Behind this strange, nearly cryptic title, lies an old Persian idea of time.
In a similar way as in the later Greek Chronos-idea, the old Persians perceived time in two hierachic layers: the immediate time in hours, seconds, human beings’ ages, and the cool untouched eternity.
The latter was named Zurvan, and was also worshipped as the God of space (defined versus infinite) as well as light, and darkness.
Thus, the musical work Zurvan Akarana finds its inspiration in the imagination of a sparkling interference between these two worlds.
Even in our everyday life, the idea of time is multi-facetted: If you are waiting, time seems long, while the same number of seconds seem ultra-short to the person who is busy.
Perhaps the difference in perception may also be explained by your own perception of, whether you feel you are within time, or you try to imagine yourself as an on-looker situated outside time.
Possibly, the best way of comparing is with a very fast train. If you sit in it, the pace seems even: if, on the other side, you stand along the rails at a distance of some 3 kilometres from it, for a long time the train will seem a remote spot that does not move, while, when it passes and in the seconds up to that, it moves so fast that our ability of perceiving is not able to distinguish details.
The work Zurvan Akarana plays together with a progressive perception of time, without having to think about the Zarathustra time into it.
Mogens Christensens “Zurvan Akarana” lægger med sit tætte stemmevæv og næsten overlækre klangbillede ikke skjul på, at det er skrevet af en tidligere Per Nørgård-elev, men flot er det mens det varer.
(Berlingske Tidende)
Mellem den eksplosive begyndelse og slutningen – et hendøende fyrværkeri – fylder Mogens Christensen orkestersatsen ud med varierede akkordprogressioner i langstrakte bølger. Melodibrokker dukker op i mylderet af toner, men det er klangene, som bestemmer retningen og afgør fremdriften i det dissonante tonesprog. For mig blev “Zurvan Akarana” en slags musikalsk billedkavalkade som stimulerede til genhør med værket.
(Bergens Tidende)
… lys og langsom, nærmest diskret musik…et meditativt stykke gjort af fragmentarisk materiale i en langsomt flydende strøm … fyldig sats med klædelig bund og volumen.
(Aalborg Stiftstidende)
… flydende drømmeagtige klange. Som at famle sig frem i et tågelandskab med enkelte kraftige udladninger … fikst gjort.
(Bergensavisen)
… har gjort et ganske særligt overbevisende indtryk … i alle henseender fascinerende, sikkert formet, yderst velklingende og helt igennem inspireret.
(Dansk Musik Tidsskrift)