Music in the Middle Ages was inspired by the oriental and Middle East music and classical instruments were brought to the West via Arab world, observed a Dutch musician.
According to ISNA, Neil Van der Linden made the remark while lecturing at Artists House, which is hosting the 23rd Fajr International Music Festival.
In a paper themed ’Relation of Renaissance and Baroque Music With Middle East Music’, he noted that Iran’s national anthem can be compared with Western compositions.
Commenting on a Turkish piece composed by Ali Ufaki, which was performed at the beginning of the event, der Linden recalled that Ufaki lived during the Ottoman reign and during a trip to Istanbul, he was asked to compose a piece blending music from the East and the West. In response, he created a music featuring lute, Turkish flute, dulcimer and ’Setar’, a traditional Persian string instrument.
Stating that western music is rooted in the works of the Medieval period and church compositions, he added that eastern and western music share impromptu performance.
In eastern music both the vocalist and the instrumentalist perform together while in Western music they each have their own sounds.
The Dutch researcher maintained that the first European music was rooted in Christianity and highly influenced by compositions from the Middle East.
Referring to the use of choral rhythms in late Middle Ages, he further said that choral music is a kind of religious music.
Describing Claudio Monteverdi as one of the most important composers of the Baroque era, he said that Monteverdi wrote 12 operas, in which traces of the eastern and Western themes can be found.
His voice is similar to that of noted Iranian vocalist Mohammad Reza Shajarian.

Iran’s National Center of Theater Critics has announced the names of the best in different fields of theater in 2006 at its annual festival held on December 22.
According to www.aftab.ir, Christoph Rezaei, composer of the play ’Pain Symphony’, Naseh Kamkari, stage designer of the play ’Altona Recluses’, Sepideh Nazaripour, an actor of the play ’Who Said Yes, Who Said No’, Payam Dehkordi, an actor in ’Death of a Salesman’,
Masoud Delkhah director of ’Julius Caesar’ and Akbar Radi writer of the play ’Beneath Saqqakhaneh Pass’ were honored at the event.
Special acknowledgement was also given to Behzad Qaderi, a critic and translator.
Addressing the gathering, Ahmad Kamyabi-Mask, a university instructor said that criticism is a necessity for a society whose members are exquisite, knowledgeable and committed.
“When a poet or author wants his/her words to be effective, he/she starts writing a play,“ he noted.
Social, political and psychological conditions of an artist at the time of creating a work greatly influence his/her creativity and these factors can also inspire a critic in evaluating a work, he elaborated.
Kamyabi further pointed out that the art of criticism is the art of analyzing a work to pinpoint its weak and strong points.
Critics serve as a two-way bridge between the audience and creator of works while the translator helps forge communication with the outside world, he said, adding that translation is an effort in line with accepting the others.

Four veteran artists who have created works on Imam Ali (AS), the first Imam of the infallible household of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), will be honored in a ceremony at Niavaran Cultural Complex on Tuesday.
According to a press release faxed to Iran Daily by Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, Farhad Fakhreddini, a noted composer, Mohammad Farahani, an artist, Mahmoud Maher Al-Naqsh, an architect and Mojtaba Malekzadeh, a calligrapher will be hailed on the threshold of Eid-e Ghadir the anniversary of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) appointment of Imam Ali (AS) as his successor.
Fakhreddini is among the prominent Iranian composers who have so far composed music for numerous films and serials including ’Imam Ali’.
Farahani, a veteran artist in teahouse painting has to his credit many tableaux featuring various events from Imam Ali’s (AS) life including Eid-e Ghadir.
Maher Al-Naqsh also created many geometrical designs of the name of Imam Ali (AS) while Malekzadeh has for the first time written beautiful versified supplication of the Imam.

On the location of 'Niloufar', directed by Sabin Jemile

Shooting of the film ’Niloufar’, an Irano-French production, was completed on Sunday after a short delay.
Speaking to ISNA, the film’s producer, Fereshteh Ta’erpour, said that the project was launched in November and most of the shooting took place in Shoushtar, Khuzestan province.
Referring to the delay, she said, “Due to heavy rainfall in the region, we had to change the filming location several times.“
She added that budding actor Mohammad Reza Foroutan was supposed to be a guest actor in one of the film’s closing sequences. However, due to some problems he could not join the group.
“Based on an agreement, the film’s technical processes will take place in Tehran’s Bahman Studio,“ she said.
Directed by Sabin Jemile, ’Niloufar’, tells the story of a rural Iraqi girl who has a longing to become a physician.
The cast includes Roya Nonahali, Shahab Hosseini, Fatemeh Mo’tamed-Aria and Sadeq Safaei.

Kish Free Trade Zone Organization (KFTZO) has announced that it is ready to support the activities of United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on the Persian Gulf island.
Public Relations Department of the organization in a fax to Iran Daily quoted KFTZO’s managing director, Majid Shayesteh as telling the heads of United Nations’ agencies in Kish Island that the island is also prepared to cooperate in different fields with UN-affiliated bodies.
At the meeting attended by UNICEF representative in Iran, Christian Salazar, he also pledged to help the UN body in organizing children’s festival in Kish.
He called on him to introduce the coral island through UNICEF’s famous postcard.
Describing Kish as very beautiful and marvelous, Salazar promised to feature Kish landscapes on UNICEF’s postcards.

An exhibition of paintings by Saeed Moaierizadeh titled ’Recital of Shakespeare and Molana’s Works in Neo-Folklore Style’ will open in Niavaran Cultural Complex on Wednesday.
According to a press release faxed to Iran Daily by Niavaran Artistic Creativities Foundation, maestro Mahmoud Farshchian, Aydin Aghdashlou and Hossein Elahi-Qomeshei will deliver lectures at the inaugural ceremony.
A total of 60 paintings focusing on William Shakespeare, noted British playwright and Molana Jalaleddin Rumi, well-known Iranian mystic and poet as well as development of neo-folklore style will be on display until January 3.
The paintings are inspired by ’Love’s Labor’s Lost’, a comic play by Shakespeare and Molana’s poems. The painter attempts to convey the similitude of views of the two literary figures.
He further seeks to present a new manifestation of Iranian painting by showcasing 10 to 15 tableaux on the evolution of neo-folklore.
Moaierizadeh contends that Iranian painting has presently attained extensive expressive potentials.
However, folklore artists have neglected expressing their feelings, which can be compensated by adopting neo-folklore attitude, which is not intensely committed to form and clichŽs.
“A new attitude towards ancient arts will lead us to a more positive development, which will undoubtedly be in the interest of all human beings,“ he said.

Mohammad Ebrahim Bastani-Parizi

Noted university professor, Mohammad Ebrahim Bastani-Parizi plans to publish a selection of his articles on history.
According to ISNA, he has compiled the papers he has written over the years to have them printed by Scientific Publishing House.
Meanwhile, his books ’Treatise of Kateb-Kermani’, ’From A to Z’, ’Ganjalikhan’ and ’Yaghoub Leis’ will also be reprinted soon.
Bastani-Parizi was born in Pariz, Kerman province, in 1925.
He is teaching history in Tehran University and many books including ’Messenger of Thieves’, ’Desert Epic’, ’Safavid Politics and Economy’ to his credit.

Iran’s cultural attachŽ in Spain met the head of Madrid Islamic Cultural Center to discuss ways of expanding ties between the two countries.
Seyyed Ahmad Khezri also discussed plans with Jose Nieto to stage a traditional concert during Iranian Cultural Week in Spain to be held in March concurrent with Norouz (Iranian New Year) celebrations, said Islamic Culture and Relations Organization in a fax to Iran Daily.
The official noted that the move is aimed at better introducing Iranian culture to the world and said, “Given the historical bonds between the two countries, Iran and Spain share many commonalities.“
Commenting on the agenda for the week, he said, “Music, performance, film screening will be held at the event along with handicrafts, book and photo exhibitions.“
He added that the programs will be held in cooperation with Tehran Municipality’s Cultural-Artistic Organization and Madrid Museum.
Nieto, for his part, expressed satisfaction about expanding cultural ties with Iran and hoped that Madrid Islamic Cultural Center would take positive steps in implementing the plans.