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Reena Esmail

Composer

E Safar

May 9, 2016 by

Payton MacDonald, performing on his Sonic Divide Project

Program Notes

E Safar is based on a Javed Akhtar poem — the title, which translates to “Oh Journey” is part of a couplet that translates to:

Oh journey, be not in vain,
If not to the end,
at least lead me somewhere

It felt like a fitting text for a man traversing the breadth of the country along the continental divide on a bike, to stop and sing as he contemplated this journey. 

Payton’s determination and commitment to creating these incredible journeys is so inspiring. This bandish is meant to be sung alone, immersed the wilderness — both outside and within.

Musical notes: This piece is a bandish(p/d) (so, similar to the ‘tune’ in jazz – it is simply a melody upon which to improvise) in a hybrid, two octave raag(p/d). The bottom octave is in Raag Malkauns and the top octave is in Raag Bhup — mirror images of one another. Raag Malkauns is a dark ma-based raag, which I hear, with my western ears, as searching for home in an unlikely place. And Bhup, when climbed to, in that upper octave, feels hopeful and aspirational.

Recording

To hear a recording of Payton MacDonald performing E Safar, please click here.

Special Performance Requirements

This piece requires an Indian-classical trained singer. It is simply a vilambit bandish — the singer needs to know how to improvise on it. It can be performed in the traditional setting, with tanpura/tabla/accompanying instruments.

The unusual thing about this bandish is that it spans two octaves in two different raags (see note above). This might require an adjustment of your Sa to accommodate the range, as even the bandish itself is quite rangy.

Premiere/Performances

This piece was first performed by Payton McDonald on June 25, 2016 in the Great Basin, Wyoming.

View Product
Instrumentation: Hindustani singer
Duration: varying duration based on interpretation
Year: 2016
Movements: 1
Language: Hindi
Commissioned By:

Payton MacDonald, Dhrupad singer


Esmail is the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s 2020-2025 Swan Family Artist in Residence, and was Seattle Symphony’s 2020-21 Composer-in-Residence. She also holds awards/fellowships from United States Artists, the S&R Foundation, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Kennedy Center.

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Requesting a perusal copy of choral music
Email: manager@reenaesmail.com

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