Parisa premier Persian vocalist: Afshari with Center for Preservation artists

[studentofrhythm]

This is one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard in my entire life.

[parla1985]

i hate iran tongue and its music but her voice is really gr8

[zahrafernandez]

if any one is from baft kerman and is az afshari family hast i will be happy to know you mersi

[worldartsdocmiller]

If I were a Mullah, or my version of Shiah Sufism was accepted, I would promote the one or two very spiritual humble non show-off traditional women artists on TV and everywhere. But the awful pop crooners would still be haram, even more haram than they are how. So be happy I am not an ayatollah, because I would probably fill Evin prison with all those bad pop singers and all the electronic shish hasht musical criminals. Dr. Lloyd Miller

[cdal1770]

@worldartsdocmiller Amen, sir!

[mytamasha]

And please tell me could women sing these traditional Persian music then?????

[worldartsdocmiller]

Salam, right the beauty of the music is most important however it came to us. Many Muslim clerics do appreciate purely traditional non ego-oriented old music. That is why Khomieni authorized humble master Dr. Safvat as the right person to direct traditional music and then agreed that traditional music was not harmful. It is pop, rock, electronics, etc. that should be haram. The Koran only mentions "purchasing idle tales," so Islam disapproves of show-off COMMERCIAL performances. Dr.Lloyd Miller

[silkroad032009]

I wash that God was left out of music. You can try and trace the origin to David or who we call Dawood but, again, lets leave God out of it. Furthermore, if this argument is made about God giving music to David then why are Muslim not particular in favour of music. In fact, some call it a sing to play or listen to. Having said that, who can deny the beauty of this music and I whole heartedly agree with you about the originality of the music having been lost because of western influence.

[worldartsdocmiller]

Salam. For those who asked who is playing; in order of appearance: Davud Ganjei - kamanche, Malihe Saidi - qanun. Daryush Talai - tar. Seen but not heard are Parviz Meshkatian - santur & Nasser Farhangfar - zarb. As for tracing Persian music back to Davud in the Torah, that is fact and history. Keep in mind that the Jews in the Torah are not the Israeli Khazar Mongols of today. The few Jews that may be in Israel are Sabras or Palestinians, those others are counterfeit impostors. Dr. Lloyd Miler

[sedna68]

خیلی ممنون. بسیار عالی بود.

[easternartskstjohn]

Greetings, A full history of Parisa, her career and technique can be found in my book Music and Song in Persia which is out of print now. I have a few left and the one I could sell includes a CD of her work, a DVD of her and a couple of other Persian music CDs. I sell the whole package for $100, less than just the book alone as listed on the internet. Information about her and Persian music can be found on my jazzscope site under Sufi, Saint & Swinger. Dr. Lloyd Miller

[bartwreck]

i am writing a second book on yodeling. my first YODEL-AY-EE-OOOO: THE SECRET HISTORY OF YODELING AROUND THE WORLD just couldn't cover everything and i only recently discovered Parisa. I looked on the internet and there is VERY little of any substance for this amazing vocalist. does anyone have more info on her - or have contact info for her - so i can write a more informed profile of her for my book YODEL IN HIFI

[worldartsdocmiller]

Read about the unbelievable adventures of Dr. Lloyd Miller traveling and performing through the Middle East and beyond by going to the jazzscope website and clicking on Sufi, Saint & Swinger.

[eran160277]

i wish we stop fight @ start to play

[eran160277]

i wish we stop fight @ start play

[foy145]

why always against western culture, tradition, and presentations? just talk about your tradition, as highly as possible, no need to put down others. if you must mention the western civilization, then be as respectful as they are towards the east. imagine how great they are that despite being the most powerful force on earth, they have not eliminated us from the east. this they could very easily and instantly. in any event, this is a beautiful and heart touching performance of a beauty. thanks.

[64Splendor]

Thank you so much, tewesk, for the informative reply. I am not an Iranian, but love the Persian classic music, specially Parisa's songs. Do you know of any "Parisa" internet group, I can join to learn more about this fabulous singer?

[nicelymixedupx]

hatnamana your missing the point....dr miller i think you put your point across beautifull. Many thanks and kind regards,,,, im so glad that people can enjoy the music of my great country x

[64Splendor]

Anyone, kindly, translate the word "barhomony" to English, please

[tewesk]

Dear 64Splendor,

If you An persian - Speaker, so its easier to explain you. but if you are not, the following is wht I can offer you: The word you ask is almost a " set phrase" Bar " (is a proposition means , belong/ or being to / associated with an abstract, phenomen, a ciertian way of thinking ,,. ) + Haman( demonstrative pronoun, that, somethinh that has been already mentioned, in this she says, the adivces of wisedome is in my memory and will be remain with us) +nym, personal, noun.

[tewesk]

teh rest of emplaination: BAR+HAMAN+NYM= we stilk with the wht we have chose first. almost like that, but I will be happy to dicuse more, and hear fro Iranian friends more , since Im Afghan. anway nice singer, we have soething similar in Afgahnsitan.

All the best.

[Mamed1965]

Salam.Men Bakidanam.Mugami chox sevirem.Iran musiqisine boyuk maragim var.Sheceriyyene,Shehram Naziriye qulaq asiram.Bu gun Perisani dinledim.Boyuk zovq aldim.Xahish edirem onun haqqinda melumati olanlar mene yazsinlar.Teshekkurler...

[worldartsdocmiller]

Good point. The old traditional Iraqi maqam system with long and soulful non-rhythm mawals is definitely of great value. Of course it is close to the Persian tradition and some of the musicians in Baghdad originated with families from Shiraz and knew Farsi. I spoke at length with some of them in Beirut after a concert. And yes we really need to abandon ideas of race, nationality and other prejudices when appreciating the arts. Some musicians in Iran and Iraq were actually Jewish. Dr. L. Miller

[alicaitan]

I would like drow the attention with great respect and kindness to both Dr Kourosh and Dr Lloyd Miller to nearly as same vocal style and traitinoal restrict manar just next door to great Persia in Iraq called Iraqi Mqams although some would say Iraq is part of Persia but we are here talking about the beauty of music which has no reginal boundries

I put one link to just one example for this kind of music

kind regards

watch?v=3QZWfZ9lfUY&feature=re­lated

[stephmacleod]

Thank you for your help and advice.

[worldartsdocmiller]

The vocal style is just traditional Persian, a tradition passed down over some 3,000 years. The most accurate and correct vocalists are: Parisa, former masters Qamar el Moluk and Taherzade and recent master Razavi. Most of the rest are questionable pop star wannabees or just not worth considering. True Persian music must be accompanied by humility and not any desire for poplarity; that is why most performers are not true to the tradition and adulterate it with westernization.. Dr. Lloyd .Miller

[NobelMan1000]

@worldartsdocmiller you have captured the soul of Persian music

[stephmacleod]

Hi, I am a musician from Scotland. I have just discovered Persian music and absolutely love it! I have heard the Masters of Persian Music, The Aref Ensemble, and have been following the youtube listings for related videos. The vocal techniques and melodies are majestic and really moving. I was wondering if you could recommend any other performers or ensembles, please. Also, is there a particular name for this style of vocal music? Many thanks. Stephen

[worldartsdocmiller]

Dear friend. Actually Iranian music, if you trace its over 2,500 years of history, did start with music reveald by God to the ancient prophet David (check the Torah) and was taken to Babylon which Cyrus liberated and joined to his Achameanian empire. That is why we both love true traditional Persian music, because it originally came from God. The same cannot be said for much of Western music especially the most recent forms, Check my Farsi discussion on Persian music part 2, Dr. Lloyd Miller

[BenjiPars]

@worldartsdocmiller

Dont mix other cultures with judea - or david or solomon or whatever u want to call em.

[worldartsdocmiller]

Dear friend. The true value of traditional Persian Radif as transferred by Mirza Abdullah and Hossein Qoli and for millenia before them by guardians of pure tradition as originally gifted to mankind by God through David as it states in the Torah, is that no one took the liberty of altering the tradition because no human has the right to tamper with that which God reveals. The concept of 'composer' or innovator is an example of nafs or ego which must be eliminated for true art to endure.L. Miler.

[harnamana]

@worldartsdocmiller i hope this is joke. iranian music has nothing to do with any prophet. even though i believe in our beloved prophet Muhammad, whose lovely name is the most beautiful music to my ears.

[ShahpourSassanian]

Mr Lloyd Miller, before calling Faramarz Payvar the "worst enemy of true tradition" we should study the tradition of Persian Music during the Sassanid era. Tradition without evolution, novelties, experimentation, and instrumental and technical finessing is as dead as a fossile. Safvat was wrong, the akhunds have been destructive in every field of arts while 'motrebi music' is still being played. Only thanks to the people and our musicians the traditonal music has survived this cultural terror.

[worldartsdocmiller]

Dear Dr. Kurosh,

Actually it was the hard work of Dr. Safvat, Ostad Karimi and musicians of the Markaz (Center for Preservation and Propagaion) who saved Iranian music; the Golha programs were trashing and commercializing it. As for Payvar, he was the worst enemy of true tradition, I wrote hundreds of articles and reviews in all the papers and magazines in Tehran in the 70s exposing his westernization, modernization and destruction of the radif (modal collection). See my book. Dr. Lloyd Miller

[worldartsdocmiller]

Salam. Actually thanks to the akhunds, there is still a little authentic classical dastgah music left. In the mid 1970s, real Persian music was being destroyed by modernizers, westernizers and just really bad unskilled fraudulent pop stars. The akhunds saved what was left of authentic Persian music from the destructive force of Western imperialistic expansion. Ostad Dr. Safvat said of the akhunds "at least they got rid of motrebi music" a goal that the good doctor's center was struggling for. LM

[kourosh61]

Dear Dr Miller,

If we have anything left from Persian Classic music is due to men and women who worked in Golha programs during 60's till late 70's.

Akhunds are greatest enemy of Persian culture and intend to destroy all of it. See how lonely great maesteros Payvar and Meshkatian died in Iran. Akhunds only think about food and using children for their satinic thirst.

Regards, Dr Kourosh

[1170OP]

This clip brought tear to my eyes.

What a life we had before Akhond's regim!

[asemaany]

Thanks Dr. Miller. Who is the Tar player? Could you put the name of all artists up? thanks

[mmakid1980]

masha Allah ! beautiful voice

[amsh1366]

زنده باد ایران آزاد. آفرین بر شما برای این موسیقی و ویدئو بی نظیر

[worldartsdocmiller]

Salam. Yes her hair was showing back in the 1970s; but she never showed herself off in a flashy manner. She is a Sufi from a very serious khaneqa that totally avoids all worldyness as much as possible. If all women singers performed only the old traditional radif and kept a humble attitude, there would onlyt be two or three Iranian women vocalists left. Then we wouldn't need the shariat to guide us if we could guide ourselves. Enshallah some day soon the world will become pure. Dr. Lloyd Miller

[cassieNO1fan]

amazing voice

[worldartsdocmiller]

In the 70s,Parisa studied with my own vocal master Ostad Mahmud Karimi. I visited the women's class at Honestan-e Musiqi-ye Melli and watched Parisa and other female student s slowly go through the gushe one by one. She also studied with Karimi's own master teachers Davami and Haj Aqa and a little with Ostad Borumand. These masters were all at the Center for Preservation and Propagation of Iraian Music where I was an assistant to the director, Dr. Daryush Safvat. Thanks, Dr. Lloyd Miller

[saber7165]

Does anyone know from whom Parisa has learned music?

[worldartsdocmiller]

Salam,

Yes Maqam was derived from Dastgah but is different with some regional and cultural variations. Persian dastgah is sung and played in Azerbaijan; but there it is a bit different because of regional styling and language. So farther away in North Africa, the changes have become quite pronounced. Nahawand is named after a town and Neiriz is Farsi. Busalik is, of course, Arabic as a name but not necessarily as a micro melody. The names don't really always reflect the content. Lloyd Miller

[worldartsdocmiller]

Persian music is divided into 12 modes called dastgah (not maqam). Persian modes were adopted by Semitic and Turkic peoples from 600 B.C, and since. The Arao-Turkic mode Rast is more equivalet to Persian dastgah Mahur which is on her other video. Afshari is a sub-mode of the Shur system which is basically a minor mode with two possible semi-flats. By emphasizing certain notes of the Shur modal scale, a few submodes can be derived. Check my book Music & Song in Persia. Dr. Lloyd Miller

[msmak56]

Thank you so much :)

I believe that the Arabic maqam is almost the same as dastgah because a lot of the Arabic maqams are given Persian names as well as Turkish (eg. Nahawand, Busalik, Nikriz etc.)

I hope you will point out the difference if you think the maqam is different from the dastgah :)

[msmak56]

Dr. Lloyd Miller, would you please post more information about the Maqam (Mode) used in this song?

I believe that this is either Maqam Rast or Husayni

[naghmeh001]

Heavenly voice;

Thanks for sharing.

A-K Spain

[worldartsdocmiller]

Actually, poeple of good taste appreciate Parisa as do many clreics. What needs to be banned are the thousands of bad pop vocalists, both female and male, so that true tradition which hads been inherited from thousands of years coming from a divine source can continue. If all vocalists were like Qamar el Moluk and Paris, no one would ever be against seeing them sing for everyone. By limiting music, the clerics have helped save it from destruction by western influence. Dr. Lloyd Miller.

[4blueboys]

How wonderful to hear this music on this web page. Once a group of people in Iran tried to kill these songs in our hearts and culture because the singer is a WOMAN. How stupid they were and are. This is 21st century and there is no barriers, we can even see the time on the screens of our computers. Thanks to people who kept the music alive in Iran and never gave up we can listen to this great song and great voice.

[worldartsdocmiller]

Barbariandan cok tesakur. Yes the Greeks called Persians barbarians only because they heard the sound 'bar' often in their language, otherwise the Greeks admired the Persians for their cultural sophistication and their fair laws like freedom of religion, fredom of language and no slavery. Persian vocalist Parisa truly is a wonderful artist singing music from past generations long ago which is refreshing in a chaotic mixed-up modern time. Dr. Lloyd Miller

[purcalik]

SOGD BARBARIAN MUSIC great B C CULTURE REALTY wonderfull

[purcalik]

all natural samanizm reallty greatt song

[kakul83]

nam e khuda bisyaar maqbool

[applesinmotion]

What a beautiful performance. Great music. Too bad I can't understand what she's singing about but still, it sounds incredible.

[tvfilmaker]

It is beautiful, keep up the pressure for those who post these videos to supply subtitles. We are in the age of international media and the walls must and will come down...

[yalmopa]

The poem is of Hafez and I found this translation of the poem in the internet. Although it doesn't include the exact meaning of Hafez intention, it can help you to understand some concepts.

Persian poems are full of metaphor and you need to be familiar with the specifications of its semiotics and linguistic devices to transfere the meaning to the audience.

Anyway, I'm very happy as an Iranian that you are interested in our culture.

[AzeriBulBul]

tvfilmaker;

We learn almost from the age of 6 in school and of course we are brought up with the culture. Even then lot of miss the point or misinterpret it most of the times.

However, I do agree with you that such a music speaks to our common humanity. Heard of J.S. Bach, Indian classical music etc.. If only we could all resort to our common humanity and understand that we are just not different.

Peace

[tvfilmaker]

I also listen to traditional Persian Music on iTunes, yet I do not know what is being said, only that it is beautiful.

[OrodNZ]

Peace!??? WHAT IS THAT!??? Can you please difine with more common words...lol... Nice one my fellow manling =)

[AzeriBulBul]

tvfilmaker;

It is great to see around these sites listening to this sort of pure, traditional Iranian music.

I am sorry that we really don't have subtitles and no one takes the trouble of developing one. One reason is that most of these poems are very, very old Persian poetry of Hafez, Rumi, Khayyam etc. Translations are abound, but majority of them miss the point with a wide margin. These Sufi poetry can be interpreted in many, many different ways.

[tvfilmaker]

Even so, to even understand the words on an elementary level would be a joy. Of course a more advanced or adult reading would contain more nuances, but I am left outside the house hearing a joyful party inside and not being able to join in the joy...

[worldartsdocmiller]

Parisa and Shajarian were working and rehearsing all day every day at the Markaz-e Hefz o Eshae-e Musiqi-ye Irani with instrumentalists like Talai, Alizade, Kiyani, Meshkatian, Lotfi, etc. I think there were concerts where both vocalists appeared, but each with a different instrumental group, if I remember correctly. I never heard them sing together. Great soloists don't usually trade off singing avaz, they do better as individuals. Dr. Lloyd Miller

[baju74]

Do Parisa and Shajarian have any work together?

[simakhodabakhsh]

درود بر پریسای نازنین با صدای دلنواز و روحبخشش که حقیقتاً گنجینۀ بزرگ هنری میهنمان است. زنده باشی و امیدوارم دوباره روزی در ایران عزیزمان ببینمت که بخوانی.

[tvfilmaker]

May our peoples come to understand each other better and live in peace, that such music speaks to the heart of our common humanity...

[feferollah]

You are proud of iran

[tvfilmaker]

I know nothing of Iran, nor of the history of the people, but I love much of the traditional music (go figure). It is not about international politics, or policies, or leaders, it is about beauty captured in song. It is about feeling such passion that it set the heart on fire. Maybe there is more that I would love about Iran, if only I understood the words of your music...

[modir23]

doros migid doostan. man be hich onvaane arzeshe kaare honarmandane azizi mesle hengaame va parisa ro bi arzesh nemikham bokonam.

nazaram ro dar morede ghamar goftam va ba shoma kamelan movaafegham.

[simakhodabakhsh]

بی تردید صدای پریسا نیز همچون قمر و دیگر عزیزان هنرمندجاودانی است. کار بزرگ آنهانخست زنده کردن فرهنگ غنی ایرانیست رو در روی فرهنگ منحط غرب با ترانه موزیکهایی که تنها هدفش تهییج غرایز جنسی جوانان و دور کردن آنان از دنیای انسانی است و دوم تهاجم به دستگاه زن ستیز بنیادگرایان.

[arvinjoon1]

doroud bar shoma banooeah iran, parisa

[majidmemari]

the greatest iranian singer and women ever,we are proud of you.

[bahramgur]

Thank you for sharing. very interesting

[worldartsdocmiller]

Modir Jun, rast migi ama khoshhal am ke Parisa va shayad Hangame Akhavan radif-e asil ra edame dadand. Ostad Karimi ba kar-e Parisa kheili razi bud va gofat ka az hame khanandegan-e in dore asiltar va dorosttar bud. Albate ta Madi beyad va dunya shokuh-e beheshti-ye khod ra do bare khahad yaft, avai manand-e Qamar na khahim shenid. Qamar was the greatest and til the world returns to its celestial state we won't hear a voice like Qamar. Still it is nice that Parisa and Hengame Akhavan are there.

[modir23]

hich zani dar moosighie iran sedash roohi ke sedaye ghamar dasht nadare va motmaennam nakhahad dasht

[worldartsdocmiller]

Salam va mersi bare goftarhayetun. Bale, Qamar bihamta bud ama Parisa sa'atha ba navarha-ye Qamar jomle be jomle va gushe be gushe tambrin va tekrar kard. Dar Markaz-e Hefz o Esha-ye hei intor kar mikard. Yes Qamar was the best but Parisa spent thousands of hours at the Center for Preservation and Propagation in the 70s carefully reproducing Qamar's old recordings. So she is one of the few authentic vocalists left. Too many are semi-pop or have completely sold out to the west. Dr. Lloyd Miller

[goodcyrus]

Thanks for sharing. Parisa was good but most Persian singers simply fade compared to Ghamar.

[LloydDocMiller]

Dorud va sepas bare vazheha-ye khoshetun. Thank you for your kind words. Yes, Parisa is the top Persian and Midle Eastern vocalist of our time. Initially she had been forced to sing semi-pop tunes composed by imposters (traditional music is NOT composed only retained and maintained). I fought for years as a Tehran arts writer to free her and finally the Ministry of Culture asked me how they could stop my poison pen. Then they released her to the TV Preservation Center where she rose to the top.