Congratulations to maestro Farkhad Khudyev and The University of Texas Symphony Orchestra on receiving Silver Medals for the live recording of The Sounds Of Eternity at Global Music Awards! The album was awarded Silver Medals in two categories: Cross-Cultural Classical and Creativity/Originality.
The Sounds of Eternity. Review by A&R Factory
Just as the Golden Age of Cinema is synonymous with high production values and narrative clarity, the same can be said for the live recording of The Sounds of Eternity (Dedicated to World Peace) by Farkhad Khudyev as he commands the University of Texas Symphony Orchestra. There’s a filmic, arcane grace to the composition, which draws you away from the trappings, gloss and excess of modernity towards the strife, beauty, loss and triumph our lineages have suffered through to arrive here, where The Sounds of Eternity rings like something you’ve forgotten to remember, but has always been there.
It’s the ultimate antidote to existentialism; how could you possibly question the meaning of life as the symphonically filmic veracity of the score affirms existence and obscures the surface noise through the spatial command of orchestral instrumentation as it cries, caresses and kindles catharsis.
Read more here: https://www.anrfactory.com/?s=sounds+of+eternity
The Sounds of Eternity. Review by Tunitemusic
From its very first moments, The Sounds of Eternity makes it clear that it is not simply presenting three orchestral works, it is tracing a musical dialogue between worlds.
Performed by the University of Texas Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Farkhad Khudyev, this newly released live recording (2026) unfolds as a compact but striking triptych exploring the meeting point between Western symphonic language and the maqami and modal, improvisational, and emotional vocabulary of the Caucasus and Middle Eastern traditions. Across just three works and roughly forty minutes of music, the album sketches a surprisingly complete artistic landscape, one built on contrast, coexistence, and ultimately reconciliation.
What makes the album compelling is not only its repertoire, but its conviction. These are not decorative gestures toward “world music.” They are structural conversations.
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The Sounds of Eternity. Review by Obscuresound
Uniting Western symphonic structures with the improvisational depth of Azerbaijani mugham, The Sounds of Eternity captures a groundbreaking live performance by the University of Texas Symphony Orchestra. Under the baton of maestro Farkhad Khudyev, this ambitious record features world-renowned soloists like Alim Qasimov and Imamyar Hasanov, integrating the ancient, mournful tones of the kamancha with traditional dance and percussion. The result is a transportive cultural dialogue that serves as Khudyev’s life mission: a plea for global peace rooted in the transformative power of love.
Two fantastic performances precede the epic, gorgeous title track. Opening, “Circus for Clarinet and Symphony Orchestra” embraces a familiar orchestral array, propelled by clarinet (acting as the central narrator) amidst a dynamically evolving tonal display. The variety is apparent in the first minute even, as twinkling, lush piano quickly shifts into personality-filled orchestration, hectic and capricious in its assortment of woodwinds, brass, and strings. An elegant shift takes hold around the 30-second mark, with the performance seamlessly shifting between bustling fervency and balmy, lush interactions of clarinet and gentle orchestration. The orchestra’s musicianship and capacity for striking shifts are on full display here, audibly capturing the paradoxes of life in artful form.
Milagros. Review by Tunitemusic
Milagros by soprano Liliana Guerrero and pianist James Maverick is a remarkable 13-track album that brings together the music of Latin American women composers, published by Patricia Caicedo and Mundo Arts. Featuring works by Ernestina Lecuona, Yvette Souviron, Mariela Rodríguez, and a world premiere commission by Edna Alejandra Longoria-Valdez, the album stands as a significant contribution to the rediscovery and celebration of voices that have too often been overlooked in the classical canon. At once scholarly and deeply emotional, Milagros highlights not only the artistry of the composers but also the extraordinary interpretative skills of Guerrero and Maverick.
The voice of Liliana Guerrero is both tender and powerful. She enunciates every syllable with clarity while preserving a natural melodic flow, blending technical precision with expressive depth. Her mastery of vocal control allows her to handle dynamic shifts with ease, navigating soaring high notes and intimate pianissimos alike. The subtle vibrato on sustained notes gives her interpretations a rare depth, infusing each song with a sincerity that feels personal and immediate. Guerrero does not merely sing the notes; she inhabits the text, making every phrase resonate with emotional weight.
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Messiaen: Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps. Review by Tunitemusic
Written in a Nazi prison camp by the French composer Olivier Messiaen, Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End of Time) is one of the most important pieces of music of the 20th century, and perhaps even in the history of classical music.
A melancholy work for an unusual set of instruments—clarinet, violin, cello, and piano—this choice was partly dictated by the availability of musicians and instruments in the camp. The quartet reflects Messiaen’s deep religious convictions and his fascination with the apocalypse, time, and eternity.
Read more here: https://tunitemusic.com/post/messiaen-quatuor-pour-la-fin-du-temps-quartet-for-the-end-of-time-2/
Mayn Shprach: Yiddish Art Songs by Lazar Weiner. Review by Tunitemusic
In the realm of classical music, the ability to transcend temporal boundaries and linguistic frontiers is a rare and captivating feat. It is within this enchanting realm that we find “Mayn Shprach: Yiddish Art Songs by Lazar Weiner,” an album that beckons us to embark on a mesmerizing journey. Composed by the prolific Lazar Weiner (1897-1982), this collection of Yiddish art songs transcends the confines of the 20th century, offering a harmonious blend of rich historical influences. It is a profound testament to the enduring legacy of the Yiddish language and the extraordinary ability of performers Mikhail Smigelski and Jeanne Hourez to resurrect these melodies with impeccable precision and heartfelt devotion.