Concert 'Why Did You Leave'; Life Goes On

On Sunday night, May 1st (12th of Ordibehesht), the magnificent Barbican Hall in London hosted the concert 'Why Did You Leave', organized by the Nova Institute. This concert is the result of the collaboration between Homayoun Shajarian, Sohrab, and Tahmoures Pournazeri, which has been performed on tour in several European cities. A few days earlier, the concert in Hamburg faced some controversies regarding its cancellation. However, the London performance was well-received by the audience, featuring a wide combination of Iranian and Western instruments (from tar and setar to piano, violin, and cello), marking the first collaboration between Tahmoures Pournazeri and Homayoun Shajarian, which was first released in Iran in 2013 and received great acclaim. Homayoun Shajarian showcases more of his capabilities in this concert, and these days, as his father, the legendary Shajarian, is ill, the son—bearing the visage and voice of his father—reminds all lovers of Iranian music that 'life goes on': alongside Sohrab and Tahmoures Pournazeri, who follow in their father's (Keykhosrow) footsteps, and also Ayin Meshkatian, who revives the memory of his father (Parviz) by playing the santur in this concert. 'Neither am I an angel, nor a devil'—which is also the title of the album released in Iran—does not start the concert with a remarkable impact, but Tahmoures' solo on the setar paves the way for Homayoun's capabilities in verses such as 'The rider left and took not a single strand of hair with him,' creating a delightful section through changes in tone while delivering the words. In the next piece, 'Heart to Heart', with a choral beginning, the audience is prepared for a different performance; a performance that employs very precise and well-timed silences, with an engaging poem (by Hooman Zokai) and a fitting arrangement (emphasizing the daf and percussion which have significant opportunities to shine), marking one of the strengths of this performance. However, in the next piece, 'Shtak', with a poem by Hossein Manzavi, the composer's attempt to create an epic piece does not yield much success. Later, in 'In the Fortress of Night' with a poem by Shafiei Kadkani, although the instruments have excellent opportunities to shine (especially the kamancheh of Sohrab Pournazeri), the singer's voice somewhat gets lost, and in fact, the singer's voice becomes just one of the instruments, making it difficult to follow and understand the lyrics; raising the age-old debate of whether instruments should serve the singer or if the singer's voice can merely be one of the instruments. Sohrab Pournazeri amazed everyone at the beginning of the next piece with a stunning solo on the tanbur (which was unfortunately marred by three inappropriate rounds of applause during the performance; and surely the audience of this concert is unaware that in Mozart's time, clapping in the middle of a performance was considered the greatest insult), and with the piece 'Men of God', created by Sohrab and Tahmoures' father, nostalgia for the 1980s was revived for the audience (with all its terrifying images, including war and missile attacks that were strangely intertwined with this piece during those years). The santur solo and a wordless piece (with a brilliant flourish, of course) continue the concert until 'How Can I Be Without You', with a poem by Rumi, which, with the entry of the violin and cello and their combination with Iranian instruments, reinforces the composer's efforts for newer experiences, as well as the final piece, which presents the strangest 'With Me, My Beloved' in Iranian music: with a very fast rhythm and a strange and different blend of instruments. However, before this final piece, a song was performed that many are fond of: 'Why Did You Leave'. The brilliant poem of Simin Behbahani, with the delightful performance of Homayoun Shajarian and the top-notch composition and arrangement of Tahmoures Pournazeri, although not executed in the best way in this concert, still tells the story of a delightful piece that is now intertwined with the collective memory of a nation.