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The Rivered Earth
Drawing on a range of personal experience and literary influences, and mixing translation and original creation, The Rivered Earth consists of four libretti written by Vikram Seth to be set to music by Alec Roth - together with an account of the pleasures and pains of working with a composer. Entitled Songs in Time of War, Shared Ground, The Traveller and Seven Elements, the libretti take us all over the world - from Chinese and Indian poetry, to the beauty and quietness of the Wiltshire rectory where English poet George Herbert lived and died.
Spanning centuries of creativity and humanity, the poems that form these libretti pulse with life, energy and inspired brilliance.
They are accompanied by four pieces of calligraphy by the author.
Spanning centuries of creativity and humanity, the poems that form these libretti pulse with life, energy and inspired brilliance.
They are accompanied by four pieces of calligraphy by the author.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2011
11 people are currently reading
260 people want to read
About the author
Vikram Seth
59 books1,714 followersVikram Seth is an Indian poet, novelist, travel writer, librettist, children's writer, biographer and memoirist.
During the course of his doctorate studies at Stanford, he did his field work in China and translated Hindi and Chinese poetry into English. He returned to Delhi via Xinjiang and Tibet which led to a travel narrative From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet (1983) which won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award.
The Golden Gate: A Novel in Verse (1986) was his first novel describing the experiences of a group of friends who live in California. A Suitable Boy (1993), an epic of Indian life set in the 1950s, got him the WH Smith Literary Award and the Commonwealth Writers Prize.
His poetry includes The Humble Administrator's Garden (1985) and All You Who Sleep Tonight (1990). His Beastly Tales from Here and There (1992) is children's book consisting of ten stories in verse about animals.
In 2005, he published Two Lives, a family memoir written at the suggestion of his mother, which focuses on the lives of his great-uncle (Shanti Behari Seth) and German-Jewish great aunt (Henny Caro) who met in Berlin in the early 1930s while Shanti was a student there and with whom Seth stayed extensively on going to England at age 17 for school. As with From Heaven Lake, Two Lives contains much autobiography.
An unusually forthcoming writer whose published material is replete with un- or thinly-disguised details as to the personal lives of himself and his intimates related in a highly engaging narrative voice, Seth has said that he is somewhat perplexed that his readers often in consequence presume to an unwelcome degree of personal familiarity with him.
During the course of his doctorate studies at Stanford, he did his field work in China and translated Hindi and Chinese poetry into English. He returned to Delhi via Xinjiang and Tibet which led to a travel narrative From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet (1983) which won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award.
The Golden Gate: A Novel in Verse (1986) was his first novel describing the experiences of a group of friends who live in California. A Suitable Boy (1993), an epic of Indian life set in the 1950s, got him the WH Smith Literary Award and the Commonwealth Writers Prize.
His poetry includes The Humble Administrator's Garden (1985) and All You Who Sleep Tonight (1990). His Beastly Tales from Here and There (1992) is children's book consisting of ten stories in verse about animals.
In 2005, he published Two Lives, a family memoir written at the suggestion of his mother, which focuses on the lives of his great-uncle (Shanti Behari Seth) and German-Jewish great aunt (Henny Caro) who met in Berlin in the early 1930s while Shanti was a student there and with whom Seth stayed extensively on going to England at age 17 for school. As with From Heaven Lake, Two Lives contains much autobiography.
An unusually forthcoming writer whose published material is replete with un- or thinly-disguised details as to the personal lives of himself and his intimates related in a highly engaging narrative voice, Seth has said that he is somewhat perplexed that his readers often in consequence presume to an unwelcome degree of personal familiarity with him.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 18, 2012
One of my favourite poets' of all times,
The one who started with The Golden Gate,
Yes, the master of words, the king of rhymes,
Is none other than Vikram Seth.
And last Friday, I spent nearly the whole day with him. In the picturesque tiny hill station of Panchgani. Oh! what a time I had. Pure pleasure. Unadulterated! And no, Vikram Seth didn't know about it :)
I do not usually claim to be a fan (electric or otherwise!) of anyone. However, this author and poet has a permanent place in my heart and mind ever since I was in Class XI, 19 86 I think. Before I ever set my eyes on any book by him, I heard him being interviewed on the television and reciting bits of Golden Gate . I was hitched, hook, line and sinker. I don't think I was able to get hold of a copy of Golden Gate for many years after considering the kind of places my father was posted to. I was deeply inspired anyway and remember writing a novel in verse that at some point, fed a fire I lit, angry with myself and the world for my ill health.
It's amazing how much one can digress :) Anyway, in college I came across Beastly Tales, From Heaven Lake, All You Who Sleep Tonight and Suitable Boy. His writing lived up to my expectations in every way. I have to confess though that I like Jane Austen too, so reading the whole of Suitable Boy was not a tough task :) In fact one can identify with Vikram Seth's writing a little more; especially as he presents our time, our culture, our language, our confusions, our successes, our defeats, our loves and our lives.
Coming back to the book I read in Panchgani last weekend - The Rivered Earth. The cover makes me think of Mahabaleshwar during the Monsoons. A cool feeling settled on me as soon as I took the book in my hands. But that nice shiver of expectant excitement was nothing compared to what I felt when I read the book.
Such a beautiful mix of prose and poetry. And I would say even wonderful music that one hears in one's mind while reading the poetry and imagining it being performed in the beautiful locations by wonderful musicians on the piano and the violin.
One would think that if a poet wrote about his (or her) own poetry; how it was inspired, conceived and written, it would be a most boring piece of work and would make even the poetry lose its magic. But nothing like that happens when Vikram Seth explains to us and even discusses with his fellow artists (in an interview format), the composer Alec Roth and the violinist Philippe Honoré. In his interviews with them, the story of how the four libretti with each of the verses that make them took form, were set to music and then performed by the musicians in the beautiful setting of the churches and cathedrals of England; evolves and brings the poems to life when we read them with the music playing in our minds.
I don't want to be quoting from the poetry as each one should discover that on their own. But I must add that we are fortunate in this day and age not only to have such libretti written, set to music and performed; not to mention published; but also to be able to get a sneak peak into the minds of the poet, the composer and the musician.
Like the poet says, "Seth wrote and Roth set". I'd like to add to this:
Seth wrote and Roth set
Honoré on the violin bet
What a musical net
Better magic you'll never get...
The one who started with The Golden Gate,
Yes, the master of words, the king of rhymes,
Is none other than Vikram Seth.
And last Friday, I spent nearly the whole day with him. In the picturesque tiny hill station of Panchgani. Oh! what a time I had. Pure pleasure. Unadulterated! And no, Vikram Seth didn't know about it :)
I do not usually claim to be a fan (electric or otherwise!) of anyone. However, this author and poet has a permanent place in my heart and mind ever since I was in Class XI, 19 86 I think. Before I ever set my eyes on any book by him, I heard him being interviewed on the television and reciting bits of Golden Gate . I was hitched, hook, line and sinker. I don't think I was able to get hold of a copy of Golden Gate for many years after considering the kind of places my father was posted to. I was deeply inspired anyway and remember writing a novel in verse that at some point, fed a fire I lit, angry with myself and the world for my ill health.
It's amazing how much one can digress :) Anyway, in college I came across Beastly Tales, From Heaven Lake, All You Who Sleep Tonight and Suitable Boy. His writing lived up to my expectations in every way. I have to confess though that I like Jane Austen too, so reading the whole of Suitable Boy was not a tough task :) In fact one can identify with Vikram Seth's writing a little more; especially as he presents our time, our culture, our language, our confusions, our successes, our defeats, our loves and our lives.
Coming back to the book I read in Panchgani last weekend - The Rivered Earth. The cover makes me think of Mahabaleshwar during the Monsoons. A cool feeling settled on me as soon as I took the book in my hands. But that nice shiver of expectant excitement was nothing compared to what I felt when I read the book.
Such a beautiful mix of prose and poetry. And I would say even wonderful music that one hears in one's mind while reading the poetry and imagining it being performed in the beautiful locations by wonderful musicians on the piano and the violin.
One would think that if a poet wrote about his (or her) own poetry; how it was inspired, conceived and written, it would be a most boring piece of work and would make even the poetry lose its magic. But nothing like that happens when Vikram Seth explains to us and even discusses with his fellow artists (in an interview format), the composer Alec Roth and the violinist Philippe Honoré. In his interviews with them, the story of how the four libretti with each of the verses that make them took form, were set to music and then performed by the musicians in the beautiful setting of the churches and cathedrals of England; evolves and brings the poems to life when we read them with the music playing in our minds.
I don't want to be quoting from the poetry as each one should discover that on their own. But I must add that we are fortunate in this day and age not only to have such libretti written, set to music and performed; not to mention published; but also to be able to get a sneak peak into the minds of the poet, the composer and the musician.
Like the poet says, "Seth wrote and Roth set". I'd like to add to this:
Seth wrote and Roth set
Honoré on the violin bet
What a musical net
Better magic you'll never get...
February 13, 2018
I'm forever buying or picking up little obscure books of poetry at the library. Sometimes they're duds, but sometimes you find one that is really wonderful. This one was particularly interesting. These poems were written as libretti for a series of concerts. Vikram Seth gave an overview of the project at the beginning of the book, then gave an introduction for each of the four sets of poetry.
This was the first time I'd read anything by Vikram Seth and I really enjoyed it. I'll be looking for more of his writing, poetry and prose.
This was the first time I'd read anything by Vikram Seth and I really enjoyed it. I'll be looking for more of his writing, poetry and prose.
September 4, 2025
Aside from the fact that I've realized that I just don't like libretti, this book is genuinely sub-par. The actual text of the pieces is less than 20 pages, while rest is introductions, musings, and discussions about each piece. Why would anybody want 100 pages of that?
The only saving grace (which got this to 2 stars) is Seth's writing. But even that doesn't make it worth the time and effort.
Find one piece though - Fire. It's cool, punchy, and sassy, and nothing like Seth has written before.
The only saving grace (which got this to 2 stars) is Seth's writing. But even that doesn't make it worth the time and effort.
Find one piece though - Fire. It's cool, punchy, and sassy, and nothing like Seth has written before.
September 15, 2017
This is a beautiful behind the scenes book of libretti that was composed and set to music as a four-year festival commission by Vikram Seth and Alec Roth with the violinist Philippe Honore. While Seth's own poems are wonderfully delightful as always, I also loved the snippets in translation from Chinese and other languages. It's a slim afternoon delight even without the music.
June 20, 2024
Seth's Sonnets#
Poetic works of Seth and this again had some interesting works, I won't pretend to be on the same page of understanding as the geezer who wrote it, but there were some very fine moments in the volume.
Poetic works of Seth and this again had some interesting works, I won't pretend to be on the same page of understanding as the geezer who wrote it, but there were some very fine moments in the volume.
October 14, 2016
I was sent this book to read and review
honestly I found this book really hard going. The book is a set of poems which are preceded by an introduction which tells how the poetry came about. The poems are set to music by Alec Roth although you can't actually hear it through reading the book and this is what also adds to the difficulty in following this book of prose.
In my opinion if you love poetry and even opera then this may be a book worth trying but I would seriously consider trying to borrow a copy before wasting £9.99.
I persisted with the book to the end but it is not one I care to pick up again
If this is the book then please don't make me listen to the music !!!
honestly I found this book really hard going. The book is a set of poems which are preceded by an introduction which tells how the poetry came about. The poems are set to music by Alec Roth although you can't actually hear it through reading the book and this is what also adds to the difficulty in following this book of prose.
In my opinion if you love poetry and even opera then this may be a book worth trying but I would seriously consider trying to borrow a copy before wasting £9.99.
I persisted with the book to the end but it is not one I care to pick up again
If this is the book then please don't make me listen to the music !!!
February 23, 2014
KS. What brought the idea of writing 'The Rivered Earth' with a complete backdrop?
VS. The project was called 'Confluence'. The name sounded technical. I sought a more vivid description of the entire 4 year project to deliver the experience as a whole.
KS. You hit the nail on it's head!(pun intended)
The visit to Delhi Book Fair brought
the days of passion back.
Amazed as I sought
rack by rack,
prose
and verses,
every piece had got
that smell from the sack.
Here's life's another meaningful bout.
VS. The project was called 'Confluence'. The name sounded technical. I sought a more vivid description of the entire 4 year project to deliver the experience as a whole.
KS. You hit the nail on it's head!(pun intended)
The visit to Delhi Book Fair brought
the days of passion back.
Amazed as I sought
rack by rack,
prose
and verses,
every piece had got
that smell from the sack.
Here's life's another meaningful bout.
February 21, 2012
Shorten introduction/interview, include performance CD.
December 20, 2012
Not as good as I expected
July 28, 2013
A nice read..
May 15, 2015
Really loved reading it.
January 25, 2016
WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews