M. R. Shajarian: In Memoriam — Legendary, Beloved Persian Classical Singer
Mohammad Reza Shajarian is a legend, inside and outside Iran. He lived there for 80 years (1940–October 2020).
Any Iranian you might meet will be with at least a basic knowledge about him. To many he was beloved like a family member.
His concerts around the world were sold out, often months in advance.
Persian classical music to the uninitiated European with or without basic classical music ideas or even love can sound strange at first.
The underlying ‘sense and sensibility’ is the close relation of sadness and joy, harnessed with the thought of precisely crafted poems. Poems by Saadi, Hafez or Khayyam, as well as more recent ones such as Sohrab Sepehri.
The two emotional aspects are there almost always at the same time. A joyful tune and sad lyrics — or vice versa.
As a European listener who came to it when still rather young, I know a few basics:
Among them is the fact that harmonies differ from European ones.
To my mind what makes Persian classical music special when as a European you start listening to it, is this close relation of emotion and thought.
Emotions that are in turn based on the culture of a country whose history is fraught with tragic wars, sadness and the occasional disastrous earthquake.
The culture and art of the people has been preserved through all of it. It resulted in this close relation of sadness and joy:
Life can be hard, sometimes dreadful or sad. What Mohammad Reza Shajarian uniquely conveyed in his singing was love to this traditional music and his urge to share the emotion, the thought and the comfort a deeper understanding can bring of these aspects of life, with his audience.
Try his rendering of the poem ‘morghe sahar’ which is a favourite with most of any audience of his, including myself.
I had the luck to visit two of his concerts here in Europe and he is unforgettable.
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Note 2024: A documentary featuring himself and friends has been made. Find the official website for the movie here: https://thevoiceofdustandash.com/
Its trailer is available here:
