A treasure of the unheard, a chest of the unsaid
“I don’t have such writings in my songs and my writings are small and soft, I have my own writings. We became aware and learned that those writings are not necessary at all and are actually extra. I have worked in this way in my first album called “Moorg Sahar”, in which I sing and write, and I continued the same way later on.
Charso Press: Aminullah Rashidi is one of those artists that is not easy to talk about, he is one of the few people who carries a history of music. Even though he is about a hundred years old, he talks about some memories so precisely as if they happened to him just yesterday; He also composes songs, although we remember him more as a veteran singer. In 1325, he migrated from his birthplace Kashan to Tehran and joined Iran Radio. There are many musical works from him; Although he himself says that his works are much more than these.
Rashidi simultaneously in the programs Music Army, which was broadcast on Iran Radio, has sung in an orchestra led by Ali Tajveidi, and of course, he also participated in several radio programs of Mohammad Baharlu. It is said that Rashidi composed about 120 songs during his career in Iran Radio, of course, he also wrote the lyrics of some of his compositions. In addition, the most and best of his works are remembered with songs by Toraj Gardhan and Parviz Vakili. Many of the compositions of this veteran singer were performed by the No. 1 and 2 orchestras of Iran Radio, which are the result of collaboration with greats such as Habibullah Badiei, Parviz Yahaghi, Homayoun Khorram, Reza Yavari, Ofelia Perto, Mohammad Mirnaqibi, Anoushirvan Rouhani, Waliullah Alborz and… . We went to this singer and had a sincere conversation with him, which you will read in detail below.
Aminullah Rashidi explains how he got into the radio: “It was in 1325 that I moved from Kashan to Tehran and that was the time when I found out that Army Radio has a program on music every Thursday night at seven o’clock, which is hosted by Mr. Tajevidi and several musicians. Another and multiplier is executed. The announcer of this program was a man named “Amir Soleimani” who invited me to appear in the army music program and perform. When I showed up there and performed a music program, my work was welcomed and they offered me to regularly perform for Army Radio. Since then, this cooperation started and I was regularly on the radio. At that time, recording facilities and… had not come to Iran, and we sang all the works live, and of course it is really difficult to sing live, but we sang, well, we were young and brave then, we didn’t even think that we might sing wrong. There are no tapes or traces available.
Rashidi further mentions the era when tape and recording facilities became available; He says: “After 1933, when the tape recording system entered the radio, the performances were recorded both in the radio and television program and in the army program, and I still have those tapes.”
In this conversation, Rashidi repeatedly refers to his various archives and the treasure he keeps and says: “I have a world and a treasure of music and I still keep them, and people who are interested come to my house to see this archive. »
I would like Aminullah Rashidi to go back a bit, to when he came to Tehran and what classes he attended. He recounts his memories like this: “First, when I came to Tehran, I went to the Faithful Brothers’ class, of course, my education was originally at the Music Conservatory, which is located in the place of today’s Rodaki Hall. I went there and saw an announcement saying that they accept singing students and I also went to participate in singing and music lessons. I went to the class of notation with the faithful and Maarif brothers, and of course I learned notation myself at the music conservatory, I learned it very quickly. Even when I was walking on the street, sometimes a song would come to my mind and I would write it right there on the street. Another one of my teachers was the late respected professor Musa Khan Maroufi. Dr. Mahdi Forough was one of the professors of fine arts who was also a vocal teacher at the music conservatory and I heard that he recorded works that are not available now. Well, I remember that Mr. Forough advised us not to add writing in the song. At that time, I used to add writing, of course, it was less than many, but he said that these things are completely spontaneous. Mr. Forough used to say that he had a professor who taught music in the same conservatory and was educated in Germany, and he said that in Germany, when Iranian singers went to record songs, they used to write a lot, and the German students did not like this type of extra writing at all. He believed that writing should be in a way that foreigners like and love.”
I ask him what is your opinion about this, he says: “I don’t have such writings in my songs and my writings are small and soft, I have my own writings. We became aware and learned that those writings are not necessary at all and are actually extra. I have worked in this way in my first album called “Moorg Sahar”, in which I sing and write, and I continued the same way later on.
But in 1328, Musa Maarofi became the intermediary between Rashidi and Ali Mohammad Khadim Mithaq, the leader of one of the Iran Radio orchestras. In the same year, Rashidi started his career as a singer and composer on the radio, and for the first time he performed the song “Pain of Separation” composed by Musa Maroufi with his orchestra on the radio. Rashidi says more about Musa Khan and his work on the radio: “I just came from Kashan, I saw an announcement at the Iranian Music Conservatory located on Arfa St. Manavi went to register. When we went to the radio with the children and I was accepted, one of them, who was angry, told me, Mr. Rashidi, this music is not useful at all today, and the original is old music, and it went away and never came back. I was innovative from a young age. For innovation, he can’t go and study his class. I went to Musa Khan Marufi and learned to play the tar. Then I sang one of Musa Khan’s famous songs with a poem by one of the poets, “Betta bangar ke ez gham eshght/ Cheshm Khunbaram Cho Darya” when Musa Khan heard this from me, he told the radio operators that if you want a singer, this is the singer. who knows notation, composes and sings the song by himself and does not give you any trouble. This was said by Musa Khan, and what a great honor it was for me to be introduced by such a reliable person whose words no one would deny.”
Rashidi again points to his rich archive and complains that it is not given the value it should be. “The songs I made or the works I sang on radio and television and recorded, I have them all in the archive; A treasure that has no equal in Iran. Now I am left where to present it. I have them all. Mr. Morteza Momeni took pictures of me that are unparalleled in Iran. “My archive is complete and great. What treasures are hidden in my ruins. My house is full of musical works. After all, I don’t know who to tell that these are history and have value.”
He mentions about his programs that two years ago he sang songs on radio and television that were very valuable and continues: “Our television has completely destroyed singing and music, and it is better to say that it is no more.” The system we have doesn’t want music, instruments and singing at all, they won’t listen to us when we complain. The music they sing on TV is not music at all. I have a treasure of performed works in Shiraz’s Eram Garden, royal palaces and… I have many notes and interviews in different eras, I am both a songwriter and a writer, my books are my travelogues wherever I go. Which do they care about?”
Rashidi also emphasizes that he was always looking for new and original works and tried not to be prejudiced only on traditions. They were old and classic; I tried to work more up-to-date there and present my works more recently. I should also say that I did not perform in the Golha program and at that time I sang my own songs. Of course, the value of the old masters is reserved in their own place. They also worked hard and made songs, but in my opinion, art means innovation, I made songs myself. Although the value of those works remains in its place, I was always thinking about innovation and creativity.”
He comments on creativity and being up-to-date as follows: “In my opinion, this is a God-given thing that should be in a person’s existence. The works that the singers show on TV today are just noise and have no music or voice. As an old singer and composer myself, I have so many songs that have not been performed, but who will value them. Now all these are available, but unfortunately many of them are lost and there is no one to perform them, I have even written their notes and it is ready and ready along with the poetry of the greatest Iranian poets and composers, but who should I tell this story to?
Rashidi mentions the first song he composed, a song that reminds him of his mystic master in Kashan when he told him the story of Margh Haq; “I was Kashan until I was 20 years old and I made a song when I was about 12 years old. The story of Margh Haq by my teacher had a great impact on me, and at that time it made me write a song as a child.
Rashidi, who talks about his newspapers and archives and interviews, expects that this treasure will be appreciated and complains that they and his art have not been given the importance they should and perhaps, the expectation is not too much for a 100-year-old veteran musician.
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