Abolhasan Saba

Abolhasan Sabā (April 15 , 1902 - December 19 , 1957), (PerB| ابوالحسن صبا ) was a renowned Iranian musician, composer, violinist, and setar player.

Biography

He was born in Tehran to Abul Qasim Khan "Kamal ol-Saltaneh", son of Mohammad Jafar Khan "Sadr ol-Hekma", son of Mahmud Khan Kashi "Malak ol-Shoara" "Sadr ol-Shoara" "Saba ol-Shoara", son of Mohammad Hossain Khan "Malak ol-Shoara". He studied several of Iranian and non Iranian musical instruments and became a Ostad in Radif, but selected violin and setar as his specific instruments. He was a student of Mirza Abdollah as well as Darvish Khan.

Saba is considered one of Iran's most influential figures in traditional and instrumental Persian music.

Saba perfected his tonbak skills with Haji-Khan Zarbi and received training on the santur from Ali Akbarshahy. In addition, he learned to play the kamanche under the guidance of Hossein Esmail-Zadeh. Later, when Alinaqi Vaziri established his School of Music, Saba enrolled to learn the theory of music and the art of playing the violin. He was also familiar with ney, Western flute, and tar. Seeing his passion, talent, and skills, Vaziri suggested that Saba start teaching music. In 1927 Saba founded a music school in Rasht, after which he went to live in several northern villages for about three years. The music he heard in those villages was the starting point for his significant future research in Persian folk music. Saba composed some of his best works in this period of time, including Zard-e Malijeh, Deylaman, and Bezendan. He wrote four volumes of training manuals for the santur, three volumes for the violin, and a volume for the setar and tar.

Fortunately, some of Saba’s first recordings have survived. These include some private performances on the violin and the setar, accompanied by Master Hossein Tehrani’s tonbak, performances in Golha (a weekly radio program performed by the elite musicians of Persia), and recordings made with the orchestra of Vaziri's School of Music. He worked very closely with Rouhollah Khaleghi and was one of the first master musicians to be invited to teach at the School of National Music.

In contrast to heavy strokes and drones on all four strings, which was the style of previous music masters, Saba played the setar on a single string. He was also involved in the design and production of the setar. He believed that, to be an accomplished musician, one must know more than just how to play an instrument. He felt that one had to know the theory and the history of music, in addition to one’s area of specialization. Furthermore, he believed that familiarity with Persian literature was crucial for a Persian musician to achieve higher levels in appreciation and depth of understanding of music.

He died in 1957 and was buried in Tehran's Zahir o-dowleh Cemetery of artists and musicians.

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/arts/021206_la-cy-saba.shtml BBC Article on his 100th commemoration] fa icon
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/arts/story/2007/12/071218_ah-mk-saba.shtml BBC Article on his 50th memorial] fa icon
* Photograph of Abolhasan Saba: [http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/23377/2961186220061594669S600x600Q85.jpg] .

ource

* Separ, Mohammad Taqi "Lesan ol-Mamalek". "Tarikh-e Qajarieh". A Chronicle of the Qajar Period from Shah Quli Khan Qajar to Naser ed-din Shah's first six years.