The theme of the dialogue between the soul and its Creator, so dear to Persian poets, is expressed on every piece of this CD, as music and poetry converge to depict spiritual states. The Shāh Hoseynī suite, the long Sheykh Amīrī supplication, and the Mystic Hymns and Dances each convey, in their own way, the infinite variety and degree of the emotional states characteristic of a dialogue with the Beloved.

One of the most cherished themes of Persian mystical poets—the dialogue between the soul and its Beloved—lies at the heart of the pieces presented here. Establishing a dialogue with the Beloved is to speak to Him and to open one’s heart to Him, passing through the successive stages, one by one, until reaching the stage of love suggested by the Shāh Hoseynī suite and its infinitely varied subtleties. Similarly, the long supplication of the Sheykh Amīrī suite bears witness to this intimate relationship between a being and his or her Creator. As for the mystical hymns and dances, they are but a musical illustration of the ineffable feelings of joy and amazement that are experienced in such a state of love.