CORO CORO

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Brazil China Ireland

Brazil · c o r 16058 China · c o r 16061 Ireland · c o r 16063

Globalisation, ease of travel, and 24-hour media showing the Earth’s remotest corners have proved that the world is indeed small. In some way they have also made us protective of our local heritage, drawing the culture of one’s home country into sharper focus. This series shows the musical side of the phenomenon. The exciting set of discs, featuring some of the best musicians in the world, contains carefully chosen music in compilations possessing a natural musical flow. None of the musicians play electric instruments, giving the music a fabulous authentic feel, and many performances are recorded live, allowing the atmosphere to come sparkling through. 2008 The Sixteen Productions Ltd. © 2008 The Sixteen Productions Ltd.

To find out more about CORO and the Acousic World Series and to buy CDs, Persia visit www.thesixteen.com or www.acousticworld.net cor16065 lobalisation, ease of travel, and 24-hour media showing the Earth’s remotest corners has proved that the world is Track List indeed small. In some way it has also made us protective of DASTGÂH-E CHÂHÂRGÂH Gour local heritage, drawing the culture of one’s home country into 1 Pishdarâmad 4.40 sharper focus. This world music series shows the musical side of the 2 Darâmad 0.51 phenomenon. Contained in this series are songs and tunes which 3 Kharâmân 2.04 instantly carry the listener to China, Brazil, India, Asia and Ireland 4 Zâbol 0.39 amongst others, but also included are pieces showing how the 5 Zarbi 4.09 culture of the world flows freely between countries. 6 Muyeh, Hesâr, mokhâlef 5.41 The exciting set of discs, featuring some of the best musicians 7 Zarbi-e mokhâlef & mansuri 5.09 in the world, contains carefully chosen music in compilations 8 Zanguleh 1.12 possessing a natural musical flow. None of the musicians play 9 Tasnif-e sârebân 4.19 electric instruments, giving the music a fabulous authentic feel and many performances are recorded live allowing the atmosphere to bl Se-Pā 11.39 come sparkling through. DASTGÂH MÂHÛR bm Sâghi-Nâmeh & Soufi-Nâmeh (Radif) 4.47 This recording is compiled from the Nimbus world catalogue from recordings first released on bn Nimbus Records NI 7060, 5397 and 7061 Darâmad (improvised) 2.08 bo Châhârmezrâb inspired by a piece by Master Sabâ (Hossein Omoumi) 2.17 Re-mastering: Floating Earth bp Neyriz (improvised) 0.55 Compilation made by Robin Tyson - podiummusic.co.uk Programme note: Robin Tyson -ADEIN'REAT"RITAIN bq Pish Zangouleh based on the Radif (Hossein Omoumi) & 4.15 Cover image: Shutterstock 2008 The Sixteen Productions Ltd. Neyriz text Mirza Nassir Esfahani (Radif) Design: Andrew Giles - [email protected] © 2008 The Sixteen Productions Ltd. br Zangouleh (Radif) & Tasnif Mâhûr (Sheydâ) 3.11 For further information about recordings on CORO call +44 (0)20 7488 2629 bs Delkash & Châhârmezrâb (improvised) 2.22 or email [email protected] www.acousticworld.net Total playing time 60.25

2 3 is the use of rhythmic percussion to introduction), darâmad (introduction), Persiaaccompany instrumental melodies. tasnif (song), châhâr mezrâb (rhythmic The highest esteem, however, is section) and a number of gushehs. his disc contains music from the reserved for the art of improvisation Persian classical music performance T rich and ancient culture of Persia. and free-time singing based on the overcomes the apparent dichotomy The differing traditions of classical and sung recitation of poetry. of being strictly formulaic yet free. are represented, played The music has a well-defined Soloists (taknavâz) traditionally on the and the sornā, as well as structure. There are 12 dastgāhs which spend years as pupils at the feet of a sung. The ney is often described as make up the radifs (melodic figures Master (Ostad) learning by rote and the world’s oldest instrument, whilst passed down through time by oral memorising upwards of 200 radifs. documents exist showing that in the tradition). The word dastgāh relates to With such deference to these Masters 6th-4th centuries BC the sornā was the gāh, the position of the hand (dast) it could be supposed that this style accompanying dancing in the south- on the instrument, since different of teaching wouldn’t allow for natural west Iranian region of Lorestān. hand positions create different musical development or individual As is so often the case, Persian modes. In the system of dastgāhs artistry from the pupils. In fact the traditional music is the product of there are seven main modes - Shur, diversity which can be achieved many related world strands. The Māhur, Segāh, Chāhārgâh, Homāyun, through improvisation is so huge melodies and modes of the dastgāh Navā and Rāstpanjgāh - and five that even though newly composed system, for example, are related to the off-shoots - Bayât-e Tork, Abu’ Atā, gushehs are permitted within the radifs Lady playing the maqām system found in 7th century Afshāri, Dashti and Esfahān. Each of they are rarely heard. Today universities 17th century mural in Chehel Sotoon Palace, Turkish, Byzantine and , these dastgāhs are themselves made offer courses teaching the radifs and Isfahan - detail owing to the cross-fertilisation caused up of smaller melodic forms called as a result the numbers of classical by the Arab invasion of the Persian gushehs (short melody ‘corners’). musicians, once the preserve of the Ensemble playing can be heard on Empire (633-656). Nevertheless, Persian A performance is made up of sections, upper classes, is rising. Conversely the tracks bm - bs, whose traditional forces classical music maintains its own with a typical formulaic performance private Master/pupil style of teaching are quite small. A typical group (as unique characteristics. One of them consisting of a pishdarâmad (pre- is declining. evidenced from ancient pictures)

4 5 consists of a couple of melody players, Part of one of the most famous a couple of rhythm instruments and song tunes, Dāye, Dāye! (Mother, perhaps a singer. Nowadays though, Mother!) is included in Se-Pā (track bl). contact with western musicians It tells the story of the Lor people’s has led to larger ensembles which battles, to which new verses have will typically also include western been added at every major event right instruments. If a singer is included up until the recent /Iraq war. But his or her role is very important in it is not all war in Lorestān: there is creating the music’s atmosphere love too. Weddings and other social through the choice and delivery of gatherings provide the occasion for poetry. Improvisation shows the art the sornā to play at dances. The tune of the soloist further and the skill in Se-pā literally means ‘three steps’, and developing both melody and rhythm. is danced by advancing three steps In Iran, poetry and music are closely and taking one back. linked: the word khandan means both The Revolution of 1979 and the reading and singing, and many pieces following 30 years have not provided follow a speech pattern. Favourite a stable environment for music- poems used include those from the making in Iran. Nevertheless there are Sufi mystic Mowlânâ Jalaluddin Rumi Lady playing the ney Lady playing the târ musicians living and working both (1207-1273), who has been described 17th century mural in Hasht-Behesht Palace, 17th century mural in Hasht-Behesht Palace, in Iran and abroad. With a kind of as America’s favourite poet! Isfahan - detail Isfahan - detail government support today and the Despite having common roots, rise of commercially available CDs the , which is different country are numerous and beautiful. throughout history for its strategic music of this country continues to from the court-based classical music, Away from the old royal courts position. Consequently, accounts spread and be appreciated. has certain unique regional qualities. and cities, Lorestān, in the south- of battles have taken root in the The folk melodies spread across the west of Iran, has been fought over musical culture of the Lor people.

6 7 The Musicians

Hossein Omoumi was born in Isfahãn, Simâ Binâ was born in Khorasan, the Shahmirza Morādi first played the He plays most Iranian percussion the home of the Persian classical ney heartland of Iran’s popular tradition. sornā in Europe in the early 1990s instruments and studied the ney with playing style. He studied both the Her early learning came from her where his incredible breath control Hossein Omoumi in order to broaden vocal and instrumental radifs, first father, the Master Ahmad Binâ, before thrust him into the limelight. Born in his understanding of Persian classical with his Father, and then under the she moved on to study the radifs Lorestān in 1924, he learnt his music music. He teaches in Basel, and at pupilage of the Masters Hasan Kasâ’i and singing technique with the from family members, most especially the Sorbonne in Paris where he also and Mahmud Karimi. Having played Masters Ma’aroufi and Zarpanjeh. After his father who played the sornā at founded the École de . He and taught in Iran (as well as studying graduating from University she local gatherings. Through the 1970s has produced various recordings and architecture) Hossein left for Europe continued her studies with Master he played on Iranian radio before movie soundtracks and tours both as in 1984. His performances have Davami. Since 1979, as well as teaching being silenced by the Revolution. a soloist and as part of an ensemble. taken him to many major festivals singing she has explored Persian folk However, during the 1980s he enjoyed and concert halls in Europe and the song, collecting, recording, writing national success with CD recordings. Madjid Derakhshâni (târ) was born United States. He is a scholar of some and re-interpreting popular regional He is accompanied on this disc by his in Semnan, and studied in Tehran. His repute, having worked in Tehran, the music. She presents the fruits of this son Rezā Morādi on the . teacher was the Master Mohamad Reza Sorbonne, UCLA, and currently at work in concerts throughout Europe Lotfi. An established Master himself, the University of California, Irvine as and North America, having been the Madjid Khaladj has played the tombak he now teaches, has recorded with Professor in Persian Performing Arts. first Iranian woman singer to tour the since he was a child in Iran, and learned the singer Mohammadreza Shajarian, west after the Revolution. from the Masters Badjalan and Maleki. and is a well-known ensemble player.

8 9 The Musical Instruments dohol sornā ney

he ney is a simply designed classical players take the instrument T instrument which is difficult to into their mouths and bite the end with play well. As a result there are few their teeth. This produces sound inside accomplished Masters. It is made from the mouth which the player is then reeds cut from the hot, dry desert and able to colour by altering the shape of pierced with six holes, giving it a range the inside of the mouth. of two and a half octaves. It is reckoned The sornā is a double reed that it is possible to play every Persian instrument, made from wood and melody on the ney, which is most often covered in ebony or even silver. frequently heard as a solo instrument Its dimensions can vary but the average accompanied during rhythmic pieces length is 40cm with eight finger holes, târ by the goblet shaped drum called a giving it the range of an octave and a tombak. On this recording the ney solos note. By using the embouchure of their are also accompanied by the daf, a lips, experienced players can stretch large-sized frame drum. Performance to another note. The sornā has a metal with a singer is both traditional and mouthpiece with a flat plate to support widespread, and on this disc a kind the player’s lip. By using the remarkable of plucked lute, the târ, accompanies technique of circular breathing the Simâ Binâ. sound of the sornā does not stop. The Persian ney playing technique Simultaneously pushing air stored in his is very distinctive, and centered in the cheeks into the instrument the player town of Isfahãn, from where it takes its takes in more through his nose. The name. Instead of playing the ney with sornā is accompanied by the dohol, a the head resting on the lips, Persian double-headed cylindrical drum. daf tombak

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