Mohammad Reza Lotfi
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Mohammad-Reza Lotfi ( fa, محمدرضا لطفی; 1 January 1947 – 2 May 2014) was an Iranian classical musician renowned for his mastery of the
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 ...
and
setar A setar ( fa, سه‌تار, ) is a stringed instrument, a type of lute used in Persian traditional music, played solo or accompanying voice. It is a member of the tanbur family of long-necked lutes with a range of more than two and a half octa ...
. He collaborated with singers such as Mohammad-Rezā Shajarian, Hengameh Akhavan, Shahram Nazeri and Alireza Shahmohammadi.


Life and career

Encouraged by his older brother, he learned to play the
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 ...
and showed his talent by winning the first prize in Iran's Young Musicians Festival in 1964. The following year, he started his studies at the Persian National Music Conservatory in Tehran under Habibollah Salehi and Master
Ali Akbar Shahnazi Ali-Akbar Shahnazi () (12 May 1897 – 17 March 1985) was an Iranian musician and master of the tar. Biography Ostad Ali Akbar Shahnazi was born in Tehran, Iran in 1897. His father, Mirza Hossein Gholi, another master of tar, named him Ali ...
. He was a tar player for the Fine Arts Administration Orchestra (
Saba Saba may refer to: Places * Saba (island), an island of the Netherlands located in the Caribbean Sea * Şaba (Romanian for Shabo), a town of the Odesa Oblast, Ukraine * Sabá, a municipality in the department of Colón, Honduras * Saba (river), ...
Orchestra) under the direction of Hossein Dehlavi. Some of his other eminent teachers were
Abdollah Davami Abdollah may refer to: People * Abdollah Jassbi, Iranian academic * Abdollah Mojtabavi, Iranian sport wrestler * Abdollah Hedayat, Iranian army general * Abdollah Movahed, Iranian sport wrestler * Abdollah Nouri, Iranian reformist politician * Abd ...
, from whom he learned 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 ...
, and Master Sa'id Hormozi, who taught him the
setar A setar ( fa, سه‌تار, ) is a stringed instrument, a type of lute used in Persian traditional music, played solo or accompanying voice. It is a member of the tanbur family of long-necked lutes with a range of more than two and a half octa ...
. While attending the College of Fine Arts at Tehran University, Lotfi became the student of Master Nour-Ali Boroumand. He also worked at the Center for the Preservation and Propagation of Traditional Persian Music, both as a soloist and a conductor. His other accomplishments were teaching at the Center for Intellectual Development of Children and Adolescents, researching folk music for National Radio and Television, and appearing at the
Shiraz Arts Festival The Shiraz Festival of Arts (Persian language, Persian: جشنواره هنر شیراز) was an annual international summer arts festival, held in Iran bringing about the encounter between the East and the West. It was held from 1967 to 1977 in t ...
. After graduating in 1973, Lotfi joined the faculty of Fine Arts at Tehran University. He continued his collaboration with Radio and Television and co-founded the
Shayda Ensemble Harji Lavji Damani, better known by his pen name Shayda (24 October 1892 – 31 May 1962) was a Gujarati language poet, novelist, short-story writer and playwright from Gujarat, India. He is known as ''Ghazal Samrat'', the king of ghazal poetry, ...
. Between 1978 and 1980, Lotfi became the Head of the School of Music at Tehran University. He served as the director of the Center for the Preservation and Propagation of Traditional Persian Music and the "Chavosh" Center. In 1984 Lotfi was invited by ''Fondazione Cini'' to participate in a seminar and perform concerts in Italy where he resided for two years. He lived in the United States from 1986 until his death and performed widely throughout Asia, Europe, and North America. A prolific musician, he made numerous recordings both as a solo artist and with celebrated Iranian musicians such as,
Mohammad Reza Shajarian Mohammad-Reza Shajarian ( fa, محمدرضا شجريان; , 23 September 1940 – 8 October 2020) was an Iranian singer and master (''Ostad'') of Persian traditional music. He was also known for his skills in Persian calligraphy and humanitari ...
,
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. H ...
,
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
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 Ar ...
. Lotfi is one of the greatest contemporary masters of the tar and setar. He is among the major figures who, in the past twenty years, have revolutionized the Persian traditional (classical) music. His innovative approach of combining the classical with folk elements, both in terms of music and technique, has injected a new vitality into a very old tradition. His original creativity and the deep-rooted emotional quality of his playing have made him the father of a new aesthetics in Persian music.


Selected vocal works

Mohammad Reza Lotfi, has many works with
Mohammad Reza Shajarian Mohammad-Reza Shajarian ( fa, محمدرضا شجريان; , 23 September 1940 – 8 October 2020) was an Iranian singer and master (''Ostad'') of Persian traditional music. He was also known for his skills in Persian calligraphy and humanitari ...
performed in radio or in common concerts. He also has many self-vocal works. This is important that Lotfi and Shajarian, performed in the Rast-Panjgah mode in a live concert (1976), at which point no one had performed in this mode for at least 20 years. * Raast-Panjgaah concert with
Mohammad Reza Shajarian Mohammad-Reza Shajarian ( fa, محمدرضا شجريان; , 23 September 1940 – 8 October 2020) was an Iranian singer and master (''Ostad'') of Persian traditional music. He was also known for his skills in Persian calligraphy and humanitari ...
and
Naser Farhangfar Naser may refer to: Places * Naser (river), better known as Nežárka, a river in South Bohemia, Czech Republic * Naser, Khuzestan, a village in Khuzestan Province, Iran * Naser, South Khorasan, a village in South Khorasan Province, Iran Other * ...
in
Rast Panjgah Rast or RAST may refer to: People * Brian Rast (born 1981), American poker player * Cam Rast (born 1970), American soccer player * Camille Rast (born 1999), Swiss alpine skier * Diana Rast (born 1970), Swiss racing cyclist * Grégory Rast (born ...
(1976). * In Remember of Aref with
Mohammad Reza Shajarian Mohammad-Reza Shajarian ( fa, محمدرضا شجريان; , 23 September 1940 – 8 October 2020) was an Iranian singer and master (''Ostad'') of Persian traditional music. He was also known for his skills in Persian calligraphy and humanitari ...
and the
Shayda Ensemble Harji Lavji Damani, better known by his pen name Shayda (24 October 1892 – 31 May 1962) was a Gujarati language poet, novelist, short-story writer and playwright from Gujarat, India. He is known as ''Ghazal Samrat'', the king of ghazal poetry, ...
in
Bayat Turk Bayat may refer to: Places Azerbaijan * Boyat, Aghjabadi * Boyat, Neftchala * Boyat, Shamakhi * Boyat, Ujar Indonesia * Bayat, Indonesia, a subdistrict in Klaten Regency, Central Java Iran * Bayat, East Azerbaijan * Bayat-e Sofla, East A ...
(1986). * Sepideh Album with
Mohammad Reza Shajarian Mohammad-Reza Shajarian ( fa, محمدرضا شجريان; , 23 September 1940 – 8 October 2020) was an Iranian singer and master (''Ostad'') of Persian traditional music. He was also known for his skills in Persian calligraphy and humanitari ...
and the Sheyda Ensemble in Mahoor * Love Knows with
Mohammad Reza Shajarian Mohammad-Reza Shajarian ( fa, محمدرضا شجريان; , 23 September 1940 – 8 October 2020) was an Iranian singer and master (''Ostad'') of Persian traditional music. He was also known for his skills in Persian calligraphy and humanitari ...
in Aboutata (1981). * Cheshmeye Noush with
Mohammad Reza Shajarian Mohammad-Reza Shajarian ( fa, محمدرضا شجريان; , 23 September 1940 – 8 October 2020) was an Iranian singer and master (''Ostad'') of Persian traditional music. He was also known for his skills in Persian calligraphy and humanitari ...
and Mjid Khaladj in
Rast Panjgah Rast or RAST may refer to: People * Brian Rast (born 1981), American poker player * Cam Rast (born 1970), American soccer player * Camille Rast (born 1999), Swiss alpine skier * Diana Rast (born 1970), Swiss racing cyclist * Grégory Rast (born ...
(1994). * Chehre be Chehre with
Mohammad Reza Shajarian Mohammad-Reza Shajarian ( fa, محمدرضا شجريان; , 23 September 1940 – 8 October 2020) was an Iranian singer and master (''Ostad'') of Persian traditional music. He was also known for his skills in Persian calligraphy and humanitari ...
in Nava (1978). * Karevan-e Shahid with
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. H ...
and
Shayda Ensemble Harji Lavji Damani, better known by his pen name Shayda (24 October 1892 – 31 May 1962) was a Gujarati language poet, novelist, short-story writer and playwright from Gujarat, India. He is known as ''Ghazal Samrat'', the king of ghazal poetry, ...
in Dashti * ‘’’Mahour Concert and album with Alireza Shahmohammadi * Vatanam Iran (
Mohammad Motamedi Seyyed Mohammad Motamedi Qamsari, known as Mohammad Motamedi ( fa, محمد معتمدی; born on September 24, 1978) is an Iranian traditional vocalist, and a ney player. He has started learning singing & also playing ney as self-taught sinc ...
& Hamnavazan-e Sheida (Sheyda Ensembl) – 2008 * ’’’ Radif Mirza Abdollah ( Alireza Shahmohammadi * Yadvareye Aref-e Ghazvini (
Mohammad Motamedi Seyyed Mohammad Motamedi Qamsari, known as Mohammad Motamedi ( fa, محمد معتمدی; born on September 24, 1978) is an Iranian traditional vocalist, and a ney player. He has started learning singing & also playing ney as self-taught sinc ...
& Hamnavazan-e Sheida (Sheyda Ensembl) – 2009) * Ey Asheghan (
Mohammad Motamedi Seyyed Mohammad Motamedi Qamsari, known as Mohammad Motamedi ( fa, محمد معتمدی; born on September 24, 1978) is an Iranian traditional vocalist, and a ney player. He has started learning singing & also playing ney as self-taught sinc ...
& Banovan-e Sheida (Sheida Women) – 2009) * Video album of Karavan-e-shahid’’’ ( Alireza Shahmohammadi - 2009) * Video album of Dashti Concert – Vatanam Iran (
Mohammad Motamedi Seyyed Mohammad Motamedi Qamsari, known as Mohammad Motamedi ( fa, محمد معتمدی; born on September 24, 1978) is an Iranian traditional vocalist, and a ney player. He has started learning singing & also playing ney as self-taught sinc ...
& Sheida Threefold Groups – 2008) * Video album of Chavosh Concert 8-( Alireza Shahmohammadi Iran Ey Saraye Omid (
Mohammad Motamedi Seyyed Mohammad Motamedi Qamsari, known as Mohammad Motamedi ( fa, محمد معتمدی; born on September 24, 1978) is an Iranian traditional vocalist, and a ney player. He has started learning singing & also playing ney as self-taught sinc ...
& Hamnavazan-e Sheida (Sheyda


Death

Mohammad Reza Lotfi died on 2 May 2014 (age of 67) suffering from Prostate cancer. According to
Hamid Dabashi Hamid Dabashi ( fa, حمید دباشی; born 1951) is an Iranian-American professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York City. He is the author of over twenty books. Among them are ''Theology of Disc ...
, Lotfi's death marked "a crucial turning point in the history of classical Persian music and its spectacular rise and fall as a performing public art."


See also

*
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

* Miller, Lloyd. "Music and Song in Persia". Curzon Press, London, 1999. * Akbarzadeh, Pejman. "Persian Musicians" (vol.3). Roshanak Publications/ Iran Heritage Society, Tehran / Los Angeles, 2008. * Laudan Nooshin, in ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', edited by Stanley Sadie, second edition (Macmillan, London, 2001). . (Oxford University Press, 2001). .
Dabashi, Hamid. "Persian classical music mourns a master: The death of virtuoso Mohammad Reza Lotfi marks the end of an era". Aljazeera, 20 May 2014


External links

* ''The Art of Improvisation in Persian Music'', in Persian, Institute of Culture and Arts
''Āvāy-e Shaydā''
* Mohammad-Rezā Lotfi playing the Tār (a solo piece in ''Abu Atā'' Dastgāh), (8 min 34 sec). * Mohammad-Rezā Lotfi (Tār and song), Mohammad Ghavihelm (
Tonbak 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 ...
), Hushang Ebtehāj (Poem), at ''Bāl dar Bāl'' Conecert, London, October 2007, (6 min 28 sec), (7 min 28 sec). * Mohammad-Rezā Lotfi (Se'tār and song) and Mohammad Ghavihelm (Tonbak), playing in the ''Bāl dar Bāl'' Concert, London, October 2007, (9 min 42 sec). {{DEFAULTSORT:Lotfi, Mohammad-Reza 1947 births 2014 deaths Deaths from cancer in Iran Iranian composers Iranian setar players Iranian tar players Persian classical musicians People from Gorgan