Tar: Musa Marufi & Yahya Zarpanje
Musa Marufi was born in 1897 to a wealthy family. He began his music studies using a piano at his house, and then studied tar with Aqa Hoseyn-Qoli. After the death of his master he joined in Darvish Khan classes when he was 30.
He had several courses on radif with Darvish Khan and graduated by receiving the Golden Halberd, a medal donated by Darvish Khan to his top students.
As early as High School of Music was founded by Ali-Naqi Vaziri (1923) he joined as a tar player to its orchestra, already joined by H. Gol-e Golab, M.-H. Adib, H. Saba, E. Mehrtash, and M.-S. Arbabi. He then became the tar master of Military School of Music which was active until 1934.
In 1965 Musa Marufi transcribed complete set of dastgahs of Persian classical music. It was published as Radif of Seven Dastgahs of Persian Music, with an introduction by Mehdi Barkeshli. This was a major contribution and largely helped to preserve the musical legacy of Persian classical music.
Yahya Zarpanje was born in 1897 in Tehran. His father was a singer and dayere player. The profession of his family was music, and Yahya first studies with his brother Musa Khan, and for completing his studies went by Darvish Khan and became a professional tar player. Yahya was amongst the best players emerging from Tehran Jewish community. Due to his talents and interests he practiced hard and gain virtuosity. His plucking was rapid and strong, and his finger-work on the bass string was exemplary. To get skilled he even practiced with rough strings and on poor instruments. He was an expert in radif, and amongst dastgahs he regarded Shur as the most complete.
Yahya founded his own classes and trained several pupils, and recorded some of his performances. Among them a tasnif record composed by Morteza neydavud to lyrics by Ahmad Bakhtyari, presently held in the archives of Tehran Radio Corporation. Another famous recording is his Mahur. He died in 1932. ...
Published [05/03/2008]
