Hossein Alizadeh (; born August 24, 1951) is an

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

ian

musician A musician is someone who Composer, composes, Conducting, conducts, or Performing arts#Performers, performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general Terminology, term used to designate a person who fol ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

radif In Persian poetry, Persian, Turkic, and Urdu poetry, Urdu ghazals, the ''radīf'' (from Arabic ; ; ; ; ; ) is the word which must end each line of the first couplet and the second line of all the following couplets. It is preceded by a ''qafiya'' ...

-preserver, researcher, teacher, and

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 b ...

shurangiz The ''shurangiz'' is an Iranian musical instrument based on the setar. It was developed during the 20th century. It differs from the setar by having skin as part of the soundboard and in the number of strings. It has a unique sound table consist ...

and

setar A setar (, ) (lit: "Three String (music), Strings") 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 ...

instrumentalist and improviser. He has performed with such musicians as

Shahram Nazeri Shahram Nazeri (, ; 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 has been accompanied by some of the masters of Ira ...

Mohammad-Reza Shajarian Mohammad-Reza Shajarian (; , 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 humanitarian activities. Shajarian started ...

Alireza Eftekhari Ali Reza Eftekhari (; born March 30, 1958) is an Iranian vocalist of Iranian classical and popular music. He is one of the most popular singers in Iran and his works are among the best-selling works of Iranian music. This singer has released mor ...

and Jivan Gasparyan, as well as with a number of orchestras and ensembles.

Filmography

Film Actor Unpublished and (A.K.A) and No Film Music

* O Beautiful Istanbul (a.k.a. Ah Güzel Istanbul) - (1966) * Karaoglan Camoka's Revenge (a.k.a. Karaoğlan Camoka'nın Intikami) - (1966) * A Nation is Awaking (a.k.a. Bir Millet Uyanıyor) - (1966) * The Death Field (a.k.a. Ölüm Tarlası) - (1966) * Immortal Love (a.k.a. Ölmeyen Aşk) - (1966) * Firecrest (a.k.a. Çalıkuşu) - (1966) * I Loved a Poor Girl (a.k.a. Fakir Bir Kızı Sevdim) - (1966) * Ömer the Tourist in Germany (a.k.a. Turist Ömer Almanya'da) - (1966) * Street Girl (a.k.a. Sokak Kızı) - (1966) * The Black Rose (a.k.a. Siyah Gül) - (1966) * The Sore (a.k.a. Yara) - (1968) * Spy Smasher Man of Seven Lives (a.k.a. Casus Kıran Yedi Canlı Adam) - (1970)

Music career

Alizadeh was born in 1951 in

Tehran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...

. His father was from

Urmia Urmia (; ) is the largest city in West Azerbaijan Province of Iran. In the Central District of Urmia County, it is capital of the province, the county, and the district. The city is situated near the borders of Iran with Turkey and Iraq. ...

and his mother from Arak. As a teenager he attended

secondary school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...

at a music conservatory until 1975. His music studies continued at the

University of Tehran The University of Tehran (UT) or Tehran University (, ) is a public collegiate university in Iran, and the oldest and most prominent Iranian university located in Tehran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as ...

, where his focus was

composition Composition or Compositions may refer to: Arts and literature *Composition (dance), practice and teaching of choreography * Composition (language), in literature and rhetoric, producing a work in spoken tradition and written discourse, to include ...

and performance. He began postgraduate studies at the

Tehran University of Art Iran University of Art (, ''Daneshgah-e Honar-e Iran'') (former "Tehran University of Art and formally Art Academic Complex (1979-1991)), is the largest art university in Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and al ...

. After the

Iranian Revolution The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...

, he resumed his studies at the

University of Berlin The Humboldt University of Berlin (, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin, Germany. The university was established by Frederick William III on the initiative of Wilhelm von Humbol ...

, where he studied composition and

musicology Musicology is the academic, research-based study of music, as opposed to musical composition or performance. Musicology research combines and intersects with many fields, including psychology, sociology, acoustics, neurology, natural sciences, ...

. Alizadeh plays the ''

'' and ''

''. He has performed with two of Iran's national orchestras, as well as with 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 centu ...

, the Shayda Ensemble, and

Masters of Persian Music Masters of Persian Music is a Persian classical music Musical ensemble, ensemble (or "Supergroup (music), supergroup") founded in 2000 by four internationally recognized ''ustāds'' (masters) of the genre: vocalist Mohammad-Reza Shajarian; comp ...

. In Europe, his first professional performance was with the Bejart Ballet Company’s orchestra in a performance of a

Maurice Béjart Maurice Béjart (; 1 January 1927 – 22 November 2007) was a French dancer, choreographer and Theatre director, opera director who ran the Béjart Ballet Lausanne in Switzerland. He developed a popular expressionistic form of modern ballet, tac ...

ballet called ''Golestan''.

Awards

He has been nominated for the 2007 Grammy Award along with Armenian musician,

Djivan Gasparyan Djivan Gasparyan (var. Jivan Gasparyan; , ; 12 October 1928 – 6 July 2021) was an Armenian musician and composer. He played the duduk, a double reed woodwind instrument related to the orchestral oboe. Gasparyan is known as the "Master of the d ...

, for their collaboration album, ''The Endless Vision''. In 2008, he was voted as "Iran's most distinguished musician of the year". On November 28, 2014 he refused to accept France’s high distinction in art,

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

Inventions

* ''Dad o Bidad'': A new

maqam Maqam, makam, maqaam or maqām (plural maqāmāt) may refer to: Musical structures * Arabic maqam, melodic modes in traditional Arabic music ** Iraqi maqam, a genre of Arabic maqam music found in Iraq * Persian maqam, a notion in Persian clas ...

in Persian music, through combining the gusheh of dad in dastgah of Mahour and the gusheh of bidad in dastgah of Homayoun. * ''

Sallaneh The sallaneh () is a newly developed plucked string instrument made under the supervision of the Iranian musician Hossein Alizadeh Hossein Alizadeh (; born August 24, 1951) is an Iranian musician, composer, radif-preserver, researcher, teach ...

'' and '' Shoor-Angiz'': Two new musical instruments derived from the ancient Persian lute ''barbat''.

Works

*2020 – ''Evanesce'', with

Hamavayan Ensemble Hamāvāyān Ensemble () is a Persian music group. History Led by Iranian instrumentalist and composer Hossein Alizadeh, the Hamavayan Ensemble performs new interpretations of classical Persian music. The ensemble features male and female vocal ...

*2014 –
Eşqim Gəl
', with

(Azerbaijani language) *2010 – ''Birthplace of Earth'', with

, Ba Music Record

*2009 – ''Half Moon'', Ba Music Record

*2009 – ''Echoes of Light'' with Madjid Khaladj, Ba Music Record

*2007 – ''Ode To Flowers'', with Hamavayan Ensemble, Ba Music Record

*2006 – '' Endless Vision'', with Djivan Gasparyan

*2005 – ''Birds'', with Madjid Khaladj and Homa Niknam, Ba Music Record

*2005 – ''Faryad (The Cry)'',with Mohammad Reza Shajarian, MR Shajaian, Keyhan Kalhor and H Shajarian
World Village Music
*2003 – ''Sallaneh''
Mahoor Institute
*2002 – ''Bi To Be Sar Nemishavad (Without You)'', MR Shajarian,Keyhan Kalhor and Homayoun Shajarian
World Village Music
*2001 – ''Chahargah & Bayat-e Tork'' with Hossein Omumi, M Ghavihelm
Mahoor Institute
*2000 – ''Zemestan ast (It's Winter)'', Mehdi Akhavan Sales:

Poems Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

Mohammad Reza Shajarian, MR Shajaian: Vocals Hossein Alizadeh: Tar Keyhan Kalhor:

Kamancheh The kamancheh (also kamānche or kamāncha) (, , , ) is an Iranian bowed string instrument used in Persian, Azerbaijani, Armenian, Kurdish, Georgian, Turkmen, and Uzbek music with slight variations in the structure of the instrument. Th ...

H Shajarian: Vocals & tomba
Soroush Co.
*1999 – ''Raz-e No (Novel Mystery)'', Hossein Alizadeh: Composer, Tar,

Tanbur The term ''Tanbur'' can refer to various long-necked string instruments originating in Mesopotamia, Southern or Central Asia. According to the ''New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', "terminology presents a complicated situation. Nowa ...

Mohsen Keramati, Afsaneh Rasayi, Homa Niknam, Ali Samadpour: Vocals Daryush Zargari: Tomba
Mahoor Institute
* ''Paria, Qesseh-ye Dokhtara-ye Nane Darya (Paria, Tale of Daughters of the Mother Sea)'' *1996 – ''Sobhgahi'' Hossein Alizadeh: Composer Mohsen Karamati: Vocal
Mahoor Institute
*1995 – ''Musique iranienne : improvisations (''کنسرت بداهه نوازی : نوا و همایون ) : H. Alizadeh : tar & setar ; Madjid Khaladj : tombak, Buda Record

*1994 ''Paykubi'' Hossein Alizadeh: Setar Daryush Zargari: Tomba
Mahoor Institute
*1993 – ''Hamnavaei'' Hossein Alizadeh: Tar Arshad Tahmasbi: Tar

Dariush Zargari Dariush (), also spelled Darioush, Daryoush, or Daryoosh, is a Persian-language masculine given name. It is composed of () and (), meaning ''holding firm the good''. Within the Achaemenid dynasty, three rulers of the Persian Empire held the n ...

: Tomba
Mahoor Institute
*1991 – ''Ava-ye Mehr (Song of Campassion)'', Hossein Alizadeh: Composer Orchestra of Indigenous Instruments of Iran *1990 – ''No Bang-e Kohan (Ancient Call-Anew)'
Mahoor Institute
*1988 – ''Shourangiz (Song of Campassion)'', Hossein Alizadeh : Composer Sheyda and Aref Groups

: Vocal
Mahoor Institute
*1989 – ''Torkaman'', Hossein Alizadeh: Seta
Mahoor Institute
*1988 – ''Raz-o-Niaz'', Hossein Alizadeh: Composer Sheyda and Aref Groups

: Vocal
Mahoor Institute
*1986 –''Dream'' *1983 – '' NeyNava'', Hossein Alizadeh: Composer String Orchestra of the National Radio and Television of Iran Djamshid Andalibi:

Ney The ney ( ; ) is an end-blown flute that figures prominently in traditional Persian, Turkish, Jewish, Arab, and Egyptian music. In some of these musical traditions, it is the only wind instrument used. The ney has been played for over 4,500 ye ...

Soloist *1983 – ''Osyan (Revolt)'' *1977 – ''Hesar'' *1977 – ''Savaran-e Dasht-e Omid (Riders of the Plain of Hope)''

Film scores

*''

Taboo A taboo is a social group's ban, prohibition or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, offensive, sacred or allowed only for certain people.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...

'', 2015 *''

The Song of Sparrows ''The Song of Sparrows'' (''Âvâz-e gonjeshk-hâ'') () is a 2008 Iranian drama film directed, produced and co-written by Majid Majidi. The film stars Reza Naji as an ostrich farmer who is fired because one of the ostriches escapes. He finds a ne ...

'', 2008. *'' Half Moon'', 2006. *''

Turtles can fly ''Turtles Can Fly'' (Kurdish: ''Kûsî jî dikarin bifirin'') is a 2004 Kurdish war drama film written, directed and co-produced by Bahman Ghobadi. The film stars Soran Ebrahim, Avaz Latif, Saddam Hossein Faysal, Hiresh Feysal Rahman, Abdolrahma ...

'', 2004. *''Abjad'' ("First Letter"), 2003, composed by

Abolfazl Jalili Abolfazl Jalili (, born 1957 in Saveh, Iran) is an Iranian film director and screenwriter. He belongs to the Iranian '' new wave'' movement. Jalili studied directing at the Iranian College of Dramatic Arts, then worked for national television ( ...

. *''Zamani baraye masti asbha'' (" A Time for Drunken Horses"), 2000. *''Doxtaran e xorshid'' ('Daughters of the Sun") directed by Maryam Shahriya, 2000. *''

Gabbeh Gabbeh or gabba () carpets are a traditional variety of Persian carpet. Gabbeh is known as gava in Kurdish language, Kurdish and Luri language, Luri and is also called khersak () in Bakhtiari dialect, Bakhtiari, literally meaning a "bear's cub". ...

'', 1995. *''Del Shodegan'' directed by

Ali Hatami Ali Hatami (; 14 August 1944 – 7 December 1996) was an Iranian film director, screenwriter, art director, and costume designer. The ''Tehran Times'' dubbed him "the Hafez of Iranian cinema due to the poetic ambiance of his movies." Career Hata ...

, 1992. *''Az A'sar'', ("From Eons Ago")

References

*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 WebsiteA BBC Persian interview with Hossein Alizadeh (in Farsi)Hossein Alizadeh at Iran Chamber SocietyHossein Alizadeh: National Geographic World Music
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alizadeh, Hossein 1950 births Living people Artists from Tehran Iranian tar players Iranian musicologists Iranian setar players Persian-language singers of Iran Legion of Honour refusals Crystal Simorgh recipients Iranian classical composers Iranian classical musicians University of Tehran alumni Iranian film score composers Azerbaijani-language singers of Iran Islamic Azad University alumni Berlin University of the Arts alumni