Innovative composers have incorporated elements of traditional Persian music into piano compositions by using the harmonic minor scale and quickly repeated pedaled notes to evoke a Middle Eastern sound and recreate the santour's distinctive sound.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded at Skywalker Sound, a Lucasfilm, Ltd. Company, in Marin County, CA, using a Yamaha CFIIIS 9' Concert Grand piano.
Historical Context
The ancestor of the piano, the santour (or dulcimer), is widely believed to have originated in present-day Iran over two thousand years ago.
Historical Context
Music, with the exception of sacred religious chanting, was banned in Iran from 1979 until 1988 during the Iran-Iraq War, making it illegal to even buy pianos.
Historical Context
The modern piano first appeared in Iran in 1806, when Napoleon gifted the instrument to the Persian emperor.
Album & Artwork
The album title, 'East of Melancholy,' is the English translation of 'Shargh e Andouh,' a collection of poems by Iranian contemporary poet Sohrab Sepehri.
Cultural Impact
Poetry is highly valued in Iranian culture, and much Persian music has been inspired by it throughout the centuries.
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