Husayn Hamadaniyan

Husayn Hamadaniyan (1924-1999), tumbak instrumentalist and classical vocalist who specialized in the classical modal system and (tasnif) of Persian music. Having studied music with Husayn Tehrani, he found his way to well-known orchestras and was active in the field of Persian music from 1946-1977. He was one of the earliest tumbak instrumentalists to perform in the Gulha programmes, where he continued perform for some ten years. In these programmes and in his performances in the Gulha orchestra, he exhibited his skill in playing the tumbak. His name and talent are heard  throughout many of the Golha-yi Javidan, Rangarang and Barg Sabz programmes. As a singer he possessed a powerful and highly resonant voice and although he was highly skilled in the delivery and interpretation of traditional ballads (tasnifs: both classical and popular), his skill as a singer was not made use of in the Gulha programmes.

Husayn Hamadaniyan’s best known work was his performance of the national Persian wedding song, entitled Ay yar mubarak bada (“O Friend! May It Be Auspicious!”) which became the best-selling record in the last one hundred years of Persian music. Since his retirement from the Iranian national radio in 1977, he ceased to be active in music. He passed away in a retirement home in very sad circumstances. His son, Humayun, is a santur instrumentalist.