"...an aurally and visually intoxicating fusion of elements that hauntingly conveys the richness of the Turkish and Persian cultures of the time."--Video Librarian magazine, March/April 2010, Recommended (see review below)
The historic Tilla Kari religious academy, Registan Square, Samarqand
Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia
This acclaimed DVD follows the journey along the Silk Road through the Islamic lands that were once part of theancient Persian empires--
Persian classical music written down in the 6th century, Sufi music from an order of Dervishes founded in the 13th century by the poet Jalaluddin Rumi, a Dervish choir singing Persian poetry, and other live performances recorded up to 40 years ago. Presented with exquisite Islamic art and architecture in the old Silk Road cities and Persian and Sufi poetry. The new companion CD-Rom gives a cultural history beginning with ancient Persia and Zoroastrianism; Sufism and its influences in music and poetry; and Islamic philosophy with its insights revealed in the visual arts--all integrated with 86 spectacular photos.
“A beautiful product—very informative and well put together.” --Ted Wanner, Texas Library Association
"[The DVD] effectively uses the sublime power of Sufi music drawn from rare recordings to evoke the rich spiritual legacy of the western Silk Road lands." --Theodore Levin, Ph.D., Professor of Music, Dartmouth College
". . . brings to life a marvelous artistic combination of visual representations of architectural treasures with rare and wondrous musical selections from a private collection." --Brenda Romero, Ph.D., Professor of Musicology, University of Colorado-Boulder
"From the melodious tones of the camel bells and the haunting sounds of the ney to the geometric perfection of Islamic mosaics, Judith Frey's Silk Road DVD elegantly conveys the sights and sounds of the ancient caravan routes through western Asia. Combining stunning visual images with subtle poems and rhythmic music, Frey explores the history, literature, religions, and artistic traditions of lands associated with the Persian Empire." --Elizabeth Owen, Ph.D., associate professor, Asian Art History, University of Denver
"A stunning journey through music, art, and poetry from Istanbul to Samarqand." --Wes Blomster, Ph.D., music critic, The Boulder Daily Camera
“The DVD is a masterpiece, and will help the western mind understand Islamic culture,” --Eugene J. Kinder, M.D., psychoanalyst, Boulder
The companion CD-Rom:
“The CD-Rom integrates the musical and artistic traditions of the Silk Road into a rich philosophical and historical context that is extremely meaningful--and essential for students.” --Brenda Romero, Ph.D., Professor of Musicology, University of Colorado-Boulder
"The depth of information and thoughtful connections between artistic expressions and cultural and religious values was great." --From Sand to Sea, Cultural Exchange Through Trade Along the Silk Road, Yale, summer institute 2008
--review in Video Librarian magazine, March-April 2010: "This combination DVD/CD-Rom set (which also includes a printed booklet) introduces the culture of the regions traversed in the caravan route that brought silk and other premium commodities from the Far East to Western Europe in the Middle Ages. Judith Frey's production melds six musical selections performed on traditional instruments, all but one recorded in the 1960s and '70s (and two originating with the Order of Dervishes associated with the famous poet Rumi), with more than 130 stills of locales and artwork found along the way, while a narrator recites excerpts from poetry of the period. The result is an aurally and visually intoxicating fusion of elements that hauntingly conveys the richness of the Turkish and Persian cultures of the time, with special emphasis on its spiritual and religious aspects. The accompanying CD-Rom contains most of the photos included in the film, but also offers material on the history of the region extending back to the pre-Islamic period, while the booklet provides bibliographic data on all of the recordings and photographs. Particularly for Western audiences whose viewpoint remains largely Euro-centric, The Silk Road delivers an appreciative historical/cultural overview of an area of the world that has become increasingly important over the last decade-plus. Recommended."
Judith Frey traveled to Samarqand and Bukhara in 1999 and began work on The Silk Road: Music, Art, and Poetry from Istanbul to Samarqand, releasing the DVD in 2006. She completed the companion CD-Rom in 2009. She has also produced two multi-media presentations, Rhythms of Africa: Traditional Music and Art South of the Sahara, and The Quest for the Sacred in Traditional Cultures, covering more than a dozen musical and artistic traditions from around the world.Judith Frey has been a guest lecturer at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (1996); the Denver Art Museum (1997, 2007); LaRoche College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1998); Chautauqua, Boulder (1999, 2000); Henderson Museum at the University of Colorado (2000); Arapahoe Community College Distinguished Lecture Series, Denver (2003); the University of Colorado at Boulder (art history, 2003; musicology, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2007); the University of Denver (art history, 2007, 2008); the University of Colorado Center for Asian Studies (seminar for teachers, 2008); Yale University, Council on Middle East Studies (summer institute, 2008).
DVD running time: 33 minutes 20-page booklet includes music and photo identification companion CD-Rom presents a brief history of the Silk Road with 86 photos of art and architecture For complete ordering information, see "how to buy"
