If, you are concerned with rules and technique when playing music, you can not obtain this quality nor could you reach such state.
Ostad Elahi's Music
Exceptional Musician
Ostad Elahi's music cannot be placed in a standard category: it is traditional yet profoundly innovative; it is completely spiritual yet cannot be described solely as sacred; it is mystical yet non-ritualistic; it achieves its essential transcendent objectives, yet it does not ignore the aesthetic dimension. In the hands of Ostad Elahi, the ancient musical traditions are reinvigorated, completely bolstered, and excelled.
The contributions that Ostad Elahi made to the world of music, is not only his exceptional technique and his peerless aesthetic creativity, but rather the spiritual function of his art. Ostad Elahi used music as the means of conveying the soul's spiritual states and passions in its quest for the Divine.
To achieve this level of impact on one's soul, the most pivotal factor is the personality of the artist. Ostad Elahi used to say:
If the artist succeeds in delving within profoundly, while focusing his attention on the Source, he will then be able to capture some of the Divine beauty.
When asked by a musician how he had achieved such results, Ostad Elahi answered:
"If, you are concerned with rules and technique when playing music, you can not obtain this quality nor could you reach such state. It is only when you no longer think about it and are thus able to delve within yourself that you can achieve such results".
Ostad Elahi's Music
Tradition
Ostad Elahi's work marks one of the evolutionary moments in Eastern music; a moment when the genius of an artist transforms a popular musical tradition into an elaborate and highly artistic one.
The mystical tradition, in which Ostad Elahi was born, dates back to the 13th Century. He inherited a scattered and limited repertoire of sacred hymns, which were traditionally accompanied by the tanbur.
The work of Ostad Elahi transformed and transcended this musical tradition, giving it a new dimension. The melodies of the ancient tanbur repertoire usually had a bare and simple structure, with themes that were endlessly repeated. Ostad Elahi broke free from all repetitions, combining a rigorous respect for the smallest detail of melodic structure with total freedom of expression.
Tanbur
From the beginning, the tanbur was considered a sacred instrument and its repertoire was based on melodies of ancient Persia.
"Tanbur" is a term used to describe a category of lutes of all sizes, sounds, and proportions that have a neck, which is longer than the body. It has existed in antiquated forms for at least 5,000 years and in forms closer to its current shape for nearly 2,000 years. Ostad Elahi modified the instrument by doubling the high-pitched string and modifying the position of the frets. These alterations considerably increased the fullness and sweetness of the instrument as well as its ornamental possibilities.
Poetry and Music
The poetic expressiveness of Ostad Elahi's spiritual music is rooted in a tradition where poetry and music closely interact before converging to describe spiritual states and celestial scenes. One such scene, endeared to all Persian mystical poets, is the communication that takes place between the soul and its Beloved and Creator.
Ostad Elahi's Music
The Recordings
The original recordings of Ostad Elahi's music were made using rudimentary technology and under conditions that were not favorable. However, it should be emphasized above all that the effect came from Ostad Elahi himself. Nothing can replace the impact of his presence nor capture the enchanting atmosphere that was the characteristic of the times when he played.
The complete ensemble of the recordings at hand, are only a small representation of Ostad Elahi's vast repertoire. As he once told his close friends, the music he played for them was only a glimpse of the many pieces he had played during his youth.
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