TEHRAN – Mohammadreza Shajarian’s album “The Way of Love”, which the vocalist icon of Iranian traditional music had recorded with a number of legendary musicians in the Aref ensemble in 1989, was unveiled during a special ceremony in Tehran on Monday morning.

A large number of fans and Iran’s art elites packed into Vahdat Hall a few hours beforehand to attend the ceremony hosted by veteran actor Parviz Parastui.       

The unveiling ceremony began with reading by Parastui of a literary text for Shajarian.

Shajarian who is battling with kidney cancer was not able to attend the ceremony, but addressing him the text read in the end, “You have been eternal; Shajarian will never end.”

The ceremony went on with performances by Shajarian’s son, Homayun, who was accompanied by Kamkar brothers Bijan and Arjang, Babak Ghassali, Sohrab Purnazer and Ain Meshkian, the son late musician Parviz Meshkian, the composer of the album.

In a short speech made before the performance, Homayun said, “I do not deserve to be in this place, because my father with the cherished members of Aref should be sitting here to perform for you.”

“Unfortunately, due to his particular condition and need for physiotherapy, father could not attend this event,” he added.

Shajarian who spent several months in Sacramento, California, to receive treatment for his illness, returned home on September 16.

The disbanded Aref ensemble led by santur virtuoso Meshkatian was composed of Dariush Pirniakan, Jamshid Andalibi, Mohammad Firuzi, and the Kamkar brothers Ardeshir, Bijan and Arjang.

Photo: A music aficionado holds a copy of Mohammadreza Shajarian’s 1989 album “The Way of Love” after being unveiled at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on September 26, 2016. (IRNA/Marzieh Musavi)
 
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