Friday
March 23, 2001
Not just Persian
In response to Bagher
R. Harand: Mr. Kayhan Kalhor & Shujaat Husain Khan have produced
a musical project called Ghazal. Mr. Kalhor appears as a guest for other
projects .While he is an Iranian master of Kamanche, he most probably has
refined his art of improvisations through this interpretation of Persian
music in an Indian context. He is a profound artist and in my humble opinion
his music is spiritual no matter from what land the melodies come from.
No one should be allowed to dictate how an artist expresses ones self.
I think those who complained about the event and the fact that it wasn't
"Persian" enough for them are not true patrons of Mr. Kalhor
and did not do their homework.
I am not aware where there this was an Iranian event but obviously they
invited Mr. Kalhor based on his musicianship and not if what he played
was to the likings of some of the members of the audience.
I attended the last concert of Mr. Kalhor and Mr. Shajarian and there
was a shouting incident by a patron while the band was in deep concentration
just prior to the opening of the first part. Later most of the patrons
ended up interrupting a part with loud claps and cheers for lack of understanding
Persian classical music and the way it proceeds. People would want to
start clapping and turning the event into a Cabaret if they could.
My point is that most of the time the audience does not understand the
artists or their intentions nor do they respect it but they are quick to
form an opinion.
Ali Derakhshan
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