Ata Ebtekar & the Iranian Orchestra for New Music – Ornamental: Works of Alireza Mashayekhi 2xLP (Isounderscore/Sotesound)
Ornamental is a continuation in an ongoing series of recordings in which modern Iranian composition crash with electronic sounds. Ata Ebtekar is an Iranian-American composer who overlaps electronic music experiments and traditions next to the classical compositions of Alireza Mashayekhi, a pioneer of modern music in Iran. The acoustic result for the uninitiated ear amplifies Mashayeki’s notion of the “quest for the meta-X” which is the theoretical grounding for his composition. Mashayeki seeks the contraditions of “the truth” and Ebtekar prophetically illustrates the fullness of this search in their collaboration. An established figure in Iranian modern music, Mashayeki perspective is necessary to understand why this synthesis can occur. He describes himself as a composer who had a “passionate desire for destruction and dialectical construction” but sought not to lose his identity or succumb to national infleunces or a multicultural identity. By remaining in Iran, Mashayeki continues to draw upon many world influences at once without losing a connection to his country and colleagues. “Nationality is a perspective, not an identity”, he states. On Side C of Ornamental, throughout the track “Meta XY” is where this tactile synthesis of the electro acoustic past and digital present boils longest. Most of Mashayekhi’s compositions are geared toward large string-based orchestras, leaving a taught canvas for Ebtekar to transpond the structure while keeping solos and core melodies intact. Each resulting piece is complex in its ebb and flows utilizing synth sounds and new electronic harmonies and soundscapes. This music is dense and full of the kind of overtures that might skip past the ear, yet filtered through the electroacoustic process capture the difficulty of the title (“Ornamental”) of the album. Is the process merely accentuating the original or is it the structure itself? The academy might have an answer, but for the trained ear this double album is a window into a rich music culture and heritage in Tehran. Graciously, there are shorter works like “Little Tales 1-4” that dip in and out of piano tones, and these briefer passages help break up the totality of the project. There is certainly something at play on this recording where the listener is asked to absorb tones and stride for an aural trajectory which both accepting and moving beyond tradition. There is a challenge at stake that does not appear to require demanding participation from the listener, but maybe instead a curious repartee asking for approval but ultimately not needing it. (www.isounderscore.com)
(Steven J. Knezevich)
