Mohammad-Reza Shajarian ( fa, محمدرضا شجريان; , 23 September 1940 – 8 October 2020) was an Iranian singer and
master
Master or masters may refer to:
Ranks or titles
* Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans
*Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...
(''
Ostad
Ustād or ostād (abbreviated as Ust., Ut. or Ud.; from Persian ) is an honorific title used in West Asia, North Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is used in various languages such as Persian, , Azerbaijani, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi ...
'') of
Persian traditional music
Persian traditional music or Iranian traditional music, also known as Persian classical music or Iranian classical music, refers to the classical music of Iran (also known as ''Persia''). It consists of characteristics developed through the coun ...
. He was also known for his skills in
Persian calligraphy
Persian calligraphy or Iranian calligraphy ( fa, ), is the calligraphy of the Persian language. It is one of the most revered arts throughout the history of Iran.
History
History of Nasta'liq
After the Muslim conquest of Persia, introduction ...
and humanitarian activities.
Shajarian started his singing career in 1959 at
Radio Khorasan, rising to prominence in the 1960s with his distinct singing style. His main teachers were
Ahmad Ebadi
Ahmad Ebādi (1906 – 1993) (Persian: احمد عبادی) was an Iranian musician and setar player. Born in Tehran, he was a member of the most extraordinary family of Iranian music. Ahmad's father, Mirza Abdollah, is arguably the most influe ...
, Esmaeil Mehrtash, Abdollah Davami, and Nour-Ali Boroumand. He also learned the vocal styles of singers from previous generations, including Reza Gholi Mirza Zelli, Fariborz Manouchehri,
Ghamar Molouk Vaziri, Eghbal Azar, and Taj Isfahani. He has cited legendary Persian
tar
Tar is a dark brown or black viscous liquid of hydrocarbons and free carbon, obtained from a wide variety of organic materials through destructive distillation. Tar can be produced from coal, wood, petroleum, or peat. "a dark brown or black bit ...
soloist
Jalil Shahnaz
Jalil Shahnaz (22 May 1921 – 17 June 2013; Persian: جلیل شهناز) was a Persian classical music musician and a virtuoso of the Persian musical instrument, tar.
Biography
Jalil Shahnaz was born in 1921 in Isfahan, Persia (Iran). Shahna ...
as highly influential to his development, indicating that he has often tried to mimic Shahnaz's playing style in his singing.
Shajarian had collaborated with musicians such as
Parviz Meshkatian
Parviz Meshkatian (Persian: پرويز مشكاتيان; May 15, 1955 – September 21, 2009) was an Iranian musician, composer, researcher and university lecturer.
Biography
Born in Nishapur, Meshkatian entered the Tehran Academy of Art ...
,
Mohammad Reza Lotfi
Mohammad-Reza Lotfi ( fa, محمدرضا لطفی; 1 January 1947 – 2 May 2014) was an Iranian classical musician renowned for his mastery of the tar and setar. He collaborated with singers such as Mohammad-Rezā Shajarian, Hengameh Akhavan, ...
,
Hossein Alizadeh
Hossein Alizadeh ( fa, حسین علیزاده) is an Iranian musician, composer, radif-preserver, researcher, teacher, and tar, shurangiz and setar instrumentalist and improviser. He has performed with such musicians as Shahram Nazeri, Mohammad ...
,
Faramarz Payvar
Master Farâmarz Pâyvar ( fa, فرامرز پایور, ; 10 February 1933 – 9 December 2009) was an Iranian composer and santur player. Payvar died on 9 December 2009 after a long struggle with brain damage. Although once perceived as marg ...
,
Dariush Pirniakan
Daryoush Pirniakan (Persian: داریوش پیرنیاکان) (b. 1955 in East Azerbaijan) is an Iranian musician, tar and setar player, and music researcher.
Biography
Daryoush Pirniakan, a musician and composer of Persian classical genre, lea ...
, and
Sohrab Pournazeri
Sohrab Pournazeri is an Iranian musician and composer. He plays Kamancheh and Tanbour.
Career
Sohrab Pournazeri currently plays with Shams Ensemble which was established in 1980 and is focused on Persian classical music. Pournazeri's primary pe ...
. He was recognized as a skilled singer in the challenging traditional
Dastgah
Dastgāh ( fa, دستگاه) is the standard musical system in Persian art music, standardised in the 19th century following the transition of Persian music from the Maqam modal system. A consists of a collection of musical melodies, . In a son ...
style. In 1999,
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
in France presented him with the
Picasso Award
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
and in 2006 with the
UNESCO Mozart Medal The UNESCO Mozart Medal is an award named after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and administered by UNESCO.
Recipients
* Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, 1991
* Alicia Terzian, 1995
* Elfi von Dassanowsky, 1996
* Igor Moiseyev, 2001, for "outstanding contribution ...
. In 2017, ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' cited him as the "Greatest living maestro of
Persian classical music
Persian traditional music or Iranian traditional music, also known as Persian classical music or Iranian classical music, refers to the classical music of Iran (also known as ''Persia''). It consists of characteristics developed through the coun ...
".
His works also cover some songs of Iranian ethnic music, including
Mazandarani music Mazanderani, Mazandarani, or Tabarian may refer to:
* Mazanderani people or Tabari people, a Caspian people in the North of Iran
* Mazanderani language or Tabarian language, an Iranian language of the Northwestern branch spoken mainly in the South C ...
,
Azeri music
Azerbaijani music ( Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan musiqisi) is the musical tradition of the Azerbaijani people from Azerbaijan Republic. Azerbaijani music has evolved under the badge of monody, producing rhythmically diverse melodies.Энциклоп ...
,
Kurdish music
Kurdish music refers to music performed in the Kurdish languages and Zaza-Gorani languages. The earliest study of Kurdish music was initiated by the renowned Armenian priest and composer Komitas in 1903, when he published his work ''" Chansons ku ...
and
Lur music.
After coming out in support of the
Iranian Green Movement
The Iranian Green Movement ( fa, جنبش سبز ایران) or Green Wave of Iran ( fa, موج سبز ایران), also referred to as the Persian Awakening or Persian Spring by the western media, refers to a political movement that arose after ...
and criticizing the Iranian government, he was banned from holding concerts and releasing music.
Early life
![Shajarian teen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Shajarian_teen.jpg)
Mohammad-Reza Shajarian was born on 23 September 1940 in
Mashhad
Mashhad ( fa, مشهد, Mašhad ), also spelled Mashad, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. It serves as the capital of R ...
, Iran. His father, Mehdi, was a Quran
qari, as was his grandfather Ali Akbar. His mother was Afsar Shahverdiani, who died in 2007.
He was the oldest of five siblings, and studied singing at the age of five under the supervision of his father by
recitation of the Quran.
Music career
Early work
![Mohamadreza-shajarian-young](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Mohamadreza-shajarian-young.jpg)
At the age of 12, he began studying the Persian classical repertoire known as the ''
Radif
Radif ( fa, ردیف, meaning ''order'') is a rule in Persian, Turkic, and Urdu poetry which states that, in the form of poetry known as a ghazal, the second line of all the couplets (''s'' or ''shers'') ''must'' end with the ''same'' word/s. Th ...
'' without his father's consent as studying and performing music was against his father's religious beliefs. This may have been the reason why he chose the stage name "Siavash Bidakani" in his early career as a singer, which did not last long, and soon he used his real name again. Shajarian started his singing career in 1959 at Radio
Khorasan
Khorasan may refer to:
* Greater Khorasan, a historical region which lies mostly in modern-day northern/northwestern Afghanistan, northeastern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan
* Khorasan Province, a pre-2004 province of Ira ...
, rising to prominence in the 1960s with his distinct style of singing. Since then his career has included teaching at
Tehran University
The University of Tehran (Tehran University or UT, fa, دانشگاه تهران) is the most prominent university located in Tehran, Iran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as its research and teaching pro ...
's Department of Fine Arts, working at National Radio and television, researching Persian/Iranian music, and making numerous recordings.
Music bands
Shajarian was not always in music groups, but he did the vocals for the
Masters of Persian Music
Masters of Persian Music is a Persian classical music ensemble (or " supergroup") founded in 2000 by four internationally recognized '' ustāds'' (masters) of the genre: vocalist Mohammad-Reza Shajarian; composer-musicians Hossein Alizâdeh and ...
with his son
Homayoun Shajarian
Homayoun Shajarian ( fa, همايون شجريان, born May 21, 1975) is an Iranian singer. He is the son of Mohammad-Reza Shajarian.
Early life
Shajarian was born in Tehran and is the son of Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, a grand master vocalist ...
, as well as two other ''ostads'',
Kayhan Kalhor
Kayhan Kalhor ( fa, کیهان کلهر, ku, کەیھان کەڵھوڕ, translit=Keyhan Kelhur, born 24 November 1964) is an Iranian-Kurdish kamancheh and setar player and vocalist composer and master of classical Iranian traditional music.
Ea ...
and
Hossein Alizadeh
Hossein Alizadeh ( fa, حسین علیزاده) is an Iranian musician, composer, radif-preserver, researcher, teacher, and tar, shurangiz and setar instrumentalist and improviser. He has performed with such musicians as Shahram Nazeri, Mohammad ...
. He also performed with his daughter
Mojgan Shajarian
Mojgan Shajarian ( fa, مژگان شجریان, born 17 May 1970) is an Iranian-born painter, graphic designer, vocalist, and setar player. She is daughter of musician Mohammad-Reza Shajarian.
Early life and education
Mojgan Shajarian was born ...
.
In 2008, he toured the world with the Ava Ensemble, composed of his son Homayoun (
tombak
The ''tombak'' (Persian: تمبک), ''tonbak'' (تنبک), or ''zarb'' (ضَرب) is an Iranian goblet drum. It is considered the principal percussion instrument of Persian music. The tombak is normally positioned diagonally across the torso w ...
and vocals), Hossein Behroozinia (
barbat),
Majid Derakhshani (
tar
Tar is a dark brown or black viscous liquid of hydrocarbons and free carbon, obtained from a wide variety of organic materials through destructive distillation. Tar can be produced from coal, wood, petroleum, or peat. "a dark brown or black bit ...
), Hossain Rezaeenia (
daf
Daf ( fa, دف) also known as Dâyere and Riq is a Middle Eastern (mainly Iranian) frame drum musical instrument, used in popular and classical music in South and Central Asia. It is also used in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Iran, Uzbe ...
), and
Saeed Farajpouri
Saeed Farajpouri, was born on February 20, 1961 in Sanadaj, Iran. He is a composer, performer and an instructor of a classical Iranian instrument called Kamancheh or Spike Fiddle.
He started learning music at age 9 under Maestro Hassan Kamkar, a ...
(
kamanche
The kamancheh (also kamānche or kamāncha) ( fa, کمانچه, az, kamança, hy, Քամանչա, ku, کەمانچە ,kemançe) is an Iranian bowed string instrument used in Persian traditional music, Persian, Azerbaijani music, Azerbaijani ...
).
In 2012, he toured with the Shahnaz Ensemble with his daughter Mojgan and other band members. The ensemble is named after master tar musician
Jalil Shahnaz
Jalil Shahnaz (22 May 1921 – 17 June 2013; Persian: جلیل شهناز) was a Persian classical music musician and a virtuoso of the Persian musical instrument, tar.
Biography
Jalil Shahnaz was born in 1921 in Isfahan, Persia (Iran). Shahna ...
, with a percentage of the proceeds going towards supporting his health care needs.
Masters and students
Shajarian studied with Esmaeil Mehrtash,
Ahmad Ebadi
Ahmad Ebādi (1906 – 1993) (Persian: احمد عبادی) was an Iranian musician and setar player. Born in Tehran, he was a member of the most extraordinary family of Iranian music. Ahmad's father, Mirza Abdollah, is arguably the most influe ...
and Nour-Ali Boroumand. He learned the vocal styles of previous singers such as Hossein Taherzadeh, Reza Gholi Mirza Zelli,
Qamar-ol-Moluk Vaziri
Qamar-ol-Moluk Vaziri ( fa, قمرالملوک وزیرى ; 1905 – 5 August 1959), born Qamar Khanum Seyed Hosayn Khan ( fa, قمر خانم سید حسین خان), commonly known as "Qamar" ( fa, قمر ), was a celebrated Iranian singer, who w ...
, Eghbal Azar, and Taj Isfahani. He started playing the
santour
The santur (also ''santūr'', ''santour'', ''santoor'') ( fa, سنتور), is a hammered dulcimer of Iranian origins.--- Rashid, Subhi Anwar (1989). ''Al-ʼĀlāt al-musīqīyya al-muṣāhiba lil-Maqām al-ʻIrāqī''. Baghdad: Matbaʻat al-ʻU ...
under the instruction of Jalal Akhbari to understand better and perform the traditional repertoire. In 1971, he was introduced to
Faramarz Payvar
Master Farâmarz Pâyvar ( fa, فرامرز پایور, ; 10 February 1933 – 9 December 2009) was an Iranian composer and santur player. Payvar died on 9 December 2009 after a long struggle with brain damage. Although once perceived as marg ...
and took
santour
The santur (also ''santūr'', ''santour'', ''santoor'') ( fa, سنتور), is a hammered dulcimer of Iranian origins.--- Rashid, Subhi Anwar (1989). ''Al-ʼĀlāt al-musīqīyya al-muṣāhiba lil-Maqām al-ʻIrāqī''. Baghdad: Matbaʻat al-ʻU ...
lessons with him. Shajarian also learned
Abolhasan Saba Abu Al-Hasan ( ar, أبو الحسن, Abū Al-Ḥasan, Father of Hasan), also transliterated Abu'l Hasan, is an Arabic ''kunya'' ('teknonym'). It may refer to:
Notable people
Politics and military
* Ali ibn Abi Talib (600–661), the fourth ...
's vocal
Radif
Radif ( fa, ردیف, meaning ''order'') is a rule in Persian, Turkic, and Urdu poetry which states that, in the form of poetry known as a ghazal, the second line of all the couplets (''s'' or ''shers'') ''must'' end with the ''same'' word/s. Th ...
from Payvar. He also studied under the guidance of master Abdollah Davami, from whom he learned many early Persian songs. Davami also passed on to Shajarian his interpretation of the Radif.
![Farhangfar -lotfi-shajarian 1970s -1355 Shiraz art Festival](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Farhangfar_-lotfi-shajarian_1970s_-1355_Shiraz_art_Festival.jpg)
Shajarian taught many students in the field of singing, some of whom are:
*
Iraj Bastami
* Ali Jahandar
*
Shahram Nazeri
Shahram Nazeri ( ku, شارام نازری, translit=Şaram Nazirî, ; born 18 February 1950) is a contemporary Iranian tenor of Kurdish origin from Kermanshah, Iran, who sings Sufi music, classical and traditional Kurdish and Persian music. He ...
* Hesameddin Seraj
* Mozaffar Shafei
* Qasem Rafati
*
Mohammad Esfahani
Mohammad Mahdi Vaezi Esfahani ( fa, محمدمهدی واعظی اصفهانی ; born 5 July 1966), better known as Mohammad Esfahani, is an Iranian Persian pop and traditional singer.
He graduated from The Medical Sciences University of Ira ...
*
Homayoun Shajarian
Homayoun Shajarian ( fa, همايون شجريان, born May 21, 1975) is an Iranian singer. He is the son of Mohammad-Reza Shajarian.
Early life
Shajarian was born in Tehran and is the son of Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, a grand master vocalist ...
* Ali Rostamian
* Mohsen Keramati
*
Hamid Reza Noorbakhsh
* Sina Sarlak
* Mojtaba Asgari
Creating instruments
Shajarian is the creator of many instruments. The first exhibition of his instruments was held in May 2011, the second in September 2013 at the House of Artists by the Del Avaz Cultural and Artistic Institute.
Significant works
![ShajarianLondonConcert](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/ShajarianLondonConcert.JPG)
*Raast-Panjgaah concert with
Mohammad Reza Lotfi
Mohammad-Reza Lotfi ( fa, محمدرضا لطفی; 1 January 1947 – 2 May 2014) was an Iranian classical musician renowned for his mastery of the tar and setar. He collaborated with singers such as Mohammad-Rezā Shajarian, Hengameh Akhavan, ...
in Raast-panjgaah (1976).
*Chehre be Chehre with
Mohammad Reza Lotfi
Mohammad-Reza Lotfi ( fa, محمدرضا لطفی; 1 January 1947 – 2 May 2014) was an Iranian classical musician renowned for his mastery of the tar and setar. He collaborated with singers such as Mohammad-Rezā Shajarian, Hengameh Akhavan, ...
in Navaa (1977).
*Golbang-e Shajarian, Part 1 (Bot-e Chin) features: Ali Akbar Sheida (Ballads), Fereydoun Shahbazian](Composer),
Faramarz Payvar
Master Farâmarz Pâyvar ( fa, فرامرز پایور, ; 10 February 1933 – 9 December 2009) was an Iranian composer and santur player. Payvar died on 9 December 2009 after a long struggle with brain damage. Although once perceived as marg ...
(Santur),
Hushang Zarif, Houshang Zarif (Tar). Part 2 (Dowlat-e Eshq) features Hassan Yousefzamani (Composer),
Ahmad Ebadi
Ahmad Ebādi (1906 – 1993) (Persian: احمد عبادی) was an Iranian musician and setar player. Born in Tehran, he was a member of the most extraordinary family of Iranian music. Ahmad's father, Mirza Abdollah, is arguably the most influe ...
(Setar),
AliAsghar Bahari (Kamancheh). Poetry by
Hafez
Khwāje Shams-od-Dīn Moḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī ( fa, خواجه شمسالدین محمّد حافظ شیرازی), known by his pen name Hafez (, ''Ḥāfeẓ'', 'the memorizer; the (safe) keeper'; 1325–1390) and as "Hafiz", ...
,
Saadi and
Baba Taher
Baba Tahir or Baba Taher Oryan Hamadani ( fa, باباطاهر عریان همدانی) was an 11th-century Persian dervish poet from Hamadan, Iran who lived during the reign of Tugril of the Seljuk dynasty over Iran. This is almost all that is k ...
(1977).
*Eshgh Daanad with
Mohammad Reza Lotfi
Mohammad-Reza Lotfi ( fa, محمدرضا لطفی; 1 January 1947 – 2 May 2014) was an Iranian classical musician renowned for his mastery of the tar and setar. He collaborated with singers such as Mohammad-Rezā Shajarian, Hengameh Akhavan, ...
in Aboo Ataa (1981).
*Aastaan e Jaanaan with
Parviz Meshkatian
Parviz Meshkatian (Persian: پرويز مشكاتيان; May 15, 1955 – September 21, 2009) was an Iranian musician, composer, researcher and university lecturer.
Biography
Born in Nishapur, Meshkatian entered the Tehran Academy of Art ...
and Naaser Farhangfar in Bayaat e Zand (Turk) & Sur (1982).
*Peyvande Mehr (album) with
Farhang Sharif
Farhang Sharif ( fa, فرهنگ شریف; – 7 September 2016) was an Iranian musician and renowned tar player.[HAMS ...](_blank)
(1984).
*Bidaad with
Parviz Meshkatian
Parviz Meshkatian (Persian: پرويز مشكاتيان; May 15, 1955 – September 21, 2009) was an Iranian musician, composer, researcher and university lecturer.
Biography
Born in Nishapur, Meshkatian entered the Tehran Academy of Art ...
and the
Aref Ensemble
The Aref Ensemble (in Persian: گروه عارف) was a Persian classical music ensemble. It was founded by maestro Parviz Meshkatian, Hossein Alizadeh, and Mohammad Reza Lotfi in 1977. The group was named after Aref Ghazvini, early 20th century ...
in Homaayoun (1985).
*Be yaad e Aaref with
Mohammad Reza Lotfi
Mohammad-Reza Lotfi ( fa, محمدرضا لطفی; 1 January 1947 – 2 May 2014) was an Iranian classical musician renowned for his mastery of the tar and setar. He collaborated with singers such as Mohammad-Rezā Shajarian, Hengameh Akhavan, ...
in Bayaat e Turk (1986).
*Nava – Morakkab Khaani with
Parviz Meshkatian
Parviz Meshkatian (Persian: پرويز مشكاتيان; May 15, 1955 – September 21, 2009) was an Iranian musician, composer, researcher and university lecturer.
Biography
Born in Nishapur, Meshkatian entered the Tehran Academy of Art ...
and the
Aref Ensemble
The Aref Ensemble (in Persian: گروه عارف) was a Persian classical music ensemble. It was founded by maestro Parviz Meshkatian, Hossein Alizadeh, and Mohammad Reza Lotfi in 1977. The group was named after Aref Ghazvini, early 20th century ...
in Navaa, Se-gaah and
Dashti (1986).
*Doud-e-Oud with
Parviz Meshkatian
Parviz Meshkatian (Persian: پرويز مشكاتيان; May 15, 1955 – September 21, 2009) was an Iranian musician, composer, researcher and university lecturer.
Biography
Born in Nishapur, Meshkatian entered the Tehran Academy of Art ...
and the
Tehran Symphony Orchestra
The Tehran Symphony Orchestra (TSO, fa, ارکستر سمفونیک تهران), founded in 1933, is Iran's oldest and largest symphony orchestra. It was founded as the ''Municipality Symphony Orchestra'' by Gholamhossein Minbashian, before enteri ...
in Navaa (1987).
*Dastan with
Parviz Meshkatian
Parviz Meshkatian (Persian: پرويز مشكاتيان; May 15, 1955 – September 21, 2009) was an Iranian musician, composer, researcher and university lecturer.
Biography
Born in Nishapur, Meshkatian entered the Tehran Academy of Art ...
and the
Aref Ensemble
The Aref Ensemble (in Persian: گروه عارف) was a Persian classical music ensemble. It was founded by maestro Parviz Meshkatian, Hossein Alizadeh, and Mohammad Reza Lotfi in 1977. The group was named after Aref Ghazvini, early 20th century ...
in Chahaar-Gah (1987).
*Dastgah Chahargah (live version of Dastan) concert with
Parviz Meshkatian
Parviz Meshkatian (Persian: پرويز مشكاتيان; May 15, 1955 – September 21, 2009) was an Iranian musician, composer, researcher and university lecturer.
Biography
Born in Nishapur, Meshkatian entered the Tehran Academy of Art ...
and the
Aref Ensemble
The Aref Ensemble (in Persian: گروه عارف) was a Persian classical music ensemble. It was founded by maestro Parviz Meshkatian, Hossein Alizadeh, and Mohammad Reza Lotfi in 1977. The group was named after Aref Ghazvini, early 20th century ...
recorded live in Bonn (1987).
*Ghaasedak with
Parviz Meshkatian
Parviz Meshkatian (Persian: پرويز مشكاتيان; May 15, 1955 – September 21, 2009) was an Iranian musician, composer, researcher and university lecturer.
Biography
Born in Nishapur, Meshkatian entered the Tehran Academy of Art ...
and
Homayoun Shajarian
Homayoun Shajarian ( fa, همايون شجريان, born May 21, 1975) is an Iranian singer. He is the son of Mohammad-Reza Shajarian.
Early life
Shajarian was born in Tehran and is the son of Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, a grand master vocalist ...
(1994).
*Dar Khiaal with
Majid Derakhshani in Segaah & Bayaat e Zand (Turk) (1995).
*Zemestaan Ast with
Hossein Alizadeh
Hossein Alizadeh ( fa, حسین علیزاده) is an Iranian musician, composer, radif-preserver, researcher, teacher, and tar, shurangiz and setar instrumentalist and improviser. He has performed with such musicians as Shahram Nazeri, Mohammad ...
and
Keyhan Kalhor in Maahoor and Homaayoun (1999).
*
Night, Silence, Desert (Persian: ''Shab, Sokoot, Kavir'') with
Keyhan Kalhor based on the folk music of
Khorasan
Khorasan may refer to:
* Greater Khorasan, a historical region which lies mostly in modern-day northern/northwestern Afghanistan, northeastern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan
* Khorasan Province, a pre-2004 province of Ira ...
.
Traditional Crossroads (2000).
*Bi To Be Sar Nemishavad with the
Masters of Persian Music
Masters of Persian Music is a Persian classical music ensemble (or " supergroup") founded in 2000 by four internationally recognized '' ustāds'' (masters) of the genre: vocalist Mohammad-Reza Shajarian; composer-musicians Hossein Alizâdeh and ...
Ensemble in Navaa and Bayaat e Kord (2002).
*Faryaad with the
Masters of Persian Music
Masters of Persian Music is a Persian classical music ensemble (or " supergroup") founded in 2000 by four internationally recognized '' ustāds'' (masters) of the genre: vocalist Mohammad-Reza Shajarian; composer-musicians Hossein Alizâdeh and ...
Ensemble in Raast-panjgaah (2003).
*Devoid Grail with Fereydoun Shahbazian in Mahour and
Dashti (2004).
*Serr-e-Eshgh with
Parviz Meshkatian
Parviz Meshkatian (Persian: پرويز مشكاتيان; May 15, 1955 – September 21, 2009) was an Iranian musician, composer, researcher and university lecturer.
Biography
Born in Nishapur, Meshkatian entered the Tehran Academy of Art ...
and Mohammad Mousavi in Maahoor.
*Sepideh Album with
Mohammad Reza Lotfi
Mohammad-Reza Lotfi ( fa, محمدرضا لطفی; 1 January 1947 – 2 May 2014) was an Iranian classical musician renowned for his mastery of the tar and setar. He collaborated with singers such as Mohammad-Rezā Shajarian, Hengameh Akhavan, ...
and Sheyda Ensemble in Maahoor.
*Cheshmeye Noush with
Mohammad Reza Lotfi
Mohammad-Reza Lotfi ( fa, محمدرضا لطفی; 1 January 1947 – 2 May 2014) was an Iranian classical musician renowned for his mastery of the tar and setar. He collaborated with singers such as Mohammad-Rezā Shajarian, Hengameh Akhavan, ...
and Majid Khaladj in Raast-panjgaah.
Politics
![Mohamdreza Shajarian](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Mohamdreza_Shajarian.jpg)
Shajarian's Bidaad album was recorded after a three-year hiatus from a commercial recording. The album's lyrics speak of a wonderful place having been reduced to shambles and bloodshed, in which he sings in sadness, "what happened?". When giving a lecture at California State University, Sacramento on 2 March 2012, he was asked what the lyrics of this song meant. His response made it clear that he chose these lyrics based on what happened to the Iranian regime after the revolution – a once beautiful country being reduced to shambles. This is widely considered his first commercial recording meant to represent the voice of an oppressed people in Iran.
Shajarian has indicated support for Iranians
protesting
A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one.
Protests can be thought of as acts of coopera ...
against the 12 June 2009
Iranian presidential election results. When Iran's president,
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ( fa, محمود احمدینژاد, Mahmūd Ahmadīnežād ), born Mahmoud Sabbaghian ( fa, محمود صباغیان, Mahmoud Sabbāghyān, 28 October 1956), referred to
the protesters as "dust and trash", Shajarian told a
BBC Persian
BBC Persian ( fa, بیبیسی فارسی) is the Persian language broadcast station and subsidiary of BBC World Service which conveys the latest political, social, economical and sport news relevant to Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, and ...
channel telephone interviewer that he (Shajarian) considered himself the voice of dust and trash: "It is the voice of dust and trash, and it will always remain the voice of dust and trash." He also asked IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) to stop broadcasting his songs. He mentioned that his famous song "Iran, Ey Saraye Omid" (Iran, the land of Hope), has no relation with the current situation of his country.
After Shajarian criticized the government public and sided with the Green Movement protesters, the state broadcaster
IRIB
The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB; fa, صدا و سيمای جمهوری اسلامی ايران, ''Sedā va Sīmā-ye Jomhūri-ye Eslāmi-ye Īrān'', , formerly called National Iranian Radio and Television until the Iranian rev ...
banned his work of art, which used to be a fixture of public broadcasting until then. Even against Shajarian's will, the state TV and radio stations stopped airing ''Rabbana'', a prayer sung during the Muslim fasting month of
Ramadan
, type = islam
, longtype = Religious
, image = Ramadan montage.jpg
, caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...
heralding the moment of fast-breaking. The recital had been broadcast regularly every Ramadan since the 1979 revolution but swept from public view after the legendary singer fell out of favor with the establishment. A Shajarian fan in Tehran told
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
Ramadan without Rabbana was like
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
without Christmas carol.
In an interview in 2016, Shajarian stated that "my criticism was a mistake of one person, I am not against the republic system. Our music has always been attacked or criticized by a class of religious people. Of course, some of the deviant music can be like this. But the nature of music is not deviant. I myself am fundamentally opposed to deviant music. We accept the clergy and religion".
Lyrics of his song "Language of Fire," issued in September 2009, — "Lay down your gun, Come, sit down, talk, hear. Perhaps the light of humanity will get through to your heart too" —
are thought by some observers to speak "directly to the plainclothes
Basij
The Basij ( fa, بسيج, lit. "The Mobilization"), Niru-ye Moghāvemat-e Basij ( fa, نیروی مقاومت بسیج, "Resistance Mobilization Force"), full name Sâzmân-e Basij-e Mostaz'afin ( fa, سازمان بسیج مستضعفین, "The ...
i militiamen and security forces" who had beaten protesters during recent unrest.
In an interview with
Hamid Reza Nourbakhsh in 2016, Shajarian said that he was not against the
Islamic Republic
The term Islamic republic has been used in different ways. Some Muslim religious leaders have used it as the name for a theoretical form of Islamic theocratic government enforcing sharia, or laws compatible with sharia. The term has also been u ...
and that his protest was only against one person (
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ( fa, محمود احمدینژاد, Mahmūd Ahmadīnežād ), born Mahmoud Sabbaghian ( fa, محمود صباغیان, Mahmoud Sabbāghyān, 28 October 1956), ). "We say you have no right to insult the people. This is not a fall with the whole system."
Shajarian continues: "Several years ago, we had a concert in
Stockholm
Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
with the Aref group, led by the living memory of
Parviz Meshkatian
Parviz Meshkatian (Persian: پرويز مشكاتيان; May 15, 1955 – September 21, 2009) was an Iranian musician, composer, researcher and university lecturer.
Biography
Born in Nishapur, Meshkatian entered the Tehran Academy of Art ...
. As soon as we were present on the group stage, they started chanting. They chanted against the
Islamic Republic
The term Islamic republic has been used in different ways. Some Muslim religious leaders have used it as the name for a theoretical form of Islamic theocratic government enforcing sharia, or laws compatible with sharia. The term has also been u ...
. The children in the group were all upset. When they chanted, we just sat and listened, and they chanted. They saw that we were not doing anything. Some ordinary people who came also shook hands with us to start our work. I also told Parviz to perform the last ballad and then go. We had two parts of the program, in each of which there were five ballads, and we only performed the last ballad, and we got up and went out, and the children brought their instruments. I told the person announcing the program to say behind the microphone. In honor of those who bought tickets and came from far and near, we performed this ballad. And get your money back and go. Later it turned out that the organizer was one of them, so I came backstage and told him as much as I could.
Later life, death and legacy
![خاکسپاری محمدرضا شجریان](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/%D8%AE%D8%A7%DA%A9%D8%B3%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C_%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A7_%D8%B4%D8%AC%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86.jpg)
While in exile, Shajarian privately sat for a series of rare interviews that form the basis of a feature-length documentary entitled ''The Voice of Dust and Ash''. A leaked clip of the documentary where Shajarian can be heard saying, "I am Mohammad Reza Shajarian, son of Iran. My voice is part of Iran's ancient culture, to remind the people of the world that we have had a culture of love, peace and friendship." went viral on social media twice. Once in 2016 and again upon his death in 2020. Shot in California and Iran, the interviews occurred shortly before he announced his cancer diagnosis and the rapid deterioration of his health. They now constitute his last public testament.
In March 2016, Shajarian revealed that he had had
kidney cancer
Kidney cancer, also known as renal cancer, is a group of cancers that starts in the kidney. Symptoms may include blood in the urine, lump in the abdomen, or back pain. Fever, weight loss, and tiredness may also occur. Complications can include spr ...
for the past fifteen years. He appeared with shaved hair in his
Nowrouz
Nowruz ( fa, نوروز, ; ), zh, 诺鲁孜节, ug, نەۋروز, ka, ნოვრუზ, ku, Newroz, he, נורוז, kk, Наурыз, ky, Нооруз, mn, Наурыз, ur, نوروز, tg, Наврӯз, tr, Nevruz, tk, Nowruz, ...
congratulation video, published on his YouTube account.
Bahram Beyzai
Bahrām Beyzāêi (also spelt Beizāi, Beyzāêi, fa, بهرام بیضائی; born 26 December 1938) is an Iranian playwright, theatre director, screenwriter, film editor, and '' ostād'' ("master") of Persian letters, arts and Iranian studie ...
composed a poem after announcement of Shajarian's illness and described it as a sad day in happy days of Nowruz.
Shajarian transferred to hospital on 27 January 2020 and had a successful surgery. He was released from hospital on 25 August but was hospitalized again on 5 October.
Shajarian died on 8 October 2020 at the age of 80 at intensive care unit of
Jam Hospital in Tehran. The cause of his death was not immediately made public.
A private religious ceremony was held following day at
Behesht-e Zahra
Behesht-e Zahra ( fa, بهشت زهرا, lit. ''The Paradise of Zahra'', from Fatima az-Zahra) is the largest cemetery in Iran. Located in the southern part of metropolitan Tehran, it is connected to the city by Tehran Metro Line 1.
History
In ...
in Tehran, before his body being transferred to
Mashhad
Mashhad ( fa, مشهد, Mašhad ), also spelled Mashad, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. It serves as the capital of R ...
. He was buried at the
Tomb of Ferdowsi
The Tomb of Ferdowsi ( fa, آرامگاه فردوسی, ''Ârâmgâh-e Ferdowsi'') is a tomb complex composed of a white marble base, and a decorative edifice erected in honor of the Persian poet Ferdowsi located in Tus, Iran, in Razavi Khorasan ...
in
Tus
Tus or TUS may refer to:
* Tus (biology), a protein that binds to terminator sequences
* Thales Underwater Systems, an international defence contractor
* Tuscarora language, an Iroquoian language, ISO 639-3 code
Education
* Technological Univ ...
, Mashhad, on 10 October.
Personal life
In 1962, Shajarian married teacher Farkhondeh Golafshan when he was 21 years old. They had one son
Homayoun
Homâyun ( fa, همايون), also romanized as Homaayoon or Homāyūn is a Persian male given name, it also appears as a surname.
Given name
*Humayun, Mughal Emperor
*Homayoun Behzadi (1942–2016), Iranian footballer
* Homayoun Ershadi (born ...
and three daughters, Farzaneh (a.k.a. Raheleh),
Mojgan and Afsaneh. Afsaneh married
Parviz Meshkatian
Parviz Meshkatian (Persian: پرويز مشكاتيان; May 15, 1955 – September 21, 2009) was an Iranian musician, composer, researcher and university lecturer.
Biography
Born in Nishapur, Meshkatian entered the Tehran Academy of Art ...
. Shajarian and Golafshan divorced in 1993.
His second marriage was to Katayoun Khansari, sister of his son's wife, in 1995. The couple had one son, Ryan who was born in 1997 in
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
, Canada.
Awards and distinctions
*
NIRT Golden Cup (1977)
*
Golden Picasso Medal (1999)
*Nominated for
Grammy
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
award in Best World Music (2004, 2006)
*Nushin Medal (2008)
*The
UNESCO Mozart Medal The UNESCO Mozart Medal is an award named after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and administered by UNESCO.
Recipients
* Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, 1991
* Alicia Terzian, 1995
* Elfi von Dassanowsky, 1996
* Igor Moiseyev, 2001, for "outstanding contribution ...
(2006)
*One of
NPR
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
's
50 great voices. (2010)
*French National Order of the Legion of Honour (2014)
*
National Order of Merit (2014)
*
Aga Khan Trust for Culture
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a family of institutions created by Aga Khan IV with distinct but complementary mandates to improve the welfare and prospects of people in the developin ...
(2019)
جایزه ویژه بنیاد آقاخان به محمدرضا شجریان تقدیم شد
/ref>
Discography
Released music albums
Some of the following albums are joint works between Mohammad-Reza Shajarian and Shahram Nazeri
Shahram Nazeri ( ku, شارام نازری, translit=Şaram Nazirî, ; born 18 February 1950) is a contemporary Iranian tenor of Kurdish origin from Kermanshah, Iran, who sings Sufi music, classical and traditional Kurdish and Persian music. He ...
or Homayoun Shajarian. Among these works are composers such as Mohammad-Reza Lotfi
Mohammad-Reza Lotfi ( fa, محمدرضا لطفی; 1 January 1947 – 2 May 2014) was an Iranian classical musician renowned for his mastery of the tar and setar. He collaborated with singers such as Mohammad-Rezā Shajarian, Hengameh Akhavan, ...
, Parviz Meshkatian
Parviz Meshkatian (Persian: پرويز مشكاتيان; May 15, 1955 – September 21, 2009) was an Iranian musician, composer, researcher and university lecturer.
Biography
Born in Nishapur, Meshkatian entered the Tehran Academy of Art ...
, Hossein Alizadeh
Hossein Alizadeh ( fa, حسین علیزاده) is an Iranian musician, composer, radif-preserver, researcher, teacher, and tar, shurangiz and setar instrumentalist and improviser. He has performed with such musicians as Shahram Nazeri, Mohammad ...
and Faramarz Payvar
Master Farâmarz Pâyvar ( fa, فرامرز پایور, ; 10 February 1933 – 9 December 2009) was an Iranian composer and santur player. Payvar died on 9 December 2009 after a long struggle with brain damage. Although once perceived as marg ...
.
* ''Robaeiat-e Khayyam'' (1972)
* ''Chavosh 1 (Be Yad-e Aref)'' (1977)
* ''Golbang-e Shajarian'' (1978)
* ''Chavosh 2'' (1978)
* ''Sepideh (Chavosh 6)'' (1979)
* ''Chavosh 7'' (1979)
* ''Jan Jan (Chavosh 9)'' (1979)
* ''Raz-e Del'' (1979)
* ''Entezar-e Del'' (1979)
* ''Peyvand-e Mehr'' (1984)
* ''Astan-e Janan'' (1985)
* ''Bidad'' (1985)
* ''Serr-e Eshgh (Mahoor)'' (1986)
* ''Nava, Morakabkhani'' (1986)
* ''Dastan'' (1988)
* ''Saz-e Ghese Goo'' (1988)
* ''Dood-e Ood'' (1989)
* ''Del-e Majnoon'' (1990–1991)
* ''Khalvatgozideh'' (1991)
* ''Payam-e Nasim'' (1991)
* ''Sarv Chaman'' (1991)
* ''Asman-e Eshgh'' (1991)
* ''Delshodegan'' (1992)
* ''Yad-e Ayyam'' (1992)
* ''Cheshmeye Noosh'' (1993)
* ''Bahariyeh'' (1994)
* ''Gonbad-e Mina'' (1994)
* ''Jan-e Oshagh'' (1995)
* ''Peygham-e Ahl-e Del'' (1995)
* ''Dar Khial'' (1996)
* ''Rosvaye Del'' (1996)
* ''Eshgh Danad'' (1997)
* ''Shab-e Vasl'' (1997)
* ''Moamaye Hasti'' (1997)
* ''Chehreh Be Chehreh'' (1998)
* ''Shab, Sokout, Kavir'' (1998)
* ''Aram-e Jan'' (1998)
* ''Ahang-e Vafa'' (1999)
* ''Booye Baran'' (1999)
* ''Zemestan Ast'' (2001)
* ''Bi To Besar Nemishavad'' (2002)
* ''Faryad'' (2002)
* ''Hamnava Ba Bam'' (2003)
* ''Jam-e Tohi'' (2004)
* ''Saz-e Khamoosh'' (2007)
* ''Sorood-e Mehr'' (2007)
* ''Ghoghaye Eshghbazan'' (2007)
* ''Konsert-e Mohammad-Reza Shajarian Va Gorooh-e Ava'' (2008)
* ''Konsert-e Mohammad-Reza Shajarian Va Gorooh-e Shahnaz (Randan-e Mast Va Morgh-e Khoshkhan)'' (2008)
* ''Ah Baran'' (2009)
* ''Zaban-e Atash'' (2009)
* ''Randan-e Mast'' (2009)
* ''Konsert-e Mohammad-Reza Shajarian Va Gorooh-e Shahnaz Dar Dubai'' (2010)
* ''Morgh-e Khoshkhan'' (2011)
* ''Ranghaye Taali'' (2013)
* ''Tarigh-e Eshgh'' (2016)
* ''Khorasaniat'' (2019)
* ''Deylaman'' (Unknown date)
Film title singer
* ''Love-stricken
Love-stricken (in Persian:''دلشدگان'';) is a 1992 Iranian historical drama film directed by Ali Hatami. The movie is mainly about some Iranian classical musicians in Ghajar era and their struggle to release their first Record which tak ...
'' (1991)
* ''Abjad'' (2002)
*
''It is Winter'' (2005)
See also
*National Iranian Symphony Orchestra
Iran's National Orchestra ( fa, ارکستر ملی ایران) is a orchestra, national orchestra of Iran, which was founded in 1998 under the conduction of Farhad Fakhreddini.
The orchestra had been formed by Persian people, Persian traditional ...
*Music of Iran
The music of Iran encompasses music that is produced by Iranian artists. In addition to the traditional folk and classical genres, it also includes pop and internationally celebrated styles such as jazz, rock, and hip hop.
Iranian music infl ...
*List of Iranian musicians
This is a list of Iranian (Persian) musicians and musical groups.
Classical
Persian classical/traditional
*Moein
* Homayoun Shajarian
* Mohammad-Reza Shajarian
* Hossein Khajeh Amiri (Iraj)
* Shahram Nazeri
* Iraj Bastami
* Anoushiravan ...
References
Additional sources
*Laudan Nooshin, in ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', edited by Stanley Sadie, second edition (Macmillan, London, 2001). . (Oxford University Press, 2001). .
External links
Official website
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shajarian, Mohammad-Reza
1940 births
2020 deaths
Music educators
People from Mashhad
Iranian male singers
Iranian folk singers
Male singers on Golha
Iranian santur players
Persian-language singers
Iranian classical singers
Deaths from kidney cancer
Deaths from cancer in Iran
Singers awarded knighthoods
Persian classical musicians
University of Tehran faculty
20th-century Iranian male singers
21st-century Iranian male singers
Recipients of the Legion of Honour