Violinist and composer Behzad Ranjbaran began his formal music education at age nine when he entered the Tehran Conservatory of Music. Although he describes the mid-20th century under the Shah as “the golden age of classical music,” he was imprisoned for a short while because he possessed books with “wrong” ideas. He left Iran for the United States in 1974 to pursue his violin studies at Indiana University, continuing at Juilliard for a doctorate in performance and composition. In an interview, he admitted that his politics had made it difficult for him, even before the Islamic revolution of 1979: “I was politically active so I had difficulty staying in Iran. I was very concerned about social justice and political freedom, and was actually imprisoned for a few months as a political prisoner. I met other political prisoners who were brutally tortured and eventually executed, so that made a great impression on me.”

Now on the faculty at Juilliard, Ranjbaran teaches Music Theory and Analysis. He has been a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant, as well as a Charles Ives Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

While Ranjbaran's music is rooted in neo-Romanticism, it is strongly influenced by non-Western, especially Persian, classical music. Ranjbaran composed Esther in 2015 on commission from the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra. He found inspiration in the Biblical story of Esther, in which cunning and bravery saved Persia's Jews. 

In an interview at the time of the premiere, Ranjbaran commented that “...in modern societies, science has to validate much of our concepts, but I find legends and ancient stories—biblical and non-biblical—reflect a sense of mysticism that is a fine line between visible and invisible. So as much as I value the scientific approach to events and social interactions, the ancient stories and legends have more room for interpretation.”

In his program notes, Ranjbaran writes: “According to the Bible, Esther was a Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus. She is known for saving the Jewish people from a genocidal plot concocted by Haman, a high court official. Her successful appeal to King Ahasuerus stopped the impending massacre and resulted in punishment for the conspirators. Esther's heroism during this event became the basis for the Feast of Purim, a Jewish tradition which continues to be observed in the present day. 

“Much of the story of Esther takes place in Susa, the ancient capital of Persia famed for its magnificent buildings and beautiful gardens. My music doesn’t follow the Biblical narrative scene by scene; rather it is a reflection on Susa, Esther's character, the Feast of Purim, and the story's themes of bravery, tolerance, conspiracy, and compassion.

“The first movement, The Seven Trumpets of the Gates of Susa, refers to the splendid city of Susa mentioned in the Bible and many historical sources. Seven is a mythological number, for example: the seven seas, skies, and the days of the week. This symbolic number plays an important role in the organization of the musical materials, rhythm, and the structure of the piece. New sections often begin with a simultaneous stroke of tam-tam [large gong] and bells, each time a step higher. The movement culminates with a brass fanfare again emphasizing the number seven.

“The second movement, The Enchanting Gardens of Susa, is mostly nocturnal in character with a seven-note motif heard at the beginning. Some of the movement's highlights are the improvisational characteristics exhibited in the extended solo passages played by the English horn, trumpet, and the harp.

“The third movement, The Morning Star, begins with the brass fanfare from the end of the first movement. Some sources indicate that Esther was considered to be a derivative of Ishtar, an ancient Mesopotamian goddess and the morning star. The sound of shofar (ram’s horn) played by the horns and the joyous character of the Purim celebration permeate throughout the movement.”

Program notes by:
Joseph & Elizabeth Kahn
Wordpros@mindspring.com
www.wordprosmusic.com