Rosemary’s Song is a contemporary rendition of Persian classical music. Written for solo violoncello, Rosemary’s Song is a lively rhythmic piece that may be performed separately, or as part of Dastgāh-e Māhur (one of major modal systems of traditional Persian art music). With a similar intervallic structure to the major mode of western music, Māhur is arguably derived from a medieval musical mode. Known as “mother of all muqāms”, Oshāq [Lovers] was the first and basis of all music (including Dastgāh-e Māhur) and could be found in almost every corner of Middle-East, Central Asia, and all the way through Indian subcontinent. It is believed to have a history of about three millenniums.

The piece opens with an enthusiastic, grandeur animated pattern which instills a youthful passion in the listener. Then by lowering the third and seventh degrees, and raising the fourth (by approximately 30 cents), it briefly modulates to one of Māhur’s substructures, Gusheh-e Shekasteh [Broken corner] with the same intervalic pattern of Oshāq. Eventually, it recapitulates back to the mode of Māhur, except this time around a new tonal centre.

Following the formal structure of common Chahārmezrāb, the song utilizes a repetitive pattern of bowing to create a free- flowing stream of tones. While accomplished cellists may take advantage of this ‘stream' to improvise various musical lines on spot, it is highly advised that untrained interpreters fiercely study the intervallic structure of the above mentioned modes first, or at least get highly accustomed to playing ‘Rāst tetrachord’ in all keys.