My Mother Persia is a cycle of eight symphonic poems by the distinguished Iranian-born composer and conductor Alexander Rahbari. Three of the works on this album set some of the finest Iranian poetry and are cast for the tenor voice employing traditional sung forms. Rahbari’s music utilizes the lavish sound world of the symphony orchestra but contains many of the essential elements- scales, rhythms, and colors- of Iranian music. Alexander Rahbari is a remarkable figure in the music world, taking a leading position in the cultural development of his country from a young age, winning numerous awards as a conductor and becoming closely associated with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as assistant to Herbert von Karajan.