commission: Concerts Sweden for Kerstin Frödin
first performance: 15.12.2006 at Théâtre de la Photographie et de l'Image, Nice, Kerstin Frödin, recorders
publisher: Svensk Musik
The piece recieved in 2012 the chamber music prize, Saltö Award.
Les sept vallées (The seven valleys) is written in seven parts for solo recorder, (soprano, alto,sopranino and tenor), inspired by The Conference of the Birds (Manteq ot-teyr), a poem by the Persian poet Farîd-ud-Dîn Attâr (env.1158 -1221).
In this long poem, all the birds in the world are summoned together by the wise Hoopoe, "the leader of the high pathes and the deep valleys", who suggest them to start the spiritual journey of Life, despite of its difficulties and challenges, to search for Sîmorgh.
The journey takes the birds through the Seven Valleys - of Search, Love, Insight, Independence, Unity, Perplexity and finally the Valley of Exhaustion. At the end of the quest, the thirty birds that remain find that Sîmorgh is none other than themselves.
In Les sept vallées the music follows a journey of initiation. Different instrumental and musical technics are introduced step by step through the first four parts in order to meet and confrontate each other more developed and free in the three last parts.The piece was written for and in collaboration with the recorderplayer, Kerstin Frödin.
Madeleine Isaksson