Poems and Prayers is Mohammed Fairouz's third symphony. It sets texts in Arabic, Aramaic and Hebrew for choir, solo voices and orchestra and explores the Arab-Israeli Conflict.NPR: Three Poetic Traditions Inspire a Mideast Symphony The symphony was commissioned by the Middle East Center for Peace, Culture and Development at Northeastern University.Mohammed Fairouz Symphonies It was completed in 2010.
Instrumentation
The symphony is scored orchestra, a mixed choir and two soloists (mezzo-soprano and baritone).
Woodwinds
2 flutes 2 oboes 2 clarinets 2 bassoons
Brass 4 French horns in F 2 trumpets 3 trombones
Percussion
Voices mezzo-soprano solo baritone
mixed chorus
Strings harp
violins I and II violas violoncellos double basses (with low C extension)
Form
The piece consists of four movements and two interludes:Mohammed Fairouz discusses Poems and Prayers
Composition and premiere
Poems and Prayers lasts 60 minutes. The symphony sets poetry by Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai alongside Palestinian poets Mahmoud Darwish and Fadwa Tuqan against the backdrop of the Kaddish,.Columbia University Page for Poems and Prayers
The work was given its world premiere at Columbia University's Miller Theatre.
Recording A recording of Poems And Prayers was released together with Fairouz's clarinet concerto "Tahrir" on the Sono Luminus record label in May 2014. ["http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=DSL-92177 Naxos page for Poems and Prayers]
Sources
External links "NPR: Three Poetic Traditions Inspire a Mideast Symphony", NPR. "Poems and Prayers webpage", Poems and Prayers Page.