Poems and Prayers
# Poems and Prayers

Poems and Prayers is Mohammed Fairouz's third symphony. It sets texts in Arabic, Aramaic and Hebrew for choir, solo voices and orchestra and explores the Arab-Israeli Conflict. The symphony was commissioned by the Middle East Center for Peace, Culture and Development at Northeastern University. It was completed in 2010.

## Instrumentation

The symphony is scored orchestra, a mixed choir and two soloists (mezzo-soprano and baritone).

### Woodwinds

    2 Flutes
    2 Oboes
    2 Clarinets
    2 Bassoons

### Brass

    4 French Horns in F
    2 Trumpets
    3 Trombones

### Voices

    Mezzo-Soprano Solo
    Baritone
    Mixed Chorus

### Strings

    Harp
    First and Second Violins
    Violas
    Violoncellos
    Double basses (with low C extension).

## Form

The piece consists of four movements and two interludes:

* I. Kaddish
* II. Lullaby
* Minyan
* III. Night Fantasy
* Oseh Shalom
* IV. Memorial Day for the War Dead

## Composition and Premiere

Poems and Prayers lasts 60 minutes. The symphony sets poetry by Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai alongside Palestinian poets Mahmoud Darwish and Fadwa Tuqan against the backdrop of the Kaddish,.

The work was given its world premiere at Columbia University's Miller Theatre.

## Recording

A recording of Poems And Prayers was released together with Fairouz's clarinet concerto "Tahrir" on the Sono Luminus record label in May 2014.

## Sources

* 1 2 NPR: Three Poetic Traditions Inspire a Mideast Symphony
* 1 2 3 4 Mohammed Fairouz Symphonies
* ↑ Mohammed Fairouz discusses Poems and Prayers
* 1 2 Columbia University Page for Poems and Prayers
* ↑ ["http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=DSL-92177 Naxos page for Poems and Prayers]
