Mehdi Hosseini (*1979)
Hesar (2013)
3(1picc).2.3(1clB).2 / 4.2.3.1 / 3perc / pno / strings

Duration
8′

Published by Donemus
Documentatiecentrum Nederlandse Muziek

Premiere
01/03/2013 Russia Saint-Petersburg Symphony Orchestra of the Opera and Ballet Theatre of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory Alim Shakhmametiev (conductor)

Sources
Hesar (2013) takes its conceptual and structural inspiration from the ancient archaeological site of Tepe Hissar or Tappeh Hesār (Persian: تپه‌حصار) in Iran’s Semnan province. Notable for its continuous occupational history spanning from the 5th to the 2nd millennium BC, the site serves as a metaphor for the “uninterrupted” evolution of Iranian cultural identity. Musically, the work draws from the Hesar section of Dastgāh-e Čahārgāh, utilizing the traditional Persian Music system to bridge the gap between ancient Near Eastern heritage and contemporary symphonic language. By weaving these historical and musicological threads together, the composition explores the concept of “return to the origin” within an orchestral framework.