REVIEWS
Songs of Eternity for Soprano and Orchestra
"…enchanting…the evening's musical heart…Ranjbaran's lush musical vocabulary and colorful orchestration recall Mahler and Strauss, but the exotic touches such as the melismatic vocal writing are unmistakably original. Seventeen minutes long, the piece wielded a peculiar, timeless magic, and seemed just a fraction of the duration."
-Matthew Erikson, Fort WorthStar-Telegram
"You may not have heard of Mr. Ranjbaran, but you really should get to know his music…[he] backs the soprano soloist with a large ensemble so skillfully employed that it's fair to call him a master of the orchestra. The insturmental music reinforces the generally pensive air created by the melodic line…[an] impressive work…"
-Olin Chism, Dallas Morning News
"…certainly worth a second hearing… there was much to praise in the score,
with its sense of restless motion, its attractive writing for winds, and an
almost Wagnerian use of the orchestra."
-Melinda Bargreen, Seattle Times
"This beautiful 16-minute work harks back to Mahler in the sumptuousness and
subtle nuance of its orchestration and in its tonal footprint, but there is
nothing derivative about it. Its colors and drama fit without mirroring the
words from the ‘Rubaiyat of Omar Kahayyam’… Particularly noteworthy were
exquisite melismas (expressive passages sung on one syllable) Ranjbaran
wrote on words such as ‘sorrow’…"
-Philippa Kiraly, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
****
Violin Concerto
"…high class, cohesive, eminently listenable-to music. …
Eastern exoticism, encased within a Western classical format …when the
concerto… just sings out a fine melodic line, the effect is ravishing."
-Joe Riley, Liverpool ECHO
****
Persian Trilogy
".....[Persian Trilogy] is the Persian Kalevala, so to speak, and Ranjbaran has come up with three masterly contributions worthy of Sibelius. ..... Ranjbaran has composed a noble and brilliantly conceived score, spectacularly orchestrated and filled with memorable tunes, meticulous development, and impressive craftsmanship.
American Record Guide, March/April 2005
****
The Open Secret for Chorus and Chamber Orchestra
"Mr. Ranjbaran’s attractive Rumi settings were… philosophical. The poems are
brief but eloquent, and Mr. Ranjbaran’s music had the effect of both
magnifying their sense of mystery and clarifying their meaning. Particularly
striking was the final movement, Dance of Light, in which a subtle exoticism
and sense of antiquity shone through a Western harmonic frame."
-Allan Kozinn, New York Times
****
"Seven Passages" - from Persian Trilogy for Orchestra
"Saluting unsung heroes in Seven Passages debut. Are heroes born or made?
The latter, says composer Behzad Ranjbaran in his new Seven Passages… The
heroic theme emerges in the course of the music. It doesn’t arrive fully
formed, although it is adumbrated and appears in fragments as the work
progresses from a fairy-tale gossamer beginning to its full-scale triumphant
conclusion."
-Chris Pasles, Los Angeles Times
"Ranjbaran's mastery of orchestration is apparent in the delicious, delicate opening sonorities and the full-throtaed declamations that follow as the hero conquers demon after demon. ... there is no denying the exciting thrust and sense of conquest that this music radiates."
-Herman Trotter, The Buffalo News
"Ranjbaran… created in Seven Passages a clear and ringing argument for the
continued survival and growth of symphonic form. He clearly recognizes the
power of the orchestra… and uses its power to create rich, languid colors
and pulses of striking emotional energy. Ranjbaran plays the colors of the
orchestra with an unconscious mastery: here the entire gathering of forces
on stage are at his command, and he uses that power with grace and ease. The
audience joined in at the of the work with a standing ovation for the young
composer."
-John Farrell, Press-Telegram
****
Dance of Life for Violin and Contrabass
"Rarely have I seen a composer successfully capture the essence of the bass,
as did Behzad Ranjbaran in Dance of Life."
-Rick Vizachero, Bass World
"Opening with an excellent new piece, Dance of Life by Iranian émigré Behzad
Ranjbaran…"
-Simon Woolf, Double Bassist
"…a striking work that seems able to accommodate the various timbral
possibilities of the bass without any feeling of awkwardness."
-Joanne Talbot, The Strad
****
Ballade for Unaccompanied Contrabass
"It’s good music that happens to be written for the bass – which is as it
should be – and deserves to be played."
-Neil Tarlton, Double Bassist
"Ballade is a five-minute work of moderate difficulty, and makes a wonderful
addition to recital programming, both for the advanced student, as well as
the professional."
-Michael McGuirk, International Society of Bassists
****
"The Blood Of Seyavash"- from Persian Trilogy for Orchestra
"The Blood of Seyavash has the qualities of inherent beauty and strong
musical structure that make it a satisfying musical entity. It is a rich
experience as a ballet, but it is no doubt destined to be equally pleasing
as a concert piece alone."
-Henry Arnold, Nashville Scene
"The Blood of Seyavash is one of the most breathtaking modern story ballets
to come along in a long time."
-Lisa A. DuBois, Nashville Banner
****
Cello Concerto
"Ranjbaran’s music is solidly constructed in a very traditional style, with
a strong emotional impact. ...The cello solo often has the vocal character
of a recitative. A lively folk-like theme introduced in the first movement
is the main idea of the last, and other ideas return as well, helping to tie
the whole piece together quite neatly. He (Tobias) shared his commitment to
the work with his colleagues, and with the audience, which gave its
enthusiastic approval."
-Lee Teply, The Virginian Pilot
****
Elegy for Strings
"The musicians grouped themselves in a wide semicircle for Behzad
Ranjbaran’s Elegy for Strings. The players never lost an ounce of
Ranjbaran’s radiant luminescence."
-Cecelia Porter, The Washington Post
****
Seemorgh, from Persian Trilogy for Orchestra
"…The music is unmistakably graphic in its appeal. Dark, threatening,
driving, splashy and brilliant… thoroughly accomplished…"
-Timothy Mangan, Los Angeles Times
****
Symphony No. 1
"Its bold, darkly restive first movement, built on minor seconds, is
followed by a tragic second movement of Shostakovich-like angst, and a third
movement graced by odd-metered Persian rhythms and a dense clangor… a
clenched and questioning work…"
-Susan Larson, The Boston Globe
****