UNTOLD is the much-anticipated major label debut from acclaimed Iranian composer, vocalist and virtuoso instrumentalist, Hafez Nazeri, and features the legendary Shahram Nazer, Zakir Hussain and Deepak Chopra. An innovative synthesis of Middle Eastern and Western elements, UNTOLD introduces Nazeri as one of modern music's most exciting new visionaries.Co-produced by Nazeri and David Frost, who was just awarded the Grammy for "Producer of the Year, Classical," Untold is one of the first major releases celebrating the poetry and philosophy of the legendary 13th century Persian poet Rumi and his eternal message of peace, unity and love. This magnum opus features 38 Grammy Award winning musicians and engineers and took over four years and more than 5,000 studio hours in five countries to complete.Untold is the first cycle of Hafez's ongoing project, the Rumi Symphony Project, and consists of four distinct chapters which at their whole, orchestrate the epic of our universe. The tale begins at the dawn of time, the big bang, and continues with the formation of our planet and life on earth, the emergence of the human race and our journey of the spirit through the seven stages of enlightenment. It ends with an unknown and yet, Untold, ascendance into an indefinable destination of unquantifiable possibilities. Hafez is joined in this recording by a profound array of guest artists: tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain, Grammy-winning drummer Glen Velez, cellists Matt Haimovitz and Johannes Moser, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center violist Paul Neubauer, and the New York Choir. One of the album s many highlights are the vocals of Hafez Nazeri's father, iconic Persian vocalist Shahram Nazeri, who was the first musician to incorporate Rumi's poetry into song some forty years ago and who's sold over seventy-five million recordings to date. The album's liner notes features the poetry of Rumi as transcribed by best-selling author Deepak Chopra.In both the instrumental and vocal passages, the listener can hear elements of East and West amalgamated into a single entity, creating a rich texture that sounds like nothing else. At the core of each of Nazeri's compositions is the presence of Rumi, whom in the words of Deepak Chopra, "delivers the divine mystery to us with passion." "Absolutely exquisite music of the highest caliber that speaks to the soul, music that will live for a long long time," says Chopra. "I think this music has the capacity to totally transform our consciousness, literally cause a mutation in our consciousness and as that shifts everything shifts: the way we think, the way we behave, the way we speak to each other and the way we interact with the world."
R**J
Untold is a simply stupendous album – it’s got style, class, a miscible mix of diverse musical elements
Untold is a simply stupendous album – it’s got style, class, a miscible mix of diverse musical elements; what more can one ask for? Existence: Life has a chanting voice building up with fervour while the choir on Untold stage 1 deepens the intrigue sparked off by the strings. Tracks such as Wonderment and Absolute nothingness bring out the best of the Rumi Symphony choir. Hafez Nazeri has put out a gem of an album – that haunting voice, alluring trills and intervals capturing the essence of Persian music on a global stage.
D**L
Music & Mysticism: Honoring Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Balkhi Rumi
This album is a fusion of traditional dastghah improvisational modal Persian music and European scored classical orchestral forms with harmony. It is a further development of two albums that featured vocalist Shahram Nazeri [Mystified: Poetry of Rumi, with music composed by Kakhosro Pournazeri; and The Passion of Rumi, with music of Hafez Nazeri]. The album is purely contemporary with tabla master Zakir Hussain, the cello of Matt Haimovitz and the viola of Paul Neubauer, Glen Velez playing frame drums, and composer Hafez Nazeri himself on his redesigned setar, a Persian lute. A large chorus backs the passionate vocals of Shahram Nazeri. Essentially an oratorio in form (vocal and instrumental) and summarizing the notes and section titles, it musically follows an arc from the creation of the cosmos and perception of our common material world to the Sufi journey and longing for a deeper divine reality, following the various stages of experiencing the falling away of ego and perceiving the unity and nonseparateness of form, hence, its no-thingness, and finally to a mystical transcendence and freedom with a new regard of the world and life. The translation of Rumi's poems in the notes is by Deepak Chopra. For comparison, consider the more traditional Persian music accompanying contemporary vocalist Zohreh Jooya (Music of the Persian Mystics). However, for a modern orchestral work on Persian themes, the Rumi Symphony Project's Untold is very worthy and has many rich musical treasures. Some of the 16 sections can stand alone, as Zakir Hussain's drumming and Shahram Nazeri's vocal in the track Life. For an East-West synthesis, this album is a success. Presence at a concert production could be a remarkable and perhaps emotive experience.
S**H
I found this CD to be a strange mixture which couldn't satisfy either one of the two familiarities
Complex music which doesn't seem to fit any particular styleAs a musician and someone who listens to both classical western and classical Persian music, I found this CD to be a strange mixture which couldn't satisfy either one of the two familiarities. There were no songs which stuck with me, even after listening to the entire CD two or three times.
F**D
It's amazing
It's amazing for Performance, Song writing, Recording, and choosing Zakir Hussain for playing tabla also Shahram Nazeri for singing .Thank you Hafez for this great Product.
A**L
I am very satisfied
Great music and fantastic orchestra, beautiful establish, I love the music, it's a professional classical music collection, great job Hafez and thanks to amazon, I received this package in great shape, without any scratch or break. I am very satisfied.
L**K
No other 'project' quite like this one.
Brilliant, just brilliant! I have purchased this 'project' several times now. A national treasure in musical format.
A**R
Amazing Art!!
This is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve heard in a long time. I also attended the concert, last night in Washington DC, which was a great experience, perhaps my most memorable concert experience so far! This is undoubtedly one of the best creations of music art ever. Keep up the great job Hafez!
S**I
Five Stars
This is a great music.
A**I
Takes you on a journey, a journey you don't want to end! Exceptionally Amazing!
Even though some parts of this work was presented in different arrangements/forms over passing years, but "Untold" really delivers on all scales, enjoying every seconds and every drop of it!
M**B
Get this for your Sufi music collection!
By the son of the great Shahram Nazeri a unique composition of Western and Persian modalities with the theme of Moulana Rumi-Balkhi's poems.
I**L
Disapointed!
Waited so impatiently for the album to arrive from US. However was disappointed after hearing the album. The collaboration work seems totally pointless and there is nothing special about it. I have heard a lot of collaborative experimental albums. This one is not one of them. It seems that the 'Western' and 'Indian' instruments are only chucked in to follow a type of trend! If you want to do that, you must have something to say! Look at John Mclaughlin / Shakti; so brilliantly put together... Also Zakir Hussain on this album?!!!!! He for sure is a legend and a respected percussionist but I feel his name was used as a marketing strategy! (thanks to Sony). For me Homayun Shajarian works very well. He fuses the Iranian Traditional music with others so well. Hafez Nazery did not win me!
A**N
Fast and in perfect shape
Got it (actually them!) in two days.Had experience of broken DVD/CD packs before, but this was in absolute beauty.Very professional, both Hafez and Amazon . . . Enjoying it now!
L**H
Four Stars
Didn't love it. But lovely
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3 weeks ago
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