Little is known about this rare recording by Morteza Hannaneh, co-founder of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra. Rediscovered on tape by his grandson, this 1960's recording for Tehran Radio, which had previously been considered lost, is now seeing a limited reissue on vinyl via Paris-based imprint Collapsing Market. Read an interview with the label's co-founder and Hannaneh's grandson Cyrus Goberville here.
"Without definitive records to go from, 'Tschashm-e-Del' was presumably recorded in the ‘60s (certainly pre-revolution) and quite possibly broadcast on Radio Tehran. Now restored from the original reels, it reveals a gorgeous and important suite of music set to a Ghazal - an ancient Arabic ode, or poetic expression of the pain and beauty of love, loss or separation - written by Hatef Esfehani, who was a famous Iranian poet of the 18th century. The ghazal deals with the founding principles of Sufism and monotheism through a love story between Hatef and a Christian girl, with Morteza Hannaneh’s musical arrangement matching the specific rhyming structure of its ancient classical form, itself rooted in tradition stretching back to at least the 10th century, whilst also incorporating string elements of western orchestration relating to Hannaneh’s background in composing for cinema."
The now somewhat mystical ten track release evokes an era of profound historical importance and cultural value, while unearthing the modernist musical legacy of the late Morteza Hannaneh. Listen to a preview of "Tchashm-e-Del" in the SoundCloud player above or stop by Boomkat for a more comprehensive introduction to the LP.