Blue heron –

Lessons from nightingales - songs of sufi mysterie

The fruit of a unique collaboration between a brilliant musical polymath and one of the world's leading vocal ensembles specializing primarily in medieval and Renaissance polyphony-the composer Mehmet Ali Sanlikol and Blue Heron-Lessons from Nightingales presents the world premiere recordings of two new pieces inspired by the two principal Turkish traditions of Sufi mysticism. The Triumph (composed in 2024 for Blue Heron's twenty-fifth birthday) sets a poem by the Bektasi Sufi dervish Edip Harabi (1853-1917) in a dazzling sound world created by an ensemble of voices, bowed tanbur (long-necked lute), ney (end-blown flute), and an array of percussion, weaving together elements of Turkish songs, modes, and rhythmic cycles; Renaissance counterpoint; and the Japanese court music called Gagaku. Devran (composed in 2017) honors pluralism within Islam by setting texts by Mevlevi Sufi dervishes in a two-movement a cappella piece like a motet-a staple of Renaissance European Christian music-in which the imitative style of sixteenth-century counterpoint is the main influence, while Middle Eastern makam (mode) tradition and elements of Turkish Sufi music contribute substantially to the musical effect. A distinctly jazz-influenced harmonic palette lends it's glamorous color to both pieces. Blue Heron applies it's signature intensity, expressivity, and mastery of polyphony to Sanlikol's bewitching twenty-first century polyphony, joined in The Triumph by the virtuoso instrumentalists of Sanlikol's ensemble DuNYA.

Country of Pressing	US
Artist	Blue Heron
Released	2025
Music Genre	Classical
Label	BLUE HERON REN CHOIR
Condition	New
UPC	199284079335
SKU	al-199284079335

1.1 Triumph for vocal ensemble, ney, yayli tanbur ; percussion~I. Kainat (The Universe)
1.2 Triumph for vocal ensemble, ney, yayli tanbur ; percussion~II. Sir (The Mystery)
1.3 Triumph for vocal ensemble, ney, yayli tanbur ; percussion~III. Tecella (The Revelation)
1.4 Triumph for vocal ensemble, ney, yayli tanbur ; percussion~IV. Kenz (The Treasure)
1.5 Triumph for vocal ensemble, ney, yayli tanbur ; percussion~V. Fetih (The Triumph)
1.6 Devran for vocal ensemble~I. Ey gönül neylersin sen bu cihani
1.7 Devran for vocal ensemble~II. Mevlam senin asiklarin devran iderler Hu ile