Dariush Tala'i (Setar) - The Instrumental Radif of Persian Music - Radif of Mirza Abdollah - A box of six cassettes, released in Iran in mid 1990s

Before we proceed on our journey further towards Afghanistan and India, we return back to Iran for another unexpected post by Dariush Tala'i. We received this box recently as a gift from a very dear Iranian friend, Mohsen. Many many thanks to him.

This Radif was recorded in 1992 at the University of Washington, School of Music, Seattle. It was first published in 1994 on 5 CDs by the French label Al Sur. These CDs are no longer available for many years. The Iranian edition on six cassettes was probably published shortly after the French edition. It is also no longer available for quite some time and never has been released on CD in Iran.

Mirza Abdollah (1843-1918), whose Radif is performed here, was one of the most important musicians in the recent history of classical Iranian music. His father Ali Akbar Farahani was the one who collected all the remaining parts of the old classical music and organized them into a Radif. His two sons, Mirza Abdollah and Mirza Hossein Qoli (Agha Hossein Gholi) (1853-1916) transmitted two different versions of this Radif to many students. These two Radifs are the basis of most classical Iranian music since then. 

Ali Akbar Farahani 

Mirza Abdollah

Aqa Hossein Qoli

Ali Akbar Khan Shahnazi

Dariush Tala'i himself is a student of Agha Hossein Gholi's son, Ali Akbar Khan Shahnazi (1897-1985), who was considered the greatest Tar player of his generation. Ali Akbar Shahnazi transmitted the Radif of his father to many excellent students. He also created his own Radif, which he also transmitted. 

But Dariush Tala'i learned also the Radif of Mirza Abdollah, which is the most widely known and used Radif, probably from another of his masters, Nur Ali Borumand (1905-1977), who was the main transmitter of this Radif to later generations. In the booklet to the French edition of this Radif Dariush Tala'i thanks all his masters. Next to the two already mentioned, these are Abdollah Davami, Yusuf Forutan and Said Hormozi. By three of these masters we recently posted recordings.

The Radifs by Mirza Abdollah, Aqa Hossein Qoli (another transcription of his name) and Ali Akbar Shahnazi are all available on CDs and also as books, with complete scores of the Radifs, from the Iranian label and publishing house Mahoor.

Volume 1:

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Volume 2:

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Volume 3:

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Volume 4:

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Volume 5:

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Volume 6:

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Unfortunately on side 1 of cassette 6 something went wrong. We have replaced the faulty file now by a correct one. Sorry for the inconveniance.

People's Melodies of Turkmenistan - LP released in Soviet Turkmenistan in 1979

Here our third LP from Turkmenistan from the collection of Werner Durand. Side 1 has Bakhshi music by N. Gulov, accompanied by Dotar and Gidjak, and the first two tracks on side 2 are also Bakhshi music by N. Gulov and B. Berdyyev, again accompanied by Dotar and Gidjak. Here we have again two extracts from Dastans in tracks 1 and 7. Tracks 8 to 11 are folk songs performed a cappella.

According to https://records.su/album/18738 the details are:

Side 1:

N. Gulov (1—5):

1. Diygey sen (muz. nar. — sl. iz eposa «Ger-ogly»)

2. Soz bilyani (muz. nar. — Bayli shakhir)

3. Byari gel, byari

4. Yandyrdyn, Bibi (muz. nar. — Changli shakhir)

5. Aya dondi (muz. nar. — Makhtumkuli)

Side 2:

N. Gulov & B. Berdyyev (6, 7):

6. Yarymdan, Bibi (muz. nar. — D. Balkizil)

7. Sonam geldimi (muz. nar. — sl. iz dastana «Nedzhep-oglan»)

O. Durdyyeva (8—10):

8. Lyale

9. Khuvdi

10. Khovlim

A. Kurbanov, G. Melyayev (11):

11. Kushtdendi (nar. pesni). 

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Many thanks to Werner for his generous sharing.

In the future we will post more Turkmen LPs, inshaAllah.

Napevy Dutara - Dotar Tunes - Turkmen folk melodies - LP released in 1984 in Soviet Turkmenistan

Here another beautiful LP from Soviet Turkmenistan, contributed by our friend Werner Durand. This one is a purely instrumental one by three great Dotar players. It was recorded in 1981 and released in 1984.

Side 1:

Aymamed Ashirov (Dotar):

1. Saryya

2. Mukam razluki

Ammanazar Atayev (Dotar):

3. Prosnis'

4. Reka Tu-ni

5. Naydeno v solonchake

Side 2:

Khan Akyyev (Dotar):

1. Toska

2. Nevestki

3. Dovletler

4. Gyzyl boryk

5. Pridi

6. Shalar belmiyer

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Jan Jan - Bakhshi Music from Turkmenistan - LP released in Soviet Turkmenistan in 1989

Here we start to post a series of three rare LPs of the music of the Bakhshis (bards) of Turkmenistan. Our friend Werner Durand contibuted these to our blog. Many thanks to him for his very generous sharing. In the future we will post more.

For more details on the music you can download the booklets to two CDs of Turkmen Bakhshis: Chants des femmes Bakhshi and Turkmen Epic Singing

In the past we had posted two cassettes with recordings from the Iranian part of Turkmenistan and a Japanese LP which had three recordings from Soviet Turkmenistan: see here.

Side 1:

Nuryagdı Bayramov - Vocal, Çarı Alladurdıev - Gidjak, Tagan Taganov - Dutar

1. Moy Oraz (muzıka nar.- Kemine)

2. Ne nujdayus v tebe (muzıka nar.- Zelili)

3. Agların (iz dastana «Zohre i Tahir»)

4. Jan - jan (iz dastana «Şasenem i Garib»)

5. Terekme (iz dastana «Zohre i Tahir») 

Side 2:

Annaseid Annamuradov - Dutar 

1. Taşgoldı

2. Uzor

3. Arzıman

4. Nar agajı

5. Gaşlı yar

6. Gorı (nar. melodii). 

One sees here, that on Side 1 in tracks 3 to 5 extracts from Dastans (Epics) are performed, namely the ones named "Zohre and Tahir" and "Şasenem and Gari". Dastan singing is the main art of the Bakhshis, but very often they sing also just songs or perform solo instrumental pieces on the Dotar as here on side 2. 

A Bakhshi is always accompanied by the Dotar, which he most times plays himself, and sometimes the ensemble is completed by a Gidjak, as here on side 1. It is the same instrument as the Iranian and Azerbaijani Kemencheh. The Bakhshis are often amazing virtuoso on the Dotar, a two-string long-necked lute, as here on side 2.

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Iskhak Katayev - On the pages of Tajik Makoms - LP released in Soviet Tajikistan in 1983

Iskhak (Isoq or Isaac) Katayev (d. 2006) was a famous singer of the Shashmaqam of Bukhara. He belonged - as so many of the Shashmaqam singers - to the Jewish community and emigrated at the end of his life to the United States. Apparently he lived part of his life in Tajikistan.

In 2016 we had posted an Uzbek MP3-CD devoted to four Shashmaqam singers. Our singer here was one these four. See there for more information on the singer.

I saw him probably live as part of the Ilyas Malayev Ensemble at two concerts in Utrecht, Holland, at the Oude Music Festival, in the early or mid 1990s. I remember that at the day before they performed they were sitting right next to me in another concert. I was unable to figure out from which country they might come. And a big cloud of a strong fragrance sourronded them which I also couldn't figure out. Only a day later I learned that these were the musicians of the Uzbek Jewish Shashmaqam ensemble from Queens, N.Y. and that the fragrance came from smoking enormous amounts of cheap Russian cigarettes. This was quite an experience and so were also the two concerts: I never had heard Shashmaqam before and was very surprised at the sheer power and loudness of their voices. Very impressing. But I really fell strongly in love with this music only in 1998 at a tour of the Ari Babakhanov Ensemble through Holland and Belgium. With each concert my love for this music became stronger and after the last concert I was so sad that the tour was over.

Here the track info as found on https://records.su/album/21756:

Side 1:
1. Nasrulloi (klassicheskaya melodiya - Dzhazbi)
2. Savti kalon (klassicheskaya melodiya - Soib)
3. Vospominaniye (muzyka nar.- Nazim, Nakis)

Side 2:
4. Ushshoki Samarkand (muzyka nar.-- Zebuniso)
5. YA schastliv (muzyka nar.- Dzh. Kuvnakov)
6. Kashkarchai mugulchai dugokh (klassicheskaya melodiya - P. Khisori)
7. Talkini ushshok (klassicheskaya melodiya - Khusayni)

Iskhak Katayev - tanbur,
Gafur Razykov - dutar,
Mikhail Katayev - doyra (3, 4),
Ensemble of National Instruments (1, 2, 5-7)

Most of the songs belong to the repertoire of Shashmaqam.

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Makoms - From Uzbek People‘s Musical Legacy - Double LP released in Soviet Uzbekistan in 1984

Here a very interesting anthology of Makom traditions of Uzbekistan with older, partly very rare recordings from the years 1955 to 1984. The first LP is devoted to Shashmaqam. Side 3 has samples of the Makom tradition of Khorezm (finally) and side 4 has the one of the Ferghana Valley. A few of these recordings were already part of some of our older posts, namely the ones by the Shashmakom ensemble directed by Yunus Rajabi and the piece by Mamurjan Uzakov.

There are spoken comments in Uzbek introducing every track. We have posted two versions: one with the comments and another one without them.

Here the details from https://records.su/album/22599 (with some corrections):

Makoms - From Uzbek People‘s Musical Legacy

Comments of F. Karamatov (in Uzbek) are read by M. Rakhimov

First disc - Side 1:

1. Bebochcha (Fuzuli) - Hadji Abdulaziz Rasulov

2. Tasnifi Buzruk

3. Garduii Buzruk

4. Mukhammasi Navo - 2., 3. & 4. Student ensemble of Makomistov of Tashkent State University Conservatory dir. by Abdurahim Hamidov

5. Sarakhbori Navo - Ensemble of the makomistov of the Uzbek Television and Radio dir. by Yunus Rajabi

Side 2:

1. Talqini Bayot, Tarona, Nasri Bayot (Sakkoki, Navoi, Babur) - Ensemble of the makomistov of the Uzbek Television and Radio dir. by Yunus Rajabi

2. Mugilchai Dugoh (Fuguri) - Domla Halim Ibadov (singing, doira), Shonazar Sahibov (tanbur)

3. Iroqi Bukhoro (Babur) - Ensemble of the makomistov of the Uzbek Television and Radio dir. by Yunus Rajabi

Second disc - Side 3:

1. Tani Makom (Ogakhi) - Kamiljan Ataniyazov (Komiljon Otaniyozov) (singing, tar), Abdusharif Atajanov (doira)

2. Talqin - Amiri-Hadjikhan Baltaev (Xozhixon Boltayev) (singing, dutar), Abdusharif Atajanov (doira)

3. Kazhang Suvor va tezgasi (Ogakhi) - Madrahim Matyakubov (singing, dutar)

Side 4:

4. Dugoh Husaini (Navoi) - Sharahim Shaumarov (singing, dutar)

5. Shakhnozi gulor (Mukimi) - Halima Nasyrova and Fatima Borukhova (singing), Turgun Alimatov (tanbur), Zakirjan Abidov (dutar)

6. Bayot III (Mukimi) - Mamurjan Uzakov, Ensemble of People's Instruments

7. Ushshoq (Navoi) - Yunus Rajabi, Ensemble of People's Instruments

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Arifkhan Khatamov, Khakimdzhan Faiziyev & Akhrarkhon Khatamov ‎– Classical Songs of the Uzbek People - LP published in Soviet Uzbekistan in 1972

Here an LP by the great Arifkhan Khatamov (Orifxon Xatamov), the most important representative of the Maqom tradition of the Ferghana Valley of his generation. Unfortunately the LP came with a generic cover. We had posted in 2017, 2015 and 2012 already two MP3 CDs and some tracks found in the internet by the artist. The musicians here are: Arifkhan Khatamov (Vocal & Tanbur), Khakimdzhan Faiziyev (Vocal & Dotar) and Akhrarkhon Khatamov (Vocal).

Side 1: 

Mustaxzod (muz. nar.— Xuvajdo

Ulandan sur (muz. nar,— Amiri)

Karimkulʙegi, Kaşkarcai uşşok Sodirxon (muz. nar.— A. Navoi)

Side 2: 

Va'da ajlaʙ ( muz. nar.— Munis)

Guluzorim mening (A. Xatamov — A. Navoi)

Suvora (muz. nar.— A. Navoi)

Track details from http://records.su/album/40339

The words behind the titles mean first: music traditional (only on side 2 in track 2 the name of the composer is given: our singer A. Xatamov) and the second name is the name of the poet.

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Barno Ishakova (1927-2001) - B. Iskhakova sings Tajik songs - LP released in Tajikistan in 1973

Here we present an LP we recently aquired, unfortunately with a generic cover. But anyway, it is the first LP by this great artist we ever got. She is considered to be the greatest female voice in classic Uzbek and Tajik Shashmaqom music. Born in Uzbekistan she spend most of her life in Tajikistan. At the end of her life she emigrated to Israel. 

The very helpful discography at Catalog of Soviet Records gives the following details:

Barno Isxakova

Side 1:

Sinaxuruş (muz. nar.— Kooni);

Xikojat mekunad (N. Şaulov — Dƶami);

Navruzi saʙo (muz. nar.—Xafiz);

Side 2:

Mugulcai dujux (muz. nar.— Furugi);

Capandozi uşşok (muz. nar,— Maxfi);

Nasri uşşok (muz. nar.—Xafiz)

Most of the pieces are from the Shashmaqam. Noteworthy is that the poets are Persian ones like Hafiz (Xafiz) and Jami (Dzami). Tajik is a language close to Persian while Uzbek is one of the Central Asian Turkic languages. The difference between the classical repertoire in Uzbekistan and in Tajikistan is only that in Uzbekistan the poems are most times in Chagatai, a late medieval form of Uzbek, and in Tajikistan they are in Persian.

On our recent post on Traditional Music Of The Tajik People there was one track by Barno Ishakova. In 2012 and 2016 we posted already three releases by her. We see here again how differently her name can be transcribed.

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