Ostad Faramarz Payvar
Faramarz Payvar is a well-known name in our country for he is the most prominent santur virtuoso and his touch has created the most beautiful sounds of the cascade-like glissandi on the instrument, all of them products of a highly cultivated mind.
Faramarz Payvar began his musical studies at the age of 17 with Abolhasan Saba and completed radif in 6 years. So prominent was his development, that he accompanied his master in several occasions. Their collaboration has been recorded and is made available for music-lovers.
He completed his primary and high schools in Asjodi School and in Dar-ol-Fonun. In 1952 he began his military service and after that was employed by the Ministry of Finance and Economy.
After Saba's death, Payvar continued his studies with Ostad Davami, Ostad Ma'rufi and Ostad Borumand by surveying and learning radifs of Darvish Khan, Aqa Hoseyn-Qoli and Mirza Abdollah and perfected and completed his musical knowledge. In this period he compiled and transcribed the great legacy of Persian music, thus preserved it for the ages to come. The most important works that he collected are:
Volcal Radif of Persian Music according to the version of Abdollah Davami
Anthology of old Tasnifs; Works of Sheyda, Aref, Sama' Hozur...
Works of Darvish Khan and Rokneddin Mokhtari.
Payvar also studied composition with Ostad Dehlavi and Emanuel Melik-Aslanian. He began his career as a performing artist - playing santur - in 1955, and arranged solo recitals as well as duos with Abolhasan Saba and Hoseyn Tehrani for radio broadcasting. After National Television was founded, Payvar managed to perform live programs which turned out to be of high importance in making people get familiar to Persian music. In 1963 he went to England to study English in Cambridge University. During the 3 years of language studies, he could also give santur recitals and lectures on Persian music in Cambridge and London Colleges. After returning from England, he performed remarkably in Shiraz Art Festival with numerous musicians and other masters of Persian music.
In 1967 Rudaki Hall was founded and the peak of his career began. He performed many pieces by past masters and accompanied great vocalists of the day in concerts held in newly founded place. In 1968 he was transferred to the Ministry of Education and retired in 1976. ...
