Four of the pieces on this CD are settings of fables or poems by thirteenth century Persian poet Jalal al-Din Rumi, for singers who take the parts of the characters and small instrumental ensemble. Given the diversity in the background of composer W.A. Mathieu (his teachers include North Indian vocalist
Pandit Pran Nath, Nubian composer Hamza El Din, and American composers William Russo and
Easley Blackwood), it's not surprising that his music defies easy definition, but the fables call to mind the works of two very different composers: Mathieu's mild exoticism and colorful orchestration evoke the world of John Harbison's Mirabai Songs, and rhythmic and metrical fluidity of his text setting and his harmonic language inhabit a world similar to that of
Steve Reich's The Desert Music. The simplicity of the fables and their musical and dramatic sophistication make them charming and compelling, and the title fable has a surprising poignancy. The Blind Beekeeper for baritone and piano is based on a fantastical story for children by Daniel Moore, but the bland lyricism of the text setting and the conventionality of its music fail to bring the story to life. Baritone
Thomas Buckner has a voice with more character than vocal beauty, but he is effectively dramatic as a storyteller in the fables. Soprano Devi Mathieu and alto Suzanne Elder bring sweet, light voices to the Rumi settings.