Ostad Nasser Farhangfar

Ostad Nasser Farhangfar was a multifaceted artist, renowned as a poet, calligrapher, and above all, a master tonbak player. He was also well-versed in the radif repertoire of Persian art music. One of his most famous verses poignantly captures his poetic talent:

به سر دروازه هستی نوشتیم / غم بی همزبانی کشت ما را

"We wrote at the Gate of Existence / The sorrow of not having camaraderie killed us!"

As a genius tonbak master, Ostad Nasser Farhangfar developed one of the most beloved styles of tonbak playing, following the popular style established by Ostad Hossein Tehrani, the father of modern tonbak. Many artists have praised Farhangfar's innovative approach. Some of his compositions are so captivating that they often outshine the melodies they accompany, drawing listeners' attention involuntarily to the tonbak. Here are some lines in remembrance of this great master of Persian music:

A recognized master of the art of tonbak playing, the late Ostad Nasser Farhangfar (1947-1997), was born in Rey, a city in Tehran, Iran. His father was a tar player, and his uncle played the tonbak. His grandfather, Mirza Mehdi-ye-Khoshnevis, was a renowned calligrapher during the Qajar era. Inspired by such an artistic family, he started learning the tonbak at the early age of nine. During his childhood, he often visited the local traditional zourkhaneh. However, his interest wasn't in watching the athletes; instead, he was captivated by the rhythms of the tonbak used during their training sessions. Later, he studied the tonbak under the guidance of Mohammad Torkaman, Ostad Hossein Tehrani, Ostad Dr. Nour Ali Khan Boroumand, and Ostad Abdollah Davami.

In 1972, he began developing his unique style and promoting it throughout Iran. Around this time, the great master of tonbak, Ostad Hossein Tehrani, was ill and recorded his final performance, "Rhythms of Zourkhaneh." Ostad Tehrani, often regarded as the father of modern tonbak, passed away in 1974.

Farhangfar's talent and knowledge in the art of tonbak playing, combined with his background in zourkhaneh's tonbak, made him a unique tonbak player of his time. His followers have named his style Sabk-e-Ostad Farhangfar, which translates to "the style of maestro Farhangfar" in English.

In 1973, Ostad Farhangfar gained international fame and performed concerts in Belgium. In 1975, he moved to New York at the invitation of Robert Wilson to collaborate with his theater group. He returned to Tehran the same year and began collaborating with the Shayda and Aref Ensembles, a partnership that lasted until 1984.

In 1984, Ostad Mohammad Reza Lotfi, a renowned tar player, and Ostad Nasser Farhangfar made a private recording. Many of his students consider this to be the finest musical performance of Ostad Farhangfar's career. This masterpiece was later released as a cassette titled "Parvaz-e-Eshgh." It was distributed in his memory by Ava-ye-Shayda Company in Tehran, which was managed by M.R. Lotfi (1947-2014).

During these twelve years (1972-1984), he developed a new style of tonbak performance and attracted many followers. After 1984, he chose to stay at home and focus on teaching his tonbak students. One day, I asked him, "Ostad, why have you stayed at home and stopped performing concerts?" He replied, "My job is done! Now is the time for the young musicians to flourish." Despite his young age, he decided to bid farewell to the world of musical performance. Then, he recited the following verses of Hafiz:

"To him that hath chosen solitude, of the spectacle is what need?

When the street of the Beloved is, of the desert is what need?

Hafiz! End thy verse: for skill itself becometh clear:

Disputation and contention with the pretender is what need?"

It's worth mentioning that in Persian, a person who has chosen solitude is called "Khalvat-Gozideh." This is also the title of an album produced in 1991, in which he performed one of his most remarkable tonbak solos.

A few days before his passing, he called my father and said, "I have composed some poems. Would you like me to recite them for you?" After the call, my father told me, "He has composed very beautiful poems. Maybe someday I can sing them."

He passed away on August 14th, 1997, at the age of 50. May his memory always be cherished!

Date of Publication: July 29th, 2001.