Mirza Abdullah’s Radif, Handwritten by Abolhasan Saba: Dastgaah-e Homaayoun

This national document, a portion of which has been published in this book, is the most important and one of the primary accounts of Mirza Abdullah’s radif. Perhaps until the winter of 2016, when the wife of Master Faramarz Payvar generously and kindly entrusted the remaining documents of her husband to the Payvar Foundation, few were aware of the existence of this document. Students of Saba, especially Faramarz Payvar and Ali Tajvidi, had mentioned the existence of this document. This document is the handwritten work of a unique artist in the history of contemporary Iranian music, Abolhasan Saba.

The Importance of Abolhasan Saba’s Manuscript

Saba can be considered the most talented direct student of Mirza Abdullah in playing the setar. This exclusive situation, as the transcriber of Mirza Abdullah’s repertoire, the most talented of his students, one of the most skilled musicians, and perhaps the most significant teacher of the 20th century, gives this handwritten document exceptional significance.

The manuscript was recorded in a notebook, and substantial pieces of evidence suggest that throughout his life, Saba frequently referred to it. This notebook includes a collection of Mirza Abdullah’s radif, encompassing seven dastgaahs and two avazes, some old tasnifs, comparisons of some radifs, and some unlisted works by this musician. There is evidence that the writing of this text can be limited to the period from 1923 to 1933, specifically around 1926.

Editing and Rewriting Mirza Abdullah’s Radif at the Payvar Foundation

To make the text out of the manuscript available as soon as possible, ensuring accuracy in preparing a polished version, the Payvar Foundation has decided to publish it in several booklets to get the opinions and feedback of musicians and musicologists before releasing a comprehensive version. “The Homaayoun Notebook” is a rewrite of the first dastgaah recorded in this document, presented to you faithfully.

After restoring and scanning Mirza Abdullah’s Radif, Abolhasan Saba’s manuscript, a team began the work of editing and rewriting with the following members (in alphabetical order): Nazanin Ghanizadeh, Ali Samadpour, Farshad Tavakoli, and Vahid Tehrani Azad. In order to fully transcribe everything in the manuscript, a digital notation was crafted. As a result, all side notes, poetry, or markings in the manuscript were copied to the digital version. Then, the team members presented their rewrites in weekly meetings for discussion. After members submitted their edited versions of the specified gushehs, a two-person team started the “integration” work. Then, the integrated version was reviewed by all members again the following week. Therefore, the team reviewed and corrected the published version multiple times.

In addition to repeated reviews, two alternative versions of Dastgaah-e Homaayoun were also referred to: one is “The Fourth Level Course of Saba’s Violin,” published in 26 issues of the Iran Music Magazine from June 1958, and the other is “The First Level Course of Setar and Tar” by Saba, published in 1960. In rewriting the manuscript, like editing and refining other handwritten texts, the original manuscript was the primary reference, and the two alternative versions were referred to as needed to resolve ambiguities and contradictions. There were also cases where neither of these texts provided a solution, requiring the team members to make judgments and decisions.

The Payvar Foundation is proud to be the first independent institution in Iran that, through research into written documents of Iranian music, has challenged the notion of their being mere museum pieces. Every written document of Iranian music is like a tree that has not yet borne fruit, and only after research and extraction of its fruit can it be handed over to museums and archives.

Dastgaah-e Homaayoun of Mirza Abdullah’s Radif According to Saba’s Account

Dastgaah-e Homaayoun of Mirza Abdullah’s Radif, handwritten by Abolhasan Saba, is written based on “Re,” which Saba explicitly states is “in the left tuning of the tar.” This dastgaah, comprising 11 pages and 23 gushehs, includes Moghaddameh, Chaharmezrab, First Daramad, Second Daramad (Kereshmeh), Third Daramad (Zang-e Shotor), Mavalyan, Chakavak, Tarz, Bayat, Ney Davoud, Forud, Bavi, Abolchap, Leili va Majnoon, Ravandi, Nowruz-e Arab, Nowruz-e Saba, Nowruz-e Khara, Nafir-e Farang, Shushtari, Raz-o Niaz, and Bakhtiari.

Table of Contents

• Preface
• Introduction
• About the Manuscript
  • Physical Characteristics and Authenticity of the Document
  • Chronology of the Manuscript Writing
  • The Importance of the Manuscript in Saba’s Professional Life
• Report on Rewriting the Manuscript
  • Bibliography
• Editing the Manuscript
  • General Considerations
  • Specific Considerations
• Rewriting of Mirza Abdullah’s Radif According to Saba (Dastgaah-e Homaayoun)
• Handwritten Radif of Mirza Abdullah According to Saba (Dastgaah-e Homaayoun)