Hossein Tehrāni (1912 – February 26, 1974) (Persian: حسین تهرانی) was an Iranian musician and tonbak player.[1] He is regarded as an innovator, expanding the modern tonbak into an instrument that can be played solo, in addition to its earlier role as an accompaniment instrument. Tehrāni added to the instrument's possibilities with added "beating methods" and played his instrument with different "sonorities".[2]
Hossein Tehrāni حسین تهرانی | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 1912 |
| Origin | Tehran, Iran |
| Died | February 26, 1974 (aged 62) |
| Genres | Persian music |
| Occupations |
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Early life
editTehrāni was born in Tehran, Iran. At an early age he was going to Zurkhaneh (an Iranian gymnasium) and was impressed by the big clay vase covered on open bottom with skin called Zarb Zurkhaneh. At the age of 13, Tehrāni found a similar type of Zarb Zurkhaneh in a smaller size, which was called tonbak, and began practicing by himself.
Musical education
editIn 1928 Hossein Tehrāni became interested in studying music professionally, and took private lessons from music master and kamancheh player Hossein Khan Esmail-Zadeh.[3] Tehrāni was keen to observe different tonbak playing styles so he attended the music classes of master tonbak players such as Reza Ravanbakhsh and Kangarlo. He wanted to learn more about Iranian traditional music, and therefore formed a relationship with the great music master and multi-instrumentalist Abolhasan Saba, from whom he learnt music theory and different aspects of Iranian traditional music.[4]
Albums
edit- Tombak
- World Beat
- Zard Malijeh
- Navaye Del
- Avaye Hossein Tehrani
- Avaye Tehrani & Saba
- Zarbkhani Haye Hossein Tehrani
- Zarbahang
- Iranian Traditional Music Professors (Hossein Tehrani)
- Tonbak Training
- Yadgare Habib[5] (Habib's Legacy), with Talieh Kamran, 2011[6][7]
Music career
edit
In 1940 the first radio station was established in Tehran and Hossein Tehrāni was an active tonbak player accompanying musicians while performing live music programmes. He was a permanent member of the National Music Ensemble and National Music association. Tehrāni formed and organized a tonbak players ensemble with seven members[8] and performed several pieces with his group for the first time at the Shiraz Arts Festival; the group performed several concerts in Talar Vahadat, formerly Talar Roudaki.
While playing the tonbak, Tehrāni could imitate the sound of a locomotive and a motorcycle to astonish his listeners.[9]
Tutoring career
editHossein Tehrāni was a tonbak instructor at the College of Music and the National Music College of Tehran. Tehrāni innovated a rhythm technique, which involved the tonbak being played in harmony with the saying of Persian phrases such as baleh vo baleh, baleh digeh and yek sad-o bist-o panj.
Literary work
editTehrāni wrote a book titled Amouzesh Tonbak-ٱموزش تنبك about the style and practice of the tonbak.
Resting place
editHossein Tehrāni is buried in the Zahir-od-dowleh cemetery, Darband, Shemiran, Tehran.[10]
References
edit- ^ "یادی از حسین تهرانی ـ نوازنده نامی تنبک + صدا [translation: Memory of Hossein Tehrani - famous tonbak musician + voice]". Iranian Students' News Agency.
هفتم اسفندماه ۱۳۵۲
- ^ Jean During (1984). "Zarb". In Sadie, Stanley (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments. p. 891. Volume 3.
- ^ Donbak.co.uk Archived 2007-04-05 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Iran Chamber Society: www.iranchamber.com
- ^ Kamran, Talieh; Tehrani, Hossein (2011). یادگار حبیب (Audio Disc (CD)). Avaye Barbad.
- ^ "درباره یادگار حبیب سماعی، طلیعه کامران". Harmony Talk (in Persian). 2017-01-11.
- ^ "آواهای کمشنیده از دیروز تا امروز • طلیعه کامران – DW – ۱۴۰۲/۶/۱۶". dw.com (in Persian). Retrieved 2024-09-15.
- ^ film of ensemble on YouTube
- ^ Tehrani play solo tonbak (locomotive) / www.HarmonyTalk.com on YouTube
- ^ Photograph of the grave of Hossein Tehrani, Zahir od-Dowleh cemetery: [1].
![[1]](https://web.archive.org/web/20120210072343/http://inlinethumb05.webshots.com/27140/2175862420061594669S600x600Q85.jpg){kind=link}
External links
edit
- https://web.archive.org/web/20070405025213/http://www.donbak.co.uk/artists/ostad_hosain_tehrani.htm
- Biography of Hossein Tehrani on Iran Chamber Society: www.iranchamber.com
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KWyjJ1vbcc
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHTJxVXUrCA
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3XUolbdXks