23 – Maqam (Tarz) Hey Gian Hey Gian 1 (“O Longing Souls, O Longing Souls”)

Range: C, D, E (and E♭), F, G, A, B♭.

Variable notes: E.

Time signatures in the metric sections: 12/8, 10/8, 9/8.

Tuning: Haft Dastan or Barz (C, C, G)

It is one of the kalam maqams (sacred melodic-modal pieces in the tanbur repertoire of the Yarsan, or Ahl-e Haqq); it begins in a free, unmetered vocal style but becomes metric as it continues. Taher Yarveysi says: “Hey Gian consisted of 7 maqams, four of which have been lost and forgotten, while three of them exist at present under the names Hey Gian 1, Hey Gian 2 and Khiyala Masa.” According to Ali Akbar Moradi, this kalam is attributed to Baba Yadegar. Baba Yadegar was born in the eighth century AH (14th century CE) and was one of the spiritual successors of Soltan Sahak. The Yarsan kalams state that after a hard trial the Soltan declared that Baba Yadegar was his successor. After the Soltan, however, he went to the vicinity of Zahab (120 km west of Kermanshah), withdrew into seclusion, first in a cave and then on a mountain, and remained there until the end of his life. His tomb is on Mount Dalahu.