full.In our religion wine is lawful, butWithout you, our blooming cypress tree, it is forbidden.How can you talk about shame? I’ve made a name from shame.How can you ask of my name? I’m ashamed of having a name.

7. NavaïA poem by Tabib Esfehani (18th century)Music :Marjan Vahdat and Pasha Hanjanibased on Navai song from Khorasan ProvinceThere is a sorrow deep in my heartAs when Leyli sits gracefully on the camel’s saddleDo not break my heart, because this wild birdCould not easily land when it flew from the roofNavai, Navai, Navai, NavaiFollowing the camel’s saddle, walk with slow stepsDon’t let dust spread and tarnish the saddleFollowing the camel’s saddle, I cry from the depth of my heartAnd because of my tears, the camel stamps in mudNavai, Navai, Navai, NavaiA sorrow lies deep in my heartAs when Leyli sits gracefully on the camel’s saddleDo not break my heart because this wild birdCould not easily land when it flew from the roofNavai, Navai, Navai, NavaiThe others are friendly, you are unfriendlyFollowing the camel’s saddle, walk with slow stepsDon’t let dust spread and tarnish the saddleFollowing the camel’s saddle I cry from the depth of my heartAnd because of my tears the camel stamps in mudNavai, Navai, Navai, Navai

8. A promise to mybelovedA poem by HafezMusic: Mahsa VahdatI gave the beloved a promise, that as long as I have soul in my bodyI will value his devoted ones as my own soulWhen my heart’s desire is fulfilled, and loneliness again is hereI don’t fear the evil from those who slander me in the gatheringIt is true that I boast like Salomon about the seal that was put by the rubyred lips of my belovedBecause I am blessed with the greatest of all names, I don’t fear the evilO, you wise and old one, don’t blame me for going to the tavernI have a promise breaking heart when it comes to abstention from the bowl

9. CraneA poem by Mohammad Ebrahim Jafari (Contemporary poet and famous painter)Music :from Khorasan province based on Sima Bina’s PerformanceOh Crane,Your wings,I wishWill never be closedYour lips,Colourful, joyousWith winds and cloudsIn the sky,In the fruitful, green lands.The pigeons, the captured onesMay they be freeOh the wings tired, the lips closedYour voice, from a far mountain,The tales of a patient stoneThe colour of the moonlight,The crystalline tearsIn the shadow of the cloud and the moon,Looking forward toA dream fountain,The flight of the lightIn the shadow of the cloud and the moon,Looking forward toTranslated by Akram Afshar

10. Come, my belovedA poem by RumiMusic :Atabak ElyasiCome, my belovedAppear in all my deedsYou are my rose gardenTell me my mysteriesCome my dervishDon’t leave meYou are my faith mateYou are my soul mateWhere ever I go, you are with meEverywhere you are presentEvery day and night, you are my companionYou are a beautiful deer in my trapYou destroyed my patienceYou stole my reasonWhere can I hide my heart?O you my pride and my kingYou are my commanderIf you pay attention to meMy eye will be shining

11. Twinklings of HopeA poem by Mohammad Ebrahim JafariMusic: Marjan vahdat based on a Kurdish songI have a dreamIn your sky, I have seen a white cloudO beautiful cloud,O unbroken horse!A lonely horse rider rides while touching your maneA restless lonely horse riderA Kaveh who came for making a changeA lover who is looking forward to meeting the beloved oneO plain! Have you seen the lonely horse rider from the dream?In the sky and on the earth; is anybody like him?The messenger who never talks, but has a lot of tales to tell?The untamed, white cloud of our dream?I have a dreamI have a dreamI have a dream

Ali RahimiPasha HanjaniMarjan VahdatAtabak ElyasiMahsa Vahdat