Kamancheh

The Voices and Bridges proudly presents: The Love Metaphor Farsi - Early Modern English Vocals: Alireza Ghorbani, Michael Kelly Composed by: Ehsan Matoori Arranged by: Ehsan Matoori, Ali Montazeri Lyrics: Roudaki, William Shakespeare Linguistic Advice by: Dr. Sadaf Munshi  Musicians: Baturay Yarkin(Piano), Jonathan Jones(Clarinets), Greg Ellis(Percussion) Dance performed by: Mehrdad Abjar, Shirin Ejraee Co-Engineer: Hesam Naseri Mix and Mastering: Arash Pakzad  Director assistant: Milad Aqazade Videographer: Simon C.F. Yu, Hamid Aeenehchi Illustrator: Niloofar Zabihi Published by: Sheed Records Label: Bright Shiny Things Produced by: Ehsan Matoori, Louis Levitt www.thevoicesandbridges.com #alirezaghorbani #Michaelkelly #ehsanmatoori Description: The Love Metaphor is a beautiful interplay of two poems, composed centuries apart, by two very famous poets -- a sonnet in Early Modern English by Shakespeare and a ghazal in Farsi by the 10th century Iranian poet, Rudaki who is considered the first great literary genius of Modern Persian and often referred to as the “Adam of Poets”. Love Metaphor begins with a stanza from Shakespeare’s Sonnet CXIII where the lover is deploring his situation after being separated from his beloved. Left without a sense of presence in the moment where he can only see his beloved wherever or whatever he looks at; such is the impact of the beloved that he cannot make a difference between the mountain and the sea, or between the day and the night. We are then taken to the mischievous wordplay by Rudaki celebrating the rebellious love affair where the father of the beloved is seen as a villain. The poem gives a sensual flavor with the poet comparing the beloved’s lips with agate and sugar; he takes pride in renouncing the entire world for a glimpse of the beautiful visage of his beloved. The Love Metaphor Farsi - Early Modern English Vocals: Alireza Ghorbani, Michael Kelly Lyrics: Roudaki, William Shakespeare Sonnet CXIII Since I left you, mine eye is in my mind; And that which governs me to go about Doth part his function and is partly blind, Seems seeing, but effectually is out; For it no form delivers to the heart Of bird of flower, or shape, which it doth latch: ___________ آمد بر من، که؟ یار، کی؟ وقت سحر ترسنده ز که؟ ز خصم، خصمش که؟ پدر To me, (s)he/they came. Who? The beloved. When? At the dawn. Who is (s)he/they afraid of? Of the villain. Who is the villain? The father. دادمش دو بوسه، بر کجا؟ بر لب تر لب بد؟ نه، چه بد؟ عقیق، چون بد؟ چو شکر I gave her/him/them two kisses. Where? On his/her/their wet lips. Was it the lip? No. What was it? It was agate. How was it? It was like sugar. __________ Of his quick objects hath no mind no part, Nor his own vision holds what it doth catch: For if it see the rudest or gentlest sight, The most sweet favour or deformed'st creature, The mountain or the sea, the day or night, The crow or dove, it shapes them to your feature: Incapable of more, replete with you, My most true mind thus makes mine eye untrue. __________ ای روی تو چو روز دلیل موحدان وی موی تو چنان چو شب ملحد از لحد O, your face is like a day of purpose to the believers And your hair is dark as the first night’s grave for the atheist ای من مقدم از همه عشاق، چون تویی مر حسن را مقدم، چون از کلام قد I am ahead of all the suiters, for it’s you Your beauty is indescribable in words مکی به کعبه فخر کند، مصریان به نیل ترسا به اسقف و علوی بافتخار جد The Meccans ought to be proud of the Kaaba and the Egyptians of the Nyle. And the Christians take pride in the bishop, while Alawis in their ancestors. فخر رهی بدان دو سیه چشمکان توست کآمد پدید زیر نقاب از بر دو خد Surely I am honored to see those black eyes Through the veil cast over your beautiful visage Untrue, untrue, untrue مکی به کعبه فخر کند، مصریان به نیل The Meccans ought to be proud of the Kaaba and the Egyptians of the Nyle. Untrue, untrue, untrue ترسا به اسقف و علوی بافتخار جد And the Christians take pride in the bishop, while Alawis in their ancestors. __________ آمد بر من، که؟ یار، کی؟ وقت سحر ترسنده ز که؟…