Fountains of Fin

Fountains of Fin presents a Persian duality - the fountains themselves, dating back to the 16th century, are now a construct of sheer beauty, but are also the scene of a tragic 19th century assassination. This duality is reflected in Ranjbaran's writing. Of the 2008 world premiere by Bargemusic, Allan Kozinn (The New York Times) wrote: "[T]he flute line, which often stands apart or interacts almost conversationally with the strings, is meant to suggest the Persian version of the ney, a wooden flute used throughout the Middle East. And the music’s decidedly modal accent gives the piece a hint of exoticism without wresting it from the conventions of Western musical discourse.... The call and response between the flute and the tandem strings, the increasingly intense ensemble writing that leads to a vigorously rhythmic central movement, and the deeply melancholy finale capture both the entrancing beauty and the brooding, fearsome mysteries of this Iranian garden. It proved a gripping piece..." On YouTube, flutist Eugenia Zukerman, who recently performed in the Canada premiere, discusses the work with Ranjbaran, and also talks about Fountains of Fin with fellow musicians.

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FOUNTAINS OF FIN for Flute, Violin, and Violoncello
Ranjbaran’s trio celebrates the enchanting Garden of Fin located near Kashan, Iran. While the garden’s present form is from the 16th century, historical references go back centuries earlier. The trio is also a tribute to the great 19th-century reformer, Amir Kabir, who was slain in the bath of the Garden of Fin. Ranjbaran’s trio is musically inspired by the dark, violent history of the garden as well as its hundreds of spring-fed fountains, natural and architectural beauty. The opening flute solo evokes a Persian bamboo “Ney,” and this flavor of the Ney pervades the entire trio.