A Note on the Occasion of Houshang Zarif’s Demise

Translated by Mahboube Khalvati

“Counting on the arts, using the arts, expecting praise and appreciation are the characteristics of those who pretend to be artists and are not the real artists.” – Abolhasan Saba

No introduction is needed when talking about the position of the late Houshang Zarif (1938-2020) in the Iranian music. His character and personality are so well-known among musicians that his name per se is a symbol and role model for the Iranian youth. “Becoming Houshang Zarif” is the dream of many young people who enter the world of music in Iran and many of whom retire regretting the realisation of this dream.

Even though he has passed away, it is desirable to open a window to Houshang Zarif’s popular and unobtrusive figure in the contemporary Iranian music and look at his personality.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Houshang Zarif was an unrivaled figure on the music scene, as all the characteristics preferred by the musicians of the time were included in his Zarif’s art. Zarif’s sonority in playing Tar was influenced by three popular musicians of that period: Farhang Sharif, Lotfollah Majd and Jalil Shahnaz.
In phrase composition and composing Avaz phrases, Zarif was influenced by Mousa Maroufi, who taught him to play Tar and to some extent by Farhang Sharif. However, in using the technical properties of Tar, Zarif was under the influence of Ali Naqi Vaziri. It is worth mentioning that at that time Houshang Zarif was the most prominent performer of Vaziri’s pieces; and even today, he is still the most important narrator of Vaziri’s works. In addition to all these characteristics, he had mastered music theory, sight-reading musical sheets and ensemble playing.
Although Zarif’s art of playing Tar owed much to contemporary maestros, the pleasant combination of different styles in playing Tar led Zarif to establish his unique personal style which still has its own fans and admirers today.
Despite all this, Zarif did not seek to attract attentions and spent his whole life working hard for the promotion of the Iranian music in a low-profile manner. Like other members of the National Instruments Orchestra affiliated to the Culture and Arts Organisation led by Faramarz Payvar, he served Iranian musicians by his Tar and his art while avoiding sideline stories. These excellent characters were also possessed by other members of the above-mentioned orchestra; however, in addition to those Zarif had other characteristics which his colleagues either lacked or did not show as much as he did. In more than half a century of musical activities, Zarif was permanently trusted by musicians and always supported them. He successfully passed all the tests of the tumultuous scene of music in Iran.
This is where Zarif’s all greatness comes from; he was indeed simple and humble like a true dervish. He was subtle, witty, and popular. He never used his remarkable technical abilities to enchant the masses. His speech, deeds, appearance and thoughts were always adorned and intended to honor the people.
The role of Houshang Zarif in forming a fundamental criterion in playing abilities of the new generation of musicians, without leading to similarity or even disappearance of personal tones, is unique in the history of teaching Iranian music.
According to one of Tar’s great maestros, those who were not Zarif’s pupils were also influenced by his teaching standards and all learned a little of this style; of course Houshang Zarif’s pupils have repeatedly spoken and written about his spiritual and scientific role in teaching music and his support for them.
Indeed, the responsibility of “being Houshang Zarif” was heavy on every human being’s shoulders throughout the past half century, but Zarif overcame even this concern because he avoided selfishness and this was the secret behind his self-sufficiency.

This article was originally published in Art of Music magazine’s 179th issue.

Post a Comment

Required fields are marked *
*
*
Your email is never shared.

Transition to Enlightenment: Six Lectures on Mozart’s String Quartets (4)

Mozart’s compositions bear the imprint of Enlightenment ideals in various ways. His music exhibits a balance between reason and emotion, mirroring the Enlightenment’s call for a harmonious integration of these elements in human life. The clarity of Mozart’s formal structures in his symphonies and operas reflects Enlightenment principles of order and rational organization.

Fereydoun Shahbazian, An Iranian Musical Icon Passed Away

Fereydoun Shahbazian, the renowned Iranian composer, passed away at the age of 82 due to respiratory illness in Tehran. His last significant activity was leading the National Orchestra before the appointment of Homayoun Rahimian

From Past Days…

Celebrating 20 Years of Harmony Talk’s Journey: Resilience, Evolution, Honoring the Legacy and Navigating Future Growth

In a momentous celebration of two decades, the “Arasbaran Cultural Center” was the stage for the 20th anniversary of “Harmony Talk”, an online journal that has become a cornerstone in the music community. Sadjad Pourghanad, the editor-in-chief, delivered a speech that resonated with gratitude and vision.

A Persian Nocturne for Piano

A Night in a Persian Garden is the name of a Nocturne composed by the Persian (Iranian) contemporary composer Behzad Ranjbaran. This Nocturne, published recently by the Theodore Presser Company in the US, was performed for the first time in 2002 in New York City by the young Persian pianist Soheil Nasseri and has enjoyed many performances by other pianists.

The 4th Iranian Festival of Music Websites and Weblogs

The 4th Iranian Festival of Music Websites and Weblogs was held in Niavaran Cultural Center, in Tehran, Iran on Feb. 28th, 2015. The initiator of the festival was Sajjad Pourghanad, Iranian music writer, researcher, founder of the festival and Persian setar and tar player.

Ali Rahbari’s collaboration with Naxos as a Composer

Concertino for Violin and Orchestra entitled Nohe Khan was composed by Ali (Alexander) Rahbari while he was studying music in Vienna in 1972. This piece was composed having in mind the Ashoura events and inspired by the music which is used during the Ashoura ceremonies. The piece was first performed and recorded by Bijan Khadem…
Read More »

Interview with Farhad Poupel (I)

Born in Isfahan, Iran, and based in the UK, Farhad Poupel’s music has been performed and will be performed in numerous prestigious concert halls and festivals throughout the world including Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan; La Roque-d’Anthéron Piano Festival, La Roque-d’Anthéron, France; Biarritz Festival, Biarritz, France; Stoller Hall, Manchester, UK; Janacek academy of music and performing art, Brno, Czech Republic; Karlskrona International Piano Festival, Karlskrona, Sweden; by distinguished artists such as Kotaro Fukuma, Peter Jablonski, Daniel Grimwood, Margaret Fingerhut, Catherine Carby, Kristýna Znamenáčková,Jeffrey Biegel, Jean-Francois Bouvery and orchestras such as Windsor Symphony Orchestra or broadcasted on the NPR Radio 4, Netherland. The following is an interview with him on the ocaasion of the premier of the Legend of Bijan and Manijeh.

New Technique for Playing Classical Guitar (I)

Joint application of the two techniques of “Lip” and “Nose” could be effectively applied for hearing and playing far-away intervals, by the Classical Guitar. Before this, a Classical Guitar player had to waive playing intervals not possible with the left hand, and had to replace or eliminate some notes, making it possible to play such intervals; specifically the capability of the left hand of the musician, was also a factor in such a selection. These methods are hereby illustrated by photographs and a video-file, in order to provide optimum comprehension of applying these methods, invented by the author; specifically the “Lip” technique, which is considered to be a more significant technique, emphasized by the author.

Developments in Iranian Music Since Qajar Era (I)

At the end of the Qajar era and as Iran entered the power transition period, known as the constitutional era, the Iranian music went through a lot of changes. These changes gained momentum as the students and followers of Ali Naqi Vaziri’s entered the musical scene. These changes greatly influenced designs of instruments, playing methods, singing, composing, etc.

The Structure of Kurdistan Daf (V)

ehrouz Mohammadi, “Daf and its feasts in Ghaderieh’s Tekyeh” mentions that the outer thickness of arch where studs are located, [is] between one to one and a half centimeters (Mohammadi, 2001: 12). The thickness of arch should be gradually reduced from the installation place of rings to skin (Avazeh of Daf) to create a high volume, clear sound from Daf; also, the connection of arch to skin should not be less than one millimeter, because in this case the skin will be torn due to the sharpness of the wood (Mogharab Samadi, 2009: 79-78). The thickness of wood on the skin side is about two to three millimeters (Tohidi, 2002: 79).

“I Will Never Perform Just for Women!”: Golnoush Khaleghi Passes Away in Exile

Golnoush Khaleghi, first Persian woman conductor and daughter of legendary composer Rouhollah Khaleghi, passed away on February 14. She was 80. Golnoush Khaleghi was the conductor of the NIRT (National Iranian Radio & Television) Choir in the 1970s. Shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution Ms. Khaleghi moved to the United States and founded the Rouhollah…
Read More »

Iranian Fallacies: Iranian Chords

Finding a way to harmonize the Iranian music has been the subject of controversy among Iranian musicians for a long time. Some believe in the creation of harmonies for Iranian music based on a method which is similar to the tierce harmony; while others have either selected or invented some other methods. There are also some musicians who do not basically agree with the harmonization of the Iranian music.