Hafiz: The Scent of Light

Poetry & Music from the Great Sufi Master and Poet

By: Stevin McNamara, Daniel Ladinsky

Narrated by: Daniel Ladinsky, Stevin McNamara

Length: 1 hr and 1 min

Publisher's summary

In modern-day Persia, the 14th-century poet Hafiz remains the most treasured voice of his homeland - a place where his work outsells Rumi, and even the Koran. Yet only recently have Westerners come to know this wild Sufi mystic's astonishing verses on love and spiritual longing. Now, with Hafiz: The Scent of Light, you will join Daniel Ladinsky - the acclaimed translator of The Gift - to revel in more than 30 of Hafiz's most stirring works. Offered here in the manner that Hafiz composed them, namely spoken or sung spontaneously amid companions and inspired music, each of these exquisite love songs (ghazals) shimmers with a nuance, depth, and passion rarely captured in previous translations. Hafiz once said: "A poet is someone who can pour light into a cup, then raise it to nourish your beautiful parched holy mouth." From his vision of an all-embracing Beloved who sees beyond our religious beliefs to his revelations on the oneness of worldly ecstasy and spiritual awakening, Hafiz continues to pour the light of his poetry forth today. Music composed and performed by Stevin McNamara (sitar and nylon string guitar), with special guest artists and composers Steve Gorn (bansuri flute), Jeffrey Rodgers (tabla, santoor, ethnic drums, percussion), Annette Cantor (vocals), Pandit S.N. Sopori (drupad/khyal/tarana singing), Bhushan Sopori (tabla), and Aurelia Roze (violin). Read by Nataraja Kallio.

©2007 Daniel,Stevin Ladinsky,McNamara (P)2007 Daniel,Stevin Ladinsky,McNamara

it is a very beautiful picture read if you love p

it's a very beautiful and a very nice Bridge read or treat box it's a very nice rate

unbelievable

loved it so much! beautiful poetry, beautifully narrated. didn't want it to end! I'm thrilled.

If you love poetry just listen!

The music complemented each short poem perfectly. The narrator had the perfect voice and tone.

poetic, uplifting, seductive

"A poet is someone who can pour light into a cup, then raise it to quench your beautiful, parched, holy mouth."
Ladinsky lives up to this opening statement, as what follows is a gentle invitation to quiet one's mind and focus on the inner life of the heart. Well-chosen and -delivered lines are beaded into a fabric of meditative musical interludes. I plan to savor this again and again.

Magical and mysterious

Why is Hafiz The most sensual mystic poet. He makes the soul yearn for unity with the Divine. Kabir comes close. Rumi too. Yet Hafiz is magical in his expressions... Feel God Present Now.

Perfect !

What made the experience of listening to Hafiz: The Scent of Light the most enjoyable?

This is so delightful ! If you're into Sufism, it's going to caress your soul.

The reader has the most beautiful tone of voice. I don't know if it's Daniel Ladinsky or Stevin McNamara, but I didn't notice two narrators. Maybe I'm silly. And the music is so beautiful...

Daniel Ladinsky's rendition of Hafiz... As usual, superb !

This album is more like a meditation, a prayer, in a Sufi way. I've been listening to bits of it while eating spectacular chocolate and drinking great coffee... In silence, with my eyes closed most of the time. My own little beautiful private moment.

The whole encounter is so intimate, just like meditation and prayer are very private personal experiences.

Thank you, Daniel ! So beautiful...

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

All of it.

Beautiful beyond belief

These poems received through the Sufi master Hafiz are beautiful beyond belief. Each is a masterpiece; each opens itself to the mind a little more with every reading. But the play between the music and the poetry in this recording takes the experience to another realm: pure magic.

absolutely beautiful, brings you into a trance

Hafez poetry paired with some beautiful music transports you to another realm of reality. peaceful, thought-provoking, it'll move you to tears

My best and most frequently played audio performance.

The magic of Hafiz set to beautiful music and great narrations. Thank you for putting this together. More please? :) Five giggling stars all round performance!

Waste of a credit

This might be worthwhile, but I can’t get past the narration. Cringe worthy attempt at trying to lend spiritual weight to Hafiz’s words with new agey, breathy reading that distracts from the text.