New chamber music album from Métier

Whilst political differences hamper relations with the government of Iran, its people, like most of us, just want to live as friends. One bridge which can span between cultures is music and so a new album of chamber music by two leading Iranian composers, coming soon from Métier (the new-music arm of Divine Art), certainly does just that. The recording includes works by Amir Tafreshipour and the legendary Fozié Majd.

Amir Tafreshipour was born in Iran but was brought up in Denmark where he studied music, before moving to London in 2001 where he obtained his PhD at Brunel University, studying with Christopher Fox. He now lives in Tehran. An album of his work for large ensembles was recently issued by Naxos.

Fozié Majd is a composer and researcher in the field of Iranian music. She is the first female Iranian composer to study in the west, studying at the University of Edinburgh and in Paris with Nadia Boulanger. Tafreshipour describes the idiom of Majd’s music as “a juxtaposition of bold Western contemporary musical ideas and Iranian music which blends very cleverly.

The new disc, ‘IN ABSENTIA’, is likely to be released in late spring of 2019 as Métier MSV 28576. Performers are Darragh Morgan (violin, and best known for his work with Mary Dullea and the Fidelio Trio); Patrick Savage (violin); Deirdre Cooper (viola) and Fiona Winning (cello). Most importantly this is not ‘world music’ to be placed in the ‘ethnic’ genre but excellent chamber music in its own right, blending elements of Iranian traditional music with western contemporary music.