“Love moves the sun and the other stars”, says Dante.

And now, here; in this land of eternal loves, we tune our instruments to glorify the life and its essence. SOL Ensemble dedicates this album to whom they have reached beyond themselves through their spiritual insight.

We start with Corelli. He is one of the great musicians who introduce new perspectives through his doctrine. He is known as the founder of classicism and he found himself in playing violin.

G. B. Vitali was a violinist. Corelli and Purcell are regarded as his followers. By performing three partitas, SOL Ensemble illustrates the great role of this famous composer in the development and transition of this musical form. Vitali was born in 1632 and died in 1692. In comparison to Corelli, Vitali’s compositions are different in regard of melody as well as impression.

Sergei Rachmaninoff was born in 1873 in Russia. He composed several pieces during his life. Russian Rag is composed by G. Cobb and arranged by D. Ash on a prelude by Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff was an admirer of Tchaikovsky and faithfully believed in melody. A special richness and purity is remarkable in his works. His music is rapturous, intimate and full of emotions. He passed away in 1943.

Camille Saint-Saens was born in Paris in 1835. He was an ingenious organist and pianist. Liszt, Berlioz and Bulow admired his works. Faure, Magne, and Gigout are known as his famed pupils. Saint-Saens was among the founders of the national music society which supported the modern movement of music of France and the world. “Arab dance”, which is composed for string trio is one of his most famous works. Saint-Saens died in Algeria in 1921 at the age of 87. He was passionately interested in philosophy, theatre, archeology and painting and had a good taste in writing.

Bahman Mehabadi

1998