KSS47 Nocturne: Djâmi

Piece details

Written for: Piano
Date composed: 1928
Dedicatee: Reginald Best
Approximate duration (minutes): 22
Manuscript pages: 28
Manuscript location: Paul Sacher Foundation, Basel
Comments:

Sorabji wrote Djâmi in 1928; it is the first of his works explicitly designated ‘nocturne’, a genre to which he returned many times later in his career. It is also one of Sorabji’s first works to explicitly evoke Persian culture, something that became increasingly important to Sorabji not only as a source of inspiration for his music (evident in compositions such as Gulistān and the Jāmī Symphony) but as a means of discovering and engaging with his own cultural heritage as a Parsi. Djâmi bears the following quotation from the poem Yusuf and Zuleykhā by the poet Nuru’d-Dīn ‘Abdur-Rahmān Jāmī: “Be thou the thrall of love; make this thine object; For this one thing seemeth to wise men worthy. Be thou love’s thrall, that thou mayst win thy freedom, Bear on thy breast its brand, that thou mayst blithe be. Love’s wine will warm thee and will steal thy senses; All else is soulless stupor and self-seeking” (trans. E.G. Browne).
(notes: Jonathan Powell)

Editions available from the Sorabji Archive

Typeset edition (Jonathan Powell), A3L. 26 pages.
Price: £15 (paper), £10 (pdf)
Right-click to download high resolution sample page: PDF PNG

New edition (Charles Hopkins), A3L. 70 pages.
Price: £22 (paper), £15 (pdf)
Right-click to download high resolution sample page: PDF PNG

Manuscript, A3L. 28 pages.
Price: £15 (paper), £10 (pdf)
Right-click to download high resolution sample page: PDF PNG

Recordings

Michael Habermann (piano),
Musical Heritage Society/MusicMasters MHS4811Y (LP), MHC6811Z (Cassette), MM20019 (LP), MM60019 (CD) (November 1982)
Track 1 (22:12)

Michael Habermann (piano),
ASV ZC AMM159 (Cassette), CD AMM159 (CD) (1988)
Track 5 (22:12)

Michael Habermann (piano),
Elan Recordings CD 82264 (1995)
Track 4 (22:12)

Michael Habermann (piano),
British Music Society BMS427-429 (3CDs) (2004)
Track 10 (22:12)

Jonathan Powell (piano),
Altarus Records AIR-CD-9082 (2007)
Track 18 (26:48)

Michael Habermann (piano),
Naxos 8.571363-65 (2015)
Track 10 (22:12)

Performances

16/01/1930 Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (piano)
Westminster Congregational Church (now Westminster Chapel), London, UK
29/04/1931 Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (piano)
Stevenson Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
Active Society for the Propagation of Contemporary Music
20/11/1980 Michael Habermann (piano)
Peabody Institute, Baltimore MD, USA
Doctoral Degree Recital
28/09/1982 Michael Habermann (piano)
Leakin Hall, Peabody Institute, Baltimore MD, USA
07/10/1982 Michael Habermann (piano)
Paine Hall, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, USA
American Liszt Society Festival
20/10/1982 Michael Habermann (piano)
Memorial Auditorium, State College, Shippensburg PA, USA
Noon Music
06/02/1983 Michael Habermann (piano)
Convocation Hall, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
Explorations Concert
19/11/1984 Michael Habermann (piano)
West Shore Unitarian Church, Cleveland OH, USA
Rocky River Chamber Music Society
20/02/2004 Jonathan Powell (piano)
St Cyprian’s Church, London, UK
04/09/2004 Jonathan Powell (piano)
Sulham House, Tidmarsh, Pangbourne, Reading, UK
22/04/2007 Jonathan Powell (piano)
Oceanic Studio, Twickenham, London, UK
04/04/2018 Brendan White (piano)
Glendale City Church, Glendale, CA, USA
Glendale Noon Concerts
06/06/2018 Brendan White (piano)
Glendale City Church, Glendale CA, USA
Glendale Noon Concerts
08/06/2018 Brendan White (piano)
Boston Court, Pasadena CA, USA
Emerging Artists Series
19/08/2018 Brendan White (piano)
MiMoDa Studio, Los Angeles CA, USA
Free Admission Music @MiMoDa
21/07/2019 Brendan White (piano)
St Mark’s Episcopal Church, Glendale, CA, USA
19/08/2020 Brendan White (piano)
Glendale City Church, Glendale CA, USA
Glendale Noon Concerts (including live stream)
08/10/2023 William Hobbs (piano)
Leshowitz Hall, John J. Cali School of Music, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ, USA
15/10/2023 William Hobbs (piano)
, Flatiron, NY, USA
07/03/2024 Harry Bowden (piano)
Bechstein Hall, Manchester, UK

Broadcasts etc.

08/12/1969 Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (piano) [extract]
WBAI (radio), New York NY, USA [broadcast of recording]
“The Composer Sorabji” (Erik Chisholm): illustrated talk read by Frank Holliday
13/12/1970 Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (piano) [extract]
WNCN (radio), New York NY, USA [broadcast of recording]
12/12/1971 Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (piano) [extract]
WNCN (radio), New York NY, USA [repeat broadcast of recording]
10/12/1972 Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (piano) [extract]
WNCN (radio), New York NY, USA [repeat broadcast of recording]
08/11/1973 Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (piano) [extract]
KPFA (radio), Berkeley CA, USA [repeat broadcast of recording]
19/02/1975 Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (piano) [extract]
WMUK (radio), Kalamazoo MI, USA [repeat broadcast of recording]
19/06/1976 Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (piano) [extract]
Minnesota Public Radio (broadcast over KSJR/KSJN/KCCM/WSCD/KRSW/KLSE), Collegeville MN, USA [repeat broadcast of recording]
08/08/1983 Michael Habermann (piano)
WFUY (radio), New York NY, USA [broadcast of recording]
“Concert Grande” programme
23/01/1985 Michael Habermann (piano)
WBJC (radio), Baltimore MD, USA [broadcast of recording]
15/04/1989 Michael Habermann (piano) [extract]
BBC Radio 3, London, UK [broadcast of recording]
“Saturday Review” programme — (“Record Review”)
19/04/1989 Michael Habermann (piano) [extract]
BBC Radio 3, London, UK [repeat broadcast of recording]
“Saturday Review” programme — (“Record Review”)
13/06/1990 Michael Habermann (piano)
KPBX Radio, Spokane WA, USA [broadcast of recording]
“Chamber Music” programme
14/08/2002 Michael Habermann (piano)
WNYC, New York NY, USA [broadcast of recording]
“Evening Music” with David Garland
29/09/2020 Jonathan Powell (piano)
XRayFM, Portland, OR, USA [broadcast of recording]
The Darkest Hour 229