With the memory of Zaven Yadigarisns
Professor Zaven Yadigarians was born in Tabriz, Iran on October 1914. He started to play violin when he was a child.He had the chance of presence in some good classes to import great teachers like: Shahin Delalian, Leon Gerigurian, Babgen Tamrazian & Shavash Baghdasarian who were all graduated from the best international conservatory in France, Belgium, Germany & Russia.
Zaven was one of the pursuant of Professor Aver School that is one of the best methods to play violin. Like Professor Ivan Galamian, his best friend, he had his own way to make the phrase and finger marking & he could train some students who are the best & famous nowadays.
Professor Zaven Yadigarians was one of the founders of Tabriz music school & one of the best soloists who played with some great orchestras at his time. He was a unique pedagogue,too. He assimilated his own way of teaching according the latest methods of the time & during his life, never he did deviate from the rules of academic music.
He benefited the psychology & inclined toward the simplicity in technique & realization of thought & meaning in manner, too. His didactic personality was based on these subjects.
He always insisted on gentry & originality of art & artist; the same thing that his friends did. Some friends like:
Heshmat Sanjari, Roben Safarian, Khotsiev, Robik Gerigurian & Stepan Sanusian who never died because the artist is alive in his works. So, he completed his life with thoughtful music & wrote some cadences for some famous concertos with a very accurate point of view. Now, we can find some of his works as arrangements that show his artistic taste.
Notwithstanding the modernization & industrialization, he stayed loyal to purity, simplicity & sanctity of human sense. He came back toward his originality as an artist who is expert of education & like this he could be immanent & keep his influence on society.
Without any doubt, he is the master of Iran classical music who tried to make pervasive the music. Two months before his death, in his last interview, he said:” I came to this world with music & I will leave this world with music.”
After his autumnal journey on September 27, 2008, the society of art became rueful.
Good on his sprit!

Bahman Mehabadi, violinist & the head of SOL music ensemble



 

He seeks " piety" through each and every note of the piece and its performance and calls each " impiety " false . Therefore if history is the anecdote of man in the framework of every day life art is the symbol of the mystic expedition of history within the outcast and eternally lone man . Because both man and art emanate fons et origo and proceed a long so as to converge.

Art on the premiss of the all embracing knowledge of the exiting history can welcome its own utopian history and assume the throne of some utopian power . In this respect we must never ever forget that if any merchandise under the name of art is represented in the world and as it seems providing it finds its market and then fades in to oblivion is another story with no pertinence to the true artist . Because being an artist is excruciatingly difficult . Art is a religion a sacred and social one , the breath of life , a combination of knowledge, intellect and creativity together with a substance with no apparrent name and in its social facet it is the cause of the realization of the vital link between man and society and in the final scrutiny it is a kind of ideology autonomous of any other ideologies . Within this bright mine music has a status of lots of consequence . The abstract structure of music entices other forms of art and some state that all forms of art must reach the level of music irrestrictability : ignoring the fact that today's music is far more liberal than yesterday's .
 

Man is the center of this free and liberated music of any intended and unintended bonds . The central core is thought , endeavor and creativity . His incandescent soul scintillated by a divine and God - endowed blessing in the pursuit of love is undergoing an obscure suffering and has practiced what is yet to be for long hours , numerous days over several month and years . Every "playing" has made him go close and closer to the destination and without any single glance at the every day's routines he has stared at his instrument and through the suffering expedition has reached creativity . Undoubtedly , every one can fall in love and this is of no particular merit . But love is of special value and meaning when on the time's anvil is beaten and finds perpetuality . Today before our eyes standing is a man who has devouted his life time to love without any momentory hesitation and in This amour of existence and non - existence has taken the hue of love. This sage and predecessor of classic music in Azarbayjan if not the sole renown and erudite musician is undoubtedly , one of a few prominent and selected musicians of this land who is meritorious of great respect . An artist who after years of endeavor and experience relying on his creativity and his powerful talent has managed to highlight the proving of the theory of the correct instruction with universal standard of music by developing practical and scientific methods in performing music ,its adjustment and training first-rate students . And in this respect he has been presented as an international figure who is of the early instances , of course , peerless in music education in Azarbayjan . Professor Zaven Yedygharians without any exaggeration has gained practical experience in education of over half a century which is a unique event in our epoch , leading the music students through all correct and incorrect issues and currents is a matter of lots of cosequence which this celebrated instructor can crane his neck about : having passed this enervating trial . And today the presence of the best and the most dexterous Iranian violinist , Mr. Khachik Babayian , is the honored evidence of this scientific contemplation . Constant presence in music realms without any negative notion or eliminating conviction out of vanity toward others makes him a unique paragon which is a great lesson for all . Because unfortunately we are observing that exclusiveness and monopoly even in scientific and artistic circles . This issue doesn't pertain to professor Zaven Yedygharians because as far as I remember I have received affection , sympathy , inspiration and help . And I have noticed these elements in meeting his students .

I entered his academy when I was a child . He talked about the mystery of his instrument . Until today so many years have flown by but I still hear him talking about some mysteries of the instrument whose story is never to end . Others came and went and interpreted the world in general terms which are actually trivial . But he highlighted his faith that emenates from God . My mentor's life in music world had meaning because he sacrificed its entirity for the sublime meanings that today his name , existence , home and family all are overflowing with love .
 

One whenever writing wrote about him who was the first and the last . Another one trained his students under his name and remembrance because he had learned lessons in his affection academy which he could never learn anywhere else and could never become such a music lover . Professor Zaven Yedygharians with all his erudition in music is always self deprecating . I learned from him how to be self - effacing and modest and realized that true artists are always self effacing and modest . In Tabriz music school I took lessons from him for many years . When the school was near Golestan garden . Then located in Tarbiat street and then in the last location Monajem street . I was also present in his home in a small and friendly class . He organized some thoughts in my mind which were general , important and preliminary . And then in musical activities and services I never went out of my own originality framework and my mentor's . I met different people during my musical activity and job . Each of them has his own human effect but deprived of the grand music mysticism . I always took an introspective look at the faith that I had been bequeathed by my mentor as a relic. True artist is the true man , Because undoubtedly it is in the current of the birth of a ditty that even slaves are emancipated . Music breaks all the hostile bonds which manacle and shakle man by poverty tyrrany and ugly traditions . and in the realm of universal chanting in unison , joins north , south , east and west . In this rebirth the artist stands against a world infested with enigmas , anxieties and miseries so as to conduct a harmony aligned with the poundings of a heart imbued with compassion for an orchestra of the miserable and discrete mankind . And leads the mankind from his individuality to his cosmic unity that our music is the universal legacy of humanity . This legacy is in liaison with moral teachings and enhances the human faculty of resolution and with strengthening the faculty of concentration yields pensive and perspicacious humans to society . Azarbayjanians are inspiring, grateful and knowledge seeking people . Here is the land of knowledge . Saeed Nafisi with regard to music calls Azarbayjan eastern Italy Regarding the grand sources and rich repository of musical works including folkloric pieces , symphonic works , concerts , forms of chamber music and family music circles along with the sacredness joined with love for music in every individual of this land , this claim is scrutable .

In the last centuries great composers like safi'din Ormovi and Abdolghader Marraghehee left some works for us . Professor Zaven Yedygharians is a child of this land . He is an instance of the knowledge of this land . Actually his pious being is one of the most resplendent pages of the bulky book of the art and culture of these people of erudition .

As we read in mythology , Prometheus stole fire from the gods in Olympus torch to kindle the lantern of human intellect , Orpheus kept playing his lyre by the distant seas unite the sun rose and the crows flew . Abraham in fine found his garden of fire faith and Professor Zaven Yedygharians sought his utopia in music so as to wash his body and soul and get the shape of Ormazd .

I kiss his pious hands .
Every one whose garment is torn by love is all purged from avarice and flaw
Gay gay thou our gay - business Love.
Thou the physician of all our infirmities .
Thou the panacea of our vanity and bias .
Thou our Plato
Thou our Julanous.

Bahman Mehabadi
2002 –March, TEHRAN
 

Listen to the reed –flute, how it complains about separation!
This is the history of a departure that melts our heart which is full of sadness and makes us affected with such pain that makes our pure tears fall down.
Professor Zaven Yadigarians was a great man. He was so loyal and he had such a great soul that now, without him, we are mournful and we cry for our loneliness.
He taught our unperfected hands and made used our disconsolate hearts to love. He really was sacrificed in his way and I, as his student, I saw his penance. He recalled everybody to humanity and he, himself, as someone who loves the philosophy of life; he lived in this world and in the end of his life, very simple just as a pigeon, he flew toward eternity.
I burst my breast, striving to gave vent to sights
And to express the pangs of my yearning for my home!
He never annoyed someone. He lived like angels .He led the evil to silence through his deep realization; because the nature of music is opposite with terrestrial umbrage. He presented us such a great love that brightened our way of life. He set us on the wings of music and taught us to fly.
Now our wings are broken because he flew. He was our master and now, without him, we are alone.
Hail to thee, then, O LOVE, sweet madness!
Thou who heal all our infirmities!
Who are the physician of our pride and self-conceit!
Who are our Plato and our Galen!
Wisdom was his ideal and intellectual music was his gift to all. He adopted his sprit and his body in it and became like Ahura, like an angel and flew toward the sky because he wanted to be free from all boredoms, all eternal loneliness .Today he rests in eternity.
Only he whose garment is rent by the violence of love
Is wholly pure from covetousness and sin!
As everybody knows, Proteus stole the fire from torch of God to keep the light of wisdom, Orpheus played on a harp beside of far seas till sunrise when crows flew and Abraham, he could find his faith in the fire. Zaven, our master, he became eternal in the music; immanent and victorious.
He, himself, was the history of music of our land. A unique artist. The music was born on his hands and created wonder on his violin. His song brought the life. All notes that he played, came from his soul; the center of his thought, the center of innovation.
He was searching love and during his life he experienced the penance to have it that lasted all his life. When he played, he paved the way to reach the destination and he, without any attention to the routine, played. Without any doubt, he tendered his life to love .In this courtship between objectivity and naught, he changed into the love. During the journey of life, his kind, compassionate and incentive wife, Madame Khachaturian, accompanied him. Today I kiss her hands. She was with our teacher all the time. She deserves our thanks. Zare, his son, he is just like his father, too .Today, I wish, God forgives Zaven!
Khachik Babayan , the unique Iranian violinist , is one of the Zaven’s honor. He is one of the best masters of academic music in Iran. He has developed in an artist family, too. Hereby, I bid my regards to him.
Finally, many thanks for attendance of all artists, guests and all social authorities of Tabriz in this ceremony. On behalf of society of art, I am thankful and I wish God forgives our master, once more!

Yet, though my days vanish thus, this no matter
Do thou abide, O Incomparable pure one!
Now, that great man, he rested in the absolute tranquility. His life was a long journey in this world. His bulletin includes huge of activities that lasted near 90 years.
Zaven Yadigarians had chosen the music as his philosophy of life; the way of thinking, the way of dialectics. He taught the language of music to all. He showed them such a wonderful world that even now, around the world; it is the ideal of who loves art. Music is neither the old false belief that the strangers have presented, nor a tool to escape from thinking. Music is a deep way of thinking. Music is not a tool to parade. Music is a personal view into the secret of creation. Music is one kind of penance. One should be like a child learning to walk; step by step to reach the purity. Being as an artist is really difficult. Art is a culture; a saint culture, a social one. It is a way of life. The mixture of science and consciousness plus something else that nobody can say what it is; is the cause of the relationship between human being and society. Some kind of independent ideology.
And the point is that in the center of such a great circle, music has an especial place because its audience is thought. Artist is lover and in this way, he doesn’t look for compensation and in his philosophy the earthy compensation for such a pure soul is abusive. We acquired this philosophy from him. He accompanied us to show how strong we are. In this way he presented some great artists like Khachik Babayan who is the symbol of talent and the best violinist in Iran; unassuming and humble.
He is the heritage of Zaven. As a member of SOL music ensemble, I bid my regards to him!
Our master, Zaven, was unassuming, too. He made our thought with the proper rules. During my business life, I encountered people who have their own personality but without the philosophy of music, reviewing my way with them, I found out an especial faith within me that my master awarded, and this led me to believe that when a song is born, even slaves become free!
I know that there are many obstacles that are created by the poverty, by the despotism and by the hideous traditions, but I believe that music is stronger and can break all of them just as the 9th symphony of Beethoven did. Beethoven, in this melody, recalls everybody to conformity in which, artist is faced to the world of ignorance and disturbance in order to create such a great harmony that is in accordance with the pulse of our heart which is full of love, and play with a real orchestra including humanity who is disconsolate, but can be free from individuality, meanwhile human being can find its totality, its nature. Beethoven says that music is a moral way toward spiritual world.
Now, I want to say about the city which is the birthplace of our master; Tabriz. He was one of the symbols of art and science in Tabriz with Turkish people including Muslim and Christian. Here is the land of identity, the land of recognition. The evening music of Azerbaijan causes intellectual one to appoint this city as eastern Italy. In this field we can remember Safi-e-din Ormavy and Abdolghader Maraghei who are grand fathers of music. So, it should be aware, it should be moved aforethought because we are talking about professionals.
From the time that we commenced to hold our violin on our weak shoulder, we found that how love can tremble our soul with its glory. He taught to support even the least difficulty, we have to practice for years. So, we found out that we have to work and hesitate from egoism if we want to be in the right place. He was not only the teacher of music but also the teacher of morality. We, as students who had the chance of his support, could become free from big tricks. Maybe God keeps us for something better. We are here, in this world, to say we are from that generation who rendered our life for art, for music, for thought and for morality.
Professor Zaven Yadigarians , taught us this philosophy and even now, we follow it. Going away from skin-deep reality, from skin-deep music, from skin-deep thought is our main lesson.
Music is practice of innovation. Music develops the mind. Music is in relation with penance. Music increases our intelligence and someone who is intelligent, cannot go wrong.

Arise, O son! Burst thy bonds and be free!
How long wilt thou be captive to silver and gold?
Music is freedom. He taught it us with his attitude. I cannot forget how he looked our fanaticism, our ignorance and our arrogance while he was smiling, and talked about celestial fruitage of lords of music. He taught us the patience and told us to reach the goal, we have to try. And this is the secret of music; practice such an ascetic. He talks often about his unfaithful violin. But, the one who passed the frontiers of realization, he passed the desertion of the world, too and the one who rested as prisoners in the world, he became desperate. He suffered a lot. But, because he believed the philosophy of his life, as his choice, he pulled off.
There were many people who refused him but, he didn’t cry. He said nothing because he respected his choice.
Now, we are here to respect the music and him, too who was a part of music. Now, we are here to say once again that the bed of art isn’t except that purity and peace. So, we have to know that life doesn’t mean the war. Life is a gift; a unique gift. And human being is successful when he expunges the hatred and keeps the love; that means art.
Everybody knows that the computer can perform music without fault, but everybody knows, too that in such performance, always we feel the lack of human feeling which means the realization, the honor, the freedom, the peace and the culture. Then, it’s better to come back to our spiritual mission.
During last years, I came to Tabriz to visit my master. In each concert, I reminisced him with honor. Always, I thought with myself, I wish I never hear about his death. But, bad time arrived and he became free from all pains and he passed away. I know that he is calm and it calm me down.
His family, Madame Khachaturian;his wife and Zare Yadigarians; his son are participated in this ceremony. They are heir the rich culture of Zaven and I render them my deep compensation!
Hereby, I solace whom they are attended; Tabriz music house, eastern Azerbaijan cultural center, the cultural & social section of Tabriz municipality, the society of music and artists & students who came from other cities.
I wish, here, in the city of culture and art we can have the best situation to train whom they can be the society of educated.
I recall all to move toward the growth of our city and our culture.
Regards,