Sunday, January 27, 2013

Javād Ma'roufi -- Golden Dreams & Other Romantic Melodies (Iran, 197x / SARLP-500)

  


"Javad Maroufi (جواد معروفی)  was born in Tehran in 1919. He was one of the first musicians who chose to perform Persian music on the piano. Piano and violin were brought to Persia during the reign of the Qajar King Nassereddin-Shah. In the beginning, these instruments could only be found in the royal palaces and the homes of the nobility. Qolamreza Salar Moazez, Motamedolmolk Yahyaian, and Mahmoud Mofakham were among the first musicians who introduced the piano in Persia. Alinaqi Vaziri taught piano in his music school, and later, prominent musicians like Moshirhomayoun Shahrdar, Hossein Ostovar, Morteza Mahjoubi, and Javad Maroufi were the ones who were admired by the lovers of this instrument and by ordinary people. Maroufi was the son of Moussa Maroufi, a renowned player of the tar. Mousa was the best student of Darvish Khan and Alinaqi Vaziri. He paid special attention to his son Javad’s musical education. After completing elementary school, Javad Maroufi attended Alinaqi Vaziri's School of Music. He started with the tar, but turned to the piano after a few years. Maroufi graduated from Vaziri’s School of Music in 1932. He went on to receive a diploma from the Tehran Conservatory, where he studied Western music. He believed that, in order to be able to play Persian music on the piano, one should also master the techniques of Western music. Maroufi began working at Radio Iran when it was established in 1941. He collaborated closely with the great Rouhollah Khaleghi as a piano soloist, as well as an arranger of works of other composers. He taught piano, music theory, and solfege at the School of National Music for many years. He also composed many original works for piano solo. Maroufi passed away in 1994." (Rouhollah Khaleghi Artistic Center)

Here's a much needed re-rip of this wistful, yet contemplative, solo set of Persian piano compositions by Javād Ma'roufi. Golden Dreams is a longtime personal favorite from my collection, highly recommended, we'll say, for any other homeless wanderers who've found solace in the sounds of Tsegue Maryam Guebrou. Romantic regional piano solos; Bartok's Romanian Folk Dances, as another example, are slowly becoming a strong fascination, here. Do any discerning readers out there have further recommendations? 


Javād Ma'roufi -- Golden Dreams & Other Romantic Melodies (Iran, 197x / SARLP-500)


Side A
1. Prelude no. 1
2. Prelude no. 2
3. Prelude no. 3
4. Prelude no. 4
5. Prelude no. 5

Side B
1. Jila
2. Golden Dreams
3. Kou Kou
4. Fantasie on Armenian Theme
5. Fantasie on La Minor





16 comments:

11person said...

this is absolutely stunning. Thanks for sharing.

icastico said...

Mustapha Skandrani would be good as well for anyone who enjoys this one.

Anonymous said...

I'm always looking for something I haven't heard before...I know nothing about this at all but your review has convinced me that I need to listen to this... thanks very much.

Anonymous said...

Truly moving. Thank you so much.

rik said...

yes, mustapha skandrani (algeria) and abdallah chahine (lebanon) are both EXCELLENT!!! thanks for this

Will said...

Oh man, I was just going to suggest Mustapha Skandrani! I uploaded his Virtuoses album to What about a year ago.

Whizzdumb said...

The first posting of this album partly inspired me to make a compilation of "pianoriental" pieces. I don't remember which ones camefrom you, but you might want to check out the following: Diego Amadador's flamenco piano, Alexander Mosolov, Maurice El Medioni (pianoriental), Kya Kya Naing (Myanmar drumming & Piano), Didier Squibran (celtic paino). Also try to find Stravinsky's sacre du printemps for 4 hands (2 piano's), Colin Mcphee's piano transcriptions of gamelan, Debussy's gamelan inspired piano pieces (like Pagodes). Hope this helps.

Richard Clayderman said...

Music of Gurdjieff and De Hartmann with eastern & oriental soul

Anonymous said...

lots of nice suggestions, here. not nearly as obscure, but Anoushiravan ROHANI is amazing. when i play his stuff for pianists, their jaws always drop, and they just can't believe his chop & technique. i love his extremely dramatic manner of interpreting stuff, haha... i think Maroufi was actually his teacher(?), so i'm sure everybody already knows about him...

Holly said...

Oh, Nick, just got a chance to listen to this tonight. Superb. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

this is great.
Still, Maryam Tsegue Gebrou is my absolute favorite piano album.
Also, check out Chilly Gonzales "piano works". Two great solo piano albums that holds a lot of beauty...

jb said...

It is indeed gorgeous. Thanks

Anonymous said...

Wonderful, beautifully melancholic.

Anonymous said...

thank u so much for this....who'd thought that an album with that front cover had so much more to give?
Amazing...

I recommend to lend your ears to Jan Johansson's stunning album "jazz på svenska" (jazz in swedish)

Anonymous said...

Anybody have a link to a music download of Mustapha Skandrani? Will?

Anonymous said...

Note that the back cover of this "classical" album seems to be taken from the cover of The Who album, Tommy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_%28album%29)

it would be interesting if you know why this cover was chosen ?

Assaf