Seyed Khiyal Yadegari

The Yadegari family of sayyids has been one of the influential artistic families in tanbur playing and kalam (the sacred hymns of the Yarsan) singing in the Guran region over the past century; they live in the village of Simani near Gahvareh, on the slopes of Mount Panj Savareh.

The late Seyed Fattah was the best-known tanbur player of this region; he learned the tanbur from the greatest master of his time, Master Sarkhaw. The late Seyed Khiyal and the late Seyed Naser Yadegari, sons of Seyed Fattah and themselves renowned tanbur players, were among his most outstanding pupils.

Seyed Khiyal Yadegari, born in 1313 SH (1934/35), one of the great contemporary kalam singers and tanbur players of the Guran region of Kermanshah, registered 105 maqams (traditional melodic pieces of the tanbur) of Iran’s music.

From childhood he began learning the tanbur from his father with great dedication. Since tanbur players enjoyed a high standing among the people, and out of his love for the tanbur and its ancient maqams, he accepted every difficulty and hardship, and through practice and perseverance, his apprenticeship with his father and his attendance at ceremonies and kalam gatherings he learned all the maqams of the tanbur.

Yadegari gradually became known as a master and authority on tanbur music, and in ceremonies and jamkhanehs (the Yarsan ritual gathering houses) he fulfilled to perfection, through his tanbur playing and kalam singing, his duty of preserving and spreading the music of the tanbur.

Playing the tanbur at the eighth Regional Music Festival, Seyed Khiyal was honoured as one of the veterans of tanbur music. After 81 blessed years he passed away in his birthplace on Tuesday, 20 Bahman 1394 SH (9 February 2016).

Source: Telegram channel “Navaye Tanbur”, 21 November 2016; quoting the Telegram channel “Chefteh Diyar Kur Kur Neshin”.