Mohammad-Reza Shajarian Explained

Mohammad-Reza Shajarian
Native Name:Persian: محمدرضا شجریان
Birth Date:23 September 1940
Birth Place:Mashhad, Imperial Iran
Death Place:Tehran, Iran
Resting Place:Tomb of Ferdowsi
Alma Mater:Tehran Supreme University
Education:Shah Reza School
School of National Music
Othername:Siavash Bidkani (before 1970s)
Spouse:
    Children:5, including Homayoun and Mojgan
    Module:
    Embed:yes
    Genre:Persian traditional music
    Background:solo_singer
    Years Active:1959–2016
    Associated Acts:Aref Ensemble
    Label:Santur, Tonbak
    Signature:Shajarian signature2.png

    Mohammad-Reza Shajarian (Persian: محمدرضا شجريان; in Persian pronounced as /mohæmːæd ɾeˈzɒː ʃædʒæɾiˈɒːn/, 23 September 1940 – 8 October 2020)[1] was an Iranian singer and master (Ostad) of Persian traditional music. He was also known for his skills in Persian calligraphy and humanitarian activities.[2] Shajarian started his singing career in 1959 at Radio Khorasan, rising to prominence in the 1960s with his distinct singing style.

    Shajarian's main teachers were Ahmad Ebadi, Esmaeil Mehrtash, Abdollah Davami, and Nour-Ali Boroumand. He also learned the vocal styles of singers from previous generations, including Reza Gholi Mirza Zelli, Fariborz Manouchehri, Ghamar Molouk Vaziri, Eghbal Azar and Taj Isfahani. He cited legendary Persian tar soloist Jalil Shahnaz as highly influential to his development, indicating that he often tried to mimic Shahnaz's playing style in his singing.

    Shajarian collaborated with musicians such as Parviz Meshkatian, Mohammad Reza Lotfi, Hossein Alizadeh, Faramarz Payvar, Dariush Pirniakan, and Sohrab Pournazeri. He was recognized as a skilled singer in the challenging traditional Dastgah style. His works also cover some songs of Iranian ethnic music, including Mazandarani music, Azeri music, Kurdish music and Lur music.

    UNESCO in France presented Shajarian with the Picasso Award in 1999 and with the UNESCO Mozart Medal in 2006. In 2017, Los Angeles Times cited him as the "Greatest living maestro of Persian classical music". After coming out in support of the Iranian Green Movement and criticizing the Iranian government, he was banned from holding concerts and releasing music.[3] [4] [5]

    Early life

    Mohammad-Reza Shajarian was born on 23 September 1940 in Mashhad, Iran. His father, Mehdi, was a Quran qari, as was his grandfather Ali Akbar. His mother was Afsar Shahverdiani, who died in 2007.[6] [7]

    He was the oldest of five siblings, and studied singing at the age of five under the supervision of his father by recitation of the Quran.[8]

    Music career

    Early work

    At the age of 12, he began studying the Persian classical repertoire known as the Radif without his father's consent as studying and performing music was against his father's religious beliefs.[9] This may have been the reason why he chose the stage name "Siavash Bidakani" in his early career as a singer, which did not last long, and soon he used his real name again.[10] Shajarian started his singing career in 1959 at Radio Khorasan, rising to prominence in the 1960s with his distinct style of singing.[11] Since then his career has included teaching at Tehran University's Department of Fine Arts, working at National Radio and television, researching Persian/Iranian music, and making numerous recordings.[12]

    Music bands

    Shajarian was not always in music groups, but he did the vocals for the Masters of Persian Music with his son Homayoun Shajarian, as well as two other ostads, Kayhan Kalhor and Hossein Alizadeh. He also performed with his daughter Mojgan Shajarian.[13]

    In 2008, he toured the world with the Ava Ensemble, composed of his son Homayoun (tombak and vocals), Hossein Behroozinia (barbat), Majid Derakhshani (tar), Hossain Rezaeenia (daf), and Saeed Farajpouri (kamanche).[14]

    In 2012, he toured with the Shahnaz Ensemble with his daughter Mojgan and other band members. The ensemble is named after master tar musician Jalil Shahnaz, with a percentage of the proceeds going towards supporting his health care needs.[15]

    Masters and students

    Shajarian studied with Esmaeil Mehrtash, Ahmad Ebadi and Nour-Ali Boroumand.

    He learned the vocal styles of previous singers such as Hossein Taherzadeh, Reza Gholi Mirza Zelli, Qamar-ol-Moluk Vaziri, Eghbal Azar, and Taj Isfahani.[16]

    He started playing the santour under the instruction of Jalal Akhbari to understand better and perform the traditional repertoire.[17] In 1971, he was introduced to Faramarz Payvar and took santour lessons with him. Shajarian also learned Abolhasan Saba's vocal Radif from Payvar.

    He also studied under the guidance of master Abdollah Davami, from whom he learned many early Persian songs.[18] Davami also passed on to Shajarian his interpretation of the Radif.[19] Shajarian taught many students in the field of singing, some of whom are:[20]

    Creating instruments

    Shajarian is the creator of many instruments.[22] [23] The first exhibition of his instruments was held in May 2011, the second in September 2013 at the House of Artists by the Del Avaz Cultural and Artistic Institute.[24]

    Significant works

    Politics

    Shajarian's Bidaad album was recorded after a three-year hiatus from a commercial recording. The album's lyrics speak of a wonderful place having been reduced to shambles and bloodshed, in which he sings in sadness, "what happened?". When giving a lecture at California State University, Sacramento on 2 March 2012, he was asked what the lyrics of this song meant. His response made it clear that he chose these lyrics based on what happened to the Iranian regime after the revolution – a once beautiful country being reduced to shambles.[34] This is widely considered his first commercial recording meant to represent the voice of an oppressed people in Iran.

    Shajarian has indicated support for Iranians protesting against the 12 June 2009 Iranian presidential election results.[35] When Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad referred to the protesters as "dust and trash", Shajarian told a BBC Persian channel telephone interviewer that he (Shajarian) considered himself the voice of dust and trash: "It is the voice of dust and trash, and it will always remain the voice of dust and trash." He also asked IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) to stop broadcasting his songs. He mentioned that his famous song "Iran, Ey Saraye Omid" (Iran, the land of Hope), has no relation with the current situation of his country.[36] [37]

    After Shajarian criticized the government public and sided with the Green Movement protesters, the state broadcaster IRIB banned his work of art, which used to be a fixture of public broadcasting until then. Even against Shajarian's will, the state TV and radio stations stopped airing Rabbana, a prayer sung during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan heralding the moment of fast-breaking.[38] The recital had been broadcast regularly every Ramadan since the 1979 revolution but swept from public view after the legendary singer fell out of favor with the establishment. A Shajarian fan in Tehran told The Guardian Ramadan without Rabbana was like Christmas without Christmas carol.[39] In the elections of 2013 and 2017, Hassan Rouhani criticized the ban on broadcasting Shajarian's works, including "Rabbana", and demanded that Shajarian's works be broadcast on television and radio.[40] [41] [42]

    In an interview in 2016, Shajarian stated that "my criticism was a mistake of one person, I am not against the republic system. Our music has always been attacked or criticized by a class of religious people. Of course, some of the deviant music can be like this. But the nature of music is not deviant. I myself am fundamentally opposed to deviant music. We accept the clergy and religion".[43]

    Lyrics of his song "Language of Fire," issued in September 2009, — "Lay down your gun, Come, sit down, talk, hear. Perhaps the light of humanity will get through to your heart too" —are thought by some observers to speak "directly to the plainclothes Basiji militiamen and security forces" who had beaten protesters during recent unrest.[44]

    In an interview with Hamid Reza Nourbakhsh in 2016, Shajarian said that he was not against the Islamic Republic and that his protest was only against one person (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad). "We say you have no right to insult the people. This is not a fall with the whole system."[45] [46] [47]

    Shajarian continues: "Several years ago, we had a concert in Stockholm with the Aref group, led by the living memory of Parviz Meshkatian. As soon as we were present on the group stage, they started chanting. They chanted against the Islamic Republic. The children in the group were all upset. When they chanted, we just sat and listened, and they chanted. They saw that we were not doing anything. Some ordinary people who came also shook hands with us to start our work. I also told Parviz to perform the last ballad and then go. We had two parts of the program, in each of which there were five ballads, and we only performed the last ballad, and we got up and went out, and the children brought their instruments. I told the person announcing the program to say behind the microphone. In honor of those who bought tickets and came from far and near, we performed this ballad. And get your money back and go. Later it turned out that the organizer was one of them, so I came backstage and told him as much as I could.

    Later life, death and legacy

    While in exile, Shajarian privately sat for a series of rare interviews that form the basis of a feature-length documentary entitled The Voice of Dust and Ash. In a leaked clip of the documentary, Shajarian can be heard saying, "I am Mohammad Reza Shajarian, son of Iran. My voice is part of Iran's ancient culture, to remind the people of the world that we have had a culture of love, peace and friendship." The clip went viral on social media twice, once in 2016 and again upon Shajarian's death in 2020.[48] Shot in California and Iran, the interviews occurred shortly before he announced his cancer diagnosis and the rapid deterioration of his health. They now constitute his last public testament.[49]

    In March 2016, Shajarian revealed that he had had kidney cancer for the past fifteen years.[50] He appeared with shaved hair in his Nowrouz congratulation video, published on his YouTube account.[51] Bahram Beyzai composed a poem after announcement of Shajarian's illness and described it as a sad day in happy days of Nowruz.[52]

    Shajarian transferred to hospital on 27 January 2020 and had a successful surgery.[53] He was released from hospital on 25 August but was hospitalized again on 5 October.[54] [55]

    Shajarian died on 8 October 2020 at the age of 80 at intensive care unit of Jam Hospital in Tehran.[56] The cause of his death was not immediately made public.[57] A private religious ceremony was held following day at Behesht-e Zahra in Tehran, before his body being transferred to Mashhad.[58] He was buried at the Tomb of Ferdowsi in Tus, Mashhad, on 10 October.[59]

    Personal life

    In 1962, Shajarian married teacher Farkhondeh Golafshan when he was 21 years old. They had one son Homayoun and three daughters, Farzaneh (a.k.a. Raheleh), Mojgan and Afsaneh. Afsaneh married Parviz Meshkatian. Shajarian and Golafshan divorced in 1993.[60]

    His second marriage was to Katayoun Khansari, sister of his son's wife, in 1995. The couple had one son, Ryan who was born in 1997 in Vancouver, Canada.[61]

    Awards and distinctions

    Awards:
    Wins:8
    Nominations:2

    Discography

    See main article: Mohammad-Reza Shajarian discography.

    Released music albums

    Some of the following albums are joint works between Mohammad-Reza Shajarian and Shahram Nazeri or Homayoun Shajarian. Among these works are composers such as Mohammad-Reza Lotfi, Parviz Meshkatian, Hossein Alizadeh and Faramarz Payvar.

    Film title singer

    See also

    References

    Additional sources

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. https://www.bbc.com/persian/53817930 BBC Persian Service: Mohammad Reza Shajarian Passes Away
    2. News: Mohammad Reza Shajarian, classical singer revered in Iran, dies at 80. Phil. Davison. 12 October 2020. 27 November 2020. After the Iranian city of Bam was ravaged by an earthquake in 2003, killing more than 26,000, he organized a benefit concert for survivors and families of the victims.. The Washington Post.
    3. News: Mohammad Reza Shajarian: Iran's legendary singer dies in Tehran . BBC News . 8 October 2020.
    4. News: Tsioulcas . Anastasia . A Voice Of Iran, Master Singer Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Has Died . NPR.org . en.
    5. News: Brehmer . Marian . Mohammad Reza Shajarian embodied the timeless beauty of Persian music . The Guardian . 9 October 2020.
    6. https://web.archive.org/web/20110429232629/http://delawaz.ir/biography-mrshajarian-fa.html زندگینامه
    7. Web site: استاد شجریان در سوگ مادر. 9 July 2007. همشهری آنلاین.
    8. Web site: محمدرضا شجریان درگذشت + آخرین عکس و علت فوت. 8 October 2020. ایمنا.
    9. Web site: محمدرضا شجریان، خواننده ای که تکرار نشد. fa.
    10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlqeYvPhQuw Interview
    11. Web site: واکنش معاون اسبق وزیر ارشاد به ثبت ملی ربنای شجریان: "...تا ابد افسانه تو پایدار".
    12. https://web.archive.org/web/20180916225107/http://www.tabnak.ir/fa/news/414342/%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AA-%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A2%D9%86-%D8%B4%D8%AC%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%85-%D8%AE%D8%AA%D9%85-%D9%BE%D8%AF%D8%B1 زندگینامه: محمدرضا شجریان (۱۳۱۹-۱۳۹۹)
    13. Web site: زندگینامه: مژگان شجریان (۱۳۴۸-). 10 October 2008. همشهری آنلاین.
    14. News: Shajarian strides across world music stage. The Vancouver Sun. 1 May 2008. 4 February 2010. 4 June 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110604120156/http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastlife/story.html?id=5bf0c258-be0c-43d5-aa57-4fe6613b6e6c. dead.
    15. Web site: آشنایی با گروه شهناز. 20 December 2009. همشهری آنلاین.
    16. Web site: Majid Kazemi - In Koja O An Koja (Adrenalism Album). 27 October 2014 . www.youtube.com.
    17. Web site: 8 October 2020. Iranian Maestro Mohammad-Reza Shajarian Dies at 80. 12 October 2020. Iran Front Page. En.
    18. Web site: خسرو آواز ایران است او .... 1 July 1397. fa.
    19. https://www.irna.ir/news/83483796/%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A7-%D8%B4%D8%AC%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AE%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%88-%D8%A2%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%88-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%82%DB%8C-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86 درباره محمدرضا شجریان | خسرو آواز و اعتبار موسیقی ایرانی در جهان
    20. Web site: شاگردان شجریان از استاد می‌گویند . Shajarian's students talk about the master . asrpress.ir . fa . 3 January 2017 .
    21. Web site: کافه نوا - فصل 1 قسمت 2: محمد اصفهانی. فیلیمو.
    22. Web site: گزارشی از نمایشگاه ساز‌های ابداعی محمدرضا شجریان موسیقی ما. 12 January 2021. www.musicema.com.
    23. Web site: Musical Instruments & Inventions. 12 January 2021. Mohammad Reza Shajarian. en-US.
    24. Web site: گزارشی از نمایشگاه ساز‌های ابداعی محمدرضا شجریان موسیقی ما. 2021-03-28. musicema.com.
    25. Web site: دو شب از کنسرت چهره به چهره ، جشن هنر شیراز سال ۵۶ - شجریان و گروه شیدا. 15 August 2014.
    26. Web site: Maestro Mohammad Reza Shajarian: بت چین.
    27. https://web.archive.org/web/20071215074925/http://www.delawaz.ir/productview-34-fa.html آستان جانان
    28. https://web.archive.org/web/20150627161341/http://www.irannam.com/swf/playerMultipleMenuPackage/PeyvandMehr.htm پیوند مهر ـ محمد رضا شجریان ـ فرهنگ شریف و جهانگیر ملک
    29. Web site: Maestro Mohammad Reza Shajarian: باغبان گر پنج روزی صحبت گل بایدش.
    30. https://web.archive.org/web/20100625031720/http://parvizmeshkatian.ir/Cassettes/Dood_e_ood.htm نوار دود عود
    31. music.iranseda.ir/DetailsProgram/?VALID=TRUE&g=109578 چکاد
    32. https://web.archive.org/web/20081002003932/http://delawaz.ir/productview-76-fa.html زمستان است
    33. Web site: ایسنا. Telegram. 23 March 2005 .
    34. News: سخنرانی محمدرضا شجریان در باره موسیقی ایرانی در دانشگاه سانتابارابا، کالیفرنیا. رادیو فردا . 21 November 2006. www.radiofarda.com.
    35. Web site: 2020-10-08 . Iranian Composer And Opposition Beacon Shajarian Dies . 2024-06-22 . Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty . en.
    36. Web site: نامه اعتراض آمیز شجريان به ضرغامی. fa.
    37. Web site: 2009-06-16 . شجریان بار دیگر رادیو و تلویزیون را از پخش آثارش منع کرد . Shajarian's support from the people of Iran in 2009 . 2024-06-22 . BBC News فارسی . fa.
    38. News: A Voice of Iran, Master Singer Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Has Died. NPR. 8 October 2020. Tsioulcas. Anastasia.
    39. Web site: Iran listens for Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, the lost voice of Ramadan. . 10 July 2013.
    40. News: Dehghan . Saeed Kamali . 2013-07-10 . Iran listens for Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, the lost voice of Ramadan . 2024-06-22 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
    41. Web site: 2017-05-29 . Iran's Politics Colors Ramadan Prayer Dispute . 2024-06-22 . Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty . en.
    42. Web site: Hassan Rouhani's support from Shajarian . 2024-06-22 . آپارات - سرویس اشتراک ویدیو . fa.
    43. Web site: محمدرضا شجریان: انتقادم به اشتباه یک فرد بود، با نظام مخالف نیستم . tabnak.ir . fa . 6 June 2016 .
    44. News: IRAN: Famous singer Shajarian decries 'Language of Fire,'. Los Angeles Times. 6 September 2009. 23 December 2017.
    45. Web site: شجریان در آخرین مصاحبه خود چه گفت؟. 14 November 2020. www.alef.ir. 10 October 2020.
    46. News: استاد شجریان در آخرین مصاحبه‌اش: وقتی مردم دردی دارند من باید از درد دل آنها بگویم. 14 November 2020. روزنامه دنیای اقتصاد. fa.
    47. Web site: ناگفته های استاد شجریان در گفتگو با "ایران"/ سه سال خانه نشین بودم که بگویم توده ای نیستم/ " ربنا " چگونه خوانده شد؟ / نمی دانم حرف حساب افراطیون چیست؟/ یک هنرجوی خوب ابتدا باید بتواند خوب تقلید کند. 14 November 2020. ایران آنلاین.
    48. Web site: Fassihi. Farnaz. October 10, 2020. Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Iranian Master Singer and Dissident, Dies at 80. The New York Times.
    49. Web site: October 30, 2020. In Memory of Ostad Shajarian. jadaliyya.
    50. http://www.rudaw.net/english/culture/22032016 Rudaw – Iran's iconic singer Shajarian hints at cancer, refers to illness as 'old friend'
    51. Web site: چرا استاد شجریان با سر تراشیده پیام نوروزی داد؟ + ویدیو. fa.
    52. Web site: یادداشت بهرام بیضایی برای تولد محمدرضا شجریان. 3 January 2024. خبرگزاری ایلنا.
    53. News: بستری‌شدن شجریان در بیمارستان؛ "عمل جراحی موفق بوده است". رادیو فردا.
    54. Web site: استاد محمدرضا شجریان از بیمارستان مرخص شد. 24 August 2020. همشهری آنلاین.
    55. Web site: بستری شدن دوباره استاد محمدرضا شجریان در بیمارستان؛ "خسرو آواز ایران" در اغما | صدای آمریکا فارسی. ir.voanews.com. 5 October 2020 .
    56. Web site: Legendary Iranian singer Shajarian passes away. 8 October 2020. Mehr News Agency.
    57. Web site: Mohammad Reza Shajarian: Iran's legendary singer dies in Tehran . BBC News . 8 October 2020 . 8 October 2020.
    58. https://en.mehrnews.com/photo/164495/Paying-tribute-to-Iran-s-legendary-maestro Paying tribute to Iran's legendary maestro
    59. Web site: Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Iranian Master Singer and Dissident, Dies. Farnaz . Fassihi . The New York Times . 8 October 2020 . 8 October 2020.
    60. Web site: همسر استاد شجریان در مراسم تشییع + عکس. 10 October 2020. www.salameno.com.
    61. Web site: گفت و گویی با خانم کتایون خوانساری- همسراستاد شجریان. 8 October 2020. iranianuk.com.
    62. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010637/http://www.roozna.com/Negaresh_site/FullStory/?Id=29823&Title=%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%83%D9%88%20%D8%A8%D9%87%20%D8%B4%D8%AC%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%86%20%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%84%20%D9%85%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AA%20%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF روزنا
    63. News: Mohammad Reza Shajarian: Protest Through Poetry. Steve Inkeep. NPR. 2 September 2010. 23 December 2017.
    64. https://www.jamnews.com/TextVersionDetail/365699 وقتی شجریان، شوالیه فرانسوی ها شد +تصاویر
    65. Web site: جایزه ویژه بنیاد آقاخان به محمدرضا شجریان تقدیم شد فارسی . 2019-04-01 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20230622005636/https://www.bbc.com/persian/arts-47769200 . 2023-06-22 . live .

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