February 2nd, 2010
January 31st, 2010
Tags: Banan, farah, Full Albums, Roshanak, taj esfahani
Categories: Academia, History, Radio
Too Much Melisma

The Golhā (’Flowers of Persian Song and Music’) comprise 1400 radio programs consisting of approximately 886 hours of programs broadcast over a period of 23 years - from 1956 through 1979.1 These programs are made up of literary commentary with the declamation of poetry, which is sung with musical accompaniment, interspersed with solo musical pieces. For the 23 years that these programs were broadcast, all the most eminent literary critics, famous radio announcers, singers, composers and musicians in Iran were invited to participate in them. The programs were not only exemplars of excellence in the sphere of music but highly ornate and refined examples of literary expression, making use of a repertoire of over two hundred classical and modern Persian poets, thus setting literary and musical standards that are still looked up to with admiration in Iran today and referred to as an encyclopedia of Persian music and poetry.
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The ‘Green Leaf’ (Barg-e sabz) programs featured 312 programs each ranging from 20-45 minutes, consisting solely of declamation of mystical poetry from the great classical poets, followed by the formal singing (āvāz) of their poetry, without any popular rhythmical songs or ballads (tasnif / tarāna). In terms of profundity of Persian Sufi themes, erotic and theo-erotic images and ideas, the ‘Green Leaf’ programs comprise a veritable treasury of classical Persian poetry; as a collection, the Barg-e sabz programs form a kind of classical ‘Canon’ of Persian mystical song and verse that have yet to be rivaled in their wide-ranging literary and musical diversity, in arrangement of theosophical and erotic topics, and in tasteful selection of poets and poetry.
Each program opened with the following mystical verses from the famous tarji’band of Hātef Esfahāni (d. 1198/1783-4): “Open your eyes so you may see the epiphany of the Beloved displayed upon each wall and door. When you behold this vision, you will declare: ‘He alone is Lord in all the land’.” (Chesh bogshā keh jilva-e deldār dar tajalli’st az dar u divār. In tamāshā, chu bingari, gu’i: laysa fi’l-dār ghayrahu diyyār).
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It is my belief that Persian music owes a huge debt to Dāvud Pirniā since at a crucial moment in the history of Iran he effectively rescued our music from perdition. If it wasn’t for his efforts, Arab music, Turkish music, or Western pop music would have all but drowned out and obliterated Persian music. In establishing the Golhā programs, Mr Pirniā created a sanctuary where Persian music could survive and flourish amongst all these conflicting and corrupting influences, so that even today the Golhā programs are still cherished among the populace at large.
—Shajarian
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Collaged from Jane Lewisohn’s SOAS paper Flowers of Persian Song and Music: Davud Pirniā and the Genesis of the Golhā Programs [pdf]
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Download (my favourite) Barg-e Sabz CD featuring:
Barge Sabz 28 (tracks 1, 2, 3) (BEST!)
Khanandeh: Farah
Navazandegan: Parviz Yahaghi, Jalil Shahnaz, Salim Farzan, Naser Eftetah, Jahangir Malek
Ashaar: Ataar, Molavi, Eraghi
Dastgah: Segah
Gooyandeh: Roshanak
Barge Sabz 63 (tracks 4, 5, 6)
Khanandeh: Banan
Navazandegan: Habiballah Badiei, Jalil Shahnaz, Naser Eftetah
Ashaar: Ataar, Hafez, Eraghi
Dastgah: Avaze Bayat Esfahan
Gooyandeh: Roshanak
Barge Sabz 19 (tracks 7, 8 )
Khanandeh: Taaj Esfahani
Navazandegan: Jalil Shahnaz, Hasan Kasaei, Naser Eftetah
Ashaar: Ataar, Eraghi, Hafez
Dastgah: Segah
January 27th, 2010
Tags: Full Albums, Santoor
Categories: Classical, Music
Faramarz Payvar & Ensemble: Classical Music of Iran (1974)
Farmarz Payvar – Santoor
Houshang Zarif – Tar
Rahmatollah Badiyi (Badi’i) – Kamancheh
Mohammad Esmai’li (Esmai’li) – Zarb
Khatereh Parvaneh (who also passed away somewhat recently) – Vocals
January 20th, 2010
Tags: Cameron Alborzian, Kamran Alborzian
Categories: Advertising, Fashion, People
Vintage Alborzian
January 8th, 2010
Categories: Film & Video, People
Albert Lamorisse — Baadeh Sabah (1970)
The following is the concise version of the article in the current issue of Bidoun (#19, Noise) which tells the incredible story behind Albert Lamorisse’s lost film:
- The ministry rejects it stating it doesn’t adequately portray Iran’s modernizations and industrial and urban developments (it was essentially meant to be a propagandist film)
- Lamorisse is called back to Iran with a list of specific locations to shoot: University students, factories, laboratories and the newly constructed Karaj dam
- Lamorisse expresses fervent concern over high tension wires over the dam
- The ministry provides him with the Shah’s personal helicopter pilot
- The helicopter gets caught in the wires and Lamorisse and all aboard die in a crash in the dam
- Lamorisse’s wife receives a sizable compensation package and with her son Pascal (star of the Red Balloon) finishes the film based on Albert’s notes
- Eight years later, it is released and nominated for an Oscar, though it was barely screened and never circulated
- Meanwhile, after the crash the Ministry crew retrieved the film from the dam and used the final footage shot by Lamorisse to make an absolutely beautiful 6 minute tribute film:
Read the full article here.
January 3rd, 2010
Categories: Philosophy, Publications, Typography
Jean Paul Sartre — Existentialisme Est Un Humanisme
January 3rd, 2010
Tags: Parviz Khatibi
Categories: Dance, Film & Video, Humour, Politics
Parviz Khatibi — Seh Mullah (1985)
Uploaded to UbuWeb via Bidoun: http://ubu.com/film/khatibi_mullah.html
January 3rd, 2010
Tags: Full Albums, Pars Video, Shohreh
Categories: Dance Music, Music, Pop
Shohreh — Mix (1992)

Shohreh at her very very best. Nine perfect tracks mixed together to make instant party.
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Download here.











































