The Iranian listener's mind is not yet ready to understand Morteza Hananeh's works; A confiscationist view, whether with good intentions or because of monopoly

Morteza Hananeh (born on March 11, 1301), one of the most prominent Iranian composers and conductors, died on Mehr 24, 1368. Omid Mehrabi, the composer and conductor of the orchestra, said: "Hanane always had the attitude that her works and opinions are not understood by others. Interestingly, this attitude has also spread to some of his students; In such a way that a kind of confiscationist view has been formed and whether with good intentions or monopolistic, they believe that the mind listens.

According to Ambassador Arjan, quoted by Ambassador Arjan, Morteza Hananeh is one of the most prominent musicians, composers and conductors in the history of contemporary Iranian music. He is known above all for his tireless efforts to link between authentic Iranian music and Western scientific and orchestral forms. Hananeh was not only a composer; He was a great theoretician and teacher who had a new look at "polyphony" in Iranian music.

Morteza Hananeh was born on March 11, 1301 in Tehran. After finishing elementary school, he studied at the National Music Conservatory at the insistence of his father. At that time, the Conservatory of Music had hired 10 musicians from Czechoslovakia to teach the students of the Conservatory, and Hananeh began to learn the horn under one of them, Rudolph Urbants. He was later known as the first horn player of Tehran Symphony Orchestra.

With the start of the Second World War and the spread of its fire to Iran, the music conservatory was closed, but Hananeh, with the help of other enthusiasts such as Gholamhossein Gharib, Hassan Shirvani, and Fereydoun Farzaneh, organized free concerts in the halls of cultural and artistic associations, and after a while, Parviz Mahmoud joined this group, and in 1325, the foundation of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra was laid.

In 1328, with Parviz Mahmoud's irreversible trip to America, Hanane along with her friends Gholamhossein Gharib, Hassan Shirvani and Jalil Ziapour founded the cultural publication "Khorus Jangi". These artists wanted to create a strong fortress to defend their opinions against traditional music fans. In addition to this media work, Hananeh collected Mahmoud's scattered works and prepared them for performance with the Tehran Symphony Orchestra led by Rubik Grigorian. In these years, Hananeh finished his famous work "Sweet Shahr Marjan" based on a story by Gholamhossein Gharib.

Hananeh traveled to Italy in 1332 to complete her studies in various fields of art, especially music. He returned to Iran after graduating from the Vatican Music Institute in 1340. From then on, Hananeh was considered as the most prolific progressive musician in Iran. In 1342, in addition to teaching composition (orchestration) and managing the horn class at the High Music Conservatory, he became a member of the Supreme Music Council of Iran Radio and it was at this time that he founded the Iran Radio Symphony Orchestra under the name of "Farabi" Orchestra. This orchestra was able to perform and record the works of Iranian composers such as Morteza Hananeh, Siddiqa Shahnia, Fereydoun Naseri, Fereydoun Farzaneh, Mustafa Kasravi and Syros Shahrdar.

In 1348 and 1349, Hananeh took charge of supervising and performing educational programs on Iranian music on TV under the title "Identifying Authentic Iranian Music" along with Farhang Sharif, Morteza Nidawood and Hossein Qavami. He was sent to the "International Tribune of Radio and Television Composers" in 1345 by the Iranian Radio and at the invitation of UNESCO, where he performed parts of his work "Artorio" which was broadcast on the radio of Ireland and Switzerland.

After the opening of "National Radio and Television of Iran" organization, Hananeh, in the position of a supervisory consultant, established classes for the technical training of singers and formed an orchestra of Iranian instruments. In the last years of the forties, with the dissolution of the "Farabi" orchestra, Hananeh turned to film music, taking into account the film experiences he had accumulated in Italy, and with his creations, he ensured the success of many medium-sized films.

He has written music for films such as "Farar az Tele", "Gorg Bizar", "Mahan's Story", "Salaam Sarzemen Man", "Moj", "Glim" and "Tirbaran". The music of the television series "Hazardestan" written and directed by Ali Hatami is one of his works, "Impromptu Ragya", "Lullaby" and a piece based on a poem by Nima Yoshij are among other works of Hanana.

"Caprice for Piano and Orchestra" is Hananeh's most important work, written over thirty years and based on his latest achievements on Iranian polyphonic music. This work was performed by the Tehran Symphony Orchestra under the leadership of Fereydoun Naseri in 1369 and the Chamber Orchestra of the National Television of Iran in 1347, but it was not recorded. Finally, because the performances of this work were never approved by him (according to himself, the great pain of the performance technique prevented it), he called it "Cursed Caprice". Hananeh trained many students who, like Farhad Fakhredini, later became pillars of Iranian music.

Hananeh died on 24 Mehr 1368, after suffering from eye cancer. He had willed to be buried in Ibn Sina's tomb in Hamadan, but contrary to his will, he was buried in Imamzadeh Tahir Karaj.

Hananeh was an artist who bridged between tradition and modernity. He was not only a composer but also a music reformer who believed that it is possible to improve Iranian music through academic knowledge and intelligent use of global techniques. He is known as a sound analyst and architect in the history of Iranian music. Unlike composers who acted solely on the basis of individual taste, Hananeh's works were based on deep theoretical analyzes and strict techniques of Western classical music.

Hananeh's music has distinctive and unique features that separate him from his contemporaries; Hananeh's biggest concern was "multivocalization" of Iranian music. Unlike many traditionalists who believed that Iranian music is monophonic, Hananeh tried to incorporate Iranian melodies into polyphonic orchestral formats using harmony and counterpoint techniques.

Hananeh combined authentic Iranian music with western forms such as "suite" and "symphony". In his settings, he used scientific orchestral structures to show off the richness of traditional music. This musician was against copying and blindly imitating western music or distorting traditional music. He believed that the orchestral music of Iran should have an Iranian identity and should not just wear western clothes to Iranian music.

In his books, especially "Lost Steps", Hananeh raised controversial ideas. He believed that the intervals of Iranian music have been distorted or forgotten over the centuries. Relying on his historical research, he tried to use intervals and steps in his compositions that were rarely heard in the popular music of the time. This approach made his works have a different atmosphere and feeling that was familiar to the listener, but at the same time, it seemed strange and new.

Hananeh was one of the pioneers of film music in Iran. The soundtracks of films such as "Blood Barash" (directed by Amir Qavidel), "Tashrifat" (directed by Mehdi Fakhimzadeh), "The Man Who Became a Mouse" (directed by Ahmad Bakshi), "Tirbaran" (directed by Ali Asghar Shadervan), "Jaafar Khan from Farang Bargsadeh" (directed by Ali Hatami) and the enduring series "Hazardestan" written and directed by Ali Hatami show his ability in sound imaging. was He considered film music as an independent art that should contribute to the overall quality of the film.

The use of fixed themes for specific characters or situations was one of his distinctive features in the soundtrack, which contributed to the structural integrity of the work. For example, Hananeh wrote the music for the television series "Hazardestan" based on an advance in Isfahan by Morteza Nidawood.

Hananeh wrote "Hazardestan" in seven parts and in terms of colorful themes, it is a very rich work. This music is considered the most popular work of Hananeh and conveys the mood of Tehran in 1320 very well. The soundtrack album of "Hazar Dostan" series was released in 2013 in 27 tracks. To listen to the first part of the work, visit here.

Morteza Hananeh's works can be called thoughtful music. The main feature of his work is that the audience, whether it is an expert or a general listener, receives the feeling of being Iranian in his pieces and enjoys the scientific coherence of an orchestral work. Instead of locking Iranian music in the cage of tradition, he taught it the universal language of the orchestra.

Unveiling the rewritten score of "Kakuti" after 58 years

The unveiling ceremony of the rewritten sheet music and the performance of the piece "Kakuti (Dance for Him)" by Morteza Hananeh in May 1404, after 58 years, was held in the Farabi Hall of the Iran University of Art with the cooperation of the Iran Musicology Association and the support of the Iran Musicology website, after 58 years.

In a note about the piece "Kakuti (Dance for Her)", Arif Shahednawaz, the composer and player of the santoor, wrote: "Kakuti is one of those works that until today, not only the score is missing, but there is no other performance or recording available except for a low-quality recording of its first and only performance during the 1346 Art Festival. A piece that happens to have a special position in Hananeh's career. Kakuti is Hananeh's daughter's name, and Hananeh composed this piece with her name and memory, with the full name "Kakuti, a dance for him".

This piece was composed in the first period of the festival of art in the composition competition section, with the theme of new ideas in music, and won the special prize of the jury or "Grand Mansion Special" in the intensive competition of that year with artists such as Olivier Mesian and Edgar Warz. This piece, about 9 minutes long, was written for the orchestra and seems to have a color closer to the general perception of contemporary music than the rest of his works. Two relatively long solos for the timpani in two repetitions, special attention to the orchestra's percussion instruments and their different techniques, and the special modal color, in Hanana's own words, "a series of modes" (or according to Mohammadreza Tafzali, a series of modals), are proof of this claim. It can even be said that the issue of second harmony (pair), which was Hanana's main concern, is not very prominent in this piece.

Now, after more than half a century, due to the efforts of Omid Mehrabi, a composer and conductor and a graduate of the University of Arts, the score of this work has been rewritten and published from the only available audio version of the same performance. The publication of the score of this work will provide the basis for further research on this work and to know Hananeh's complete and perfect image as a composer and the possibility for it to be performed on the stages as much as possible.

Go here to listen to the song "Kakuti". Also, visit here to see a part of the performance of the piece "Kakuti (Dance for Him)" by an orchestra of music students led by Omid Mehrabi in 1404.

How to rewrite the score of "Kakuti"

Omid Mehrabi, the composer and conductor of the orchestra, said about the rewriting of the "Kakuti" score: This project was done in the form of an academic work and as the theoretical part of the master's thesis. I was completely responsible for choosing the topic and carrying out the work; My chance encounter with Kakuti's work and the knowledge that its score was missing sparked a spark in my mind that perhaps this piece could be recreated and recovered from the audio only version.

He said: When I was looking for audio versions, I first heard the audio file of this work in a virtual group belonging to the graduates of the University of Arts. After much searching, it was found that no other audio files are available. I also found out from Mr. Jahangir Majlesi that this piece was performed and recorded only once; That too in the first period of "Shiraz Art Festival" with the accompaniment of the TV chamber orchestra.

Mehrabi added: I felt that this work was really abandoned and as if everything in the seed had been extinguished for it; Just when it had the chance to be heard and registered in Iran's cultural memory, the loss of the score prevented its continued existence. Based on this, I found a serious motivation to transcribe and extract the work from the only audio version that emerged from the Shiraz Art Festival.

This composer noted: The process of rewriting this score was an academic and focused work; About eight months were spent to extract and write the initial version and two to three months were dedicated to the final edits and orchestration details (from winter 2016 to September 2017). Nevertheless, holding a proper performance and unveiling ceremony for this work after about 60 years of silence, was accompanied by a seven-year delay.

He said about the reason why the score of "Kakuti" was missing: We generally have to cite quotes about Morteza Hananeh. Because he has always been a controversial figure among his contemporary composers. Most of the composers of his time, both those who passed away and those who are still alive, their works are more or less available and they are referred to as cultural heritage, but the situation was different in the case of Hanana.

Mehrabi said: Hananeh always had the attitude that her works and opinions are not understood by others and society is not yet ready to understand the characteristics of her work. Interestingly, this attitude has also spread to some of his students and followers; In such a way that a kind of expropriationist view has been formed, and whether with good intentions or monopolistically, they believe that the mind of the Iranian listener has not yet been cultivated to understand Hanana.

This composer added: According to reports, Mr. Hanane attributed the missing score to Bijan Golsarkhi. That the copy remained in his possession and after that his fate became unknown. Golsarakhi was the conductor of the radio orchestra at that time or had a central role in it. Although his name is not very familiar today, it is said in the quotations that Hananeh considered this incident to be due to his shortness, although it is not possible to speak with complete certainty about this reference.

Mehrabi said about the features of "Kakuti" work: from the technical and aesthetic point of view, the features and innovations of "Kakuti" are worthy of attention; including the long timpani solos that had never been seen before in the works of Iranian composers; Especially the one that was repeated with two different and pivotal solos. This feature showed the composer's boldness in introducing patterns that were typical in modern western music but unprecedented in Iran.

He added: At that time, Hananeh had just returned to Iran from abroad and wanted to show his knowledge and technical authority in the guise of an academic composer. In addition, the rhythmic and melodic deconstructions in the early parts were considered as a precursor to the later periods and the discovery of his "paired harmony" system; A fundamental decision to change the harmony process, whose roots are visible in "Kakuti".

This conductor considered borrowing and at the same time intelligently internalizing the music of the regions of Iran, especially Bakhtiari's musical culture, as one of the other characteristics of the piece "Kakuti" and said: the circulation of melodies in woodwind and brass instruments evokes the sound of the trumpet and the siren, and the rhythmic figures of the percussion instruments are reminiscent of the dehl and native rhythms; In addition to the fact that elements of Bakhtiari's well-known songs can be heard in the context of the work. The structure of the piece is also very similar to the sequence of Bakhtiari's stage dances.

He stated: In western music, we are faced with the "suite" form, which is formed from consecutive dances with different tempos and weights; A phenomenon that also occurs in Bakhtiari culture with a chain of dances (such as Farnaz, Dupa, Sepa, etc.) in Sur and Sog rituals. This step-by-step form is completely consistent with the nature of "dance"; As under the title of the piece, it is named "A dance for him" and Hananeh dedicated it to her daughter.

Referring to the more than 50-year-old "Kakuti" piece, Mehrabi said: The creation of this work required rare courage; Hananeh showed this courage by establishing a radio orchestra and participating in the first Shiraz art festival. Competing and being together with prominent figures of contemporary music in the world such as Edgar Vars and Olivier Mesian in that event was undoubtedly a factor in his creativity and courage; The characteristics that originated from Hananeh's dynamic and searching nature.

This composer emphasized: Morteza Hananeh is a great treasure for the history of Iranian music. It is appropriate that the attention of the artistic community and researchers should be directed to the rereading of his works more than in the past. Unfortunately, an important part of Hananeh's works has not been made available to the general public due to access restrictions or monopolies; A subject that has always been a cause of concern and complaint for some music fans and even his family members. We hope that a platform will be provided so that the legacy of this great master will be available to all those interested in researching Iranian music.