The Farabi Orchestra was founded by Morteza Hannaneh in Tehran Iran in 1963.
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Morteza Hannaneh and his colleagues, Fereydoon Nasseri, Kasrevi and Mrs. Shahniya were able to, in only the second time in Iranian music history, to successful create another symphony orchestra called Farabi on Iran radio.
Morteza Hannaneh is the true founder of modern national music in Iran. He graduated from the Tehran Conservatory (Honarestane Aliye Musiqi). He cooperated with composer Parviz Mahmoud, to found the Tehran Symphonic Orchestra, and from 1952 to 1954 he was the conductor of this orchestra. In 1954 Morteza Hannaneh went to Italy to study and conduct research. After gaining enormous musical experience, he returned to Iran after eight years.
The Farabi Orchestra started his activity from 1963 and then the interested people in new Iranian scientific music heard new works from radio that differed too much from the past. The music of Iran had come up to its life and it was expected to be continued more energetically and fondly . In this period Farabi Orchestra performed many brilliant works. Unfortunately and suddenly this Orchestra cut his activity after 10 years.
Radio symphonic orchestra,(Farabi orchestra) was the victor in “Tribune Internationale des compositeurs”, International Rostrum of Composers, Paris 1966.Morteza Hannaneh was invited by UNESCO to take part in the congress of the first world modern composers in Paris on June1966 . This was the first time that Iran was invited to take part in such congress. The composers should introduce their recorded works, of their countries in that congress. The best work must be performed lively in front of the audience on the Paris radio & TV. The selected ten tops were broadcast all over the world. This introduces the different nation's music to the world and every country was presented to the musical works of another country.
Morteza Hannaneh was invited from Iran to the congress for the first time. While no countries but Japan and turkey were invited among the whole Asian and African countries. Even the former Eastern Germany (D.D.R) after the three-year conflict took part in the congress for the first time and introduced his modern music. Some developing countries opposed against the invitation of Iran to the congress. But the head of congress mentioned that Iran has been one of the developed countries which his music has improved simultaneously with Europe.
Morteza Hannaneh opinion about the UNESCO Congress
Hannaneh Wrote: "Today's modern music is a composition of sounds and voices in which even the voice of animals is heard. The west world is thirsty to find new voices and sounds and tries to bring the music out of any oldness and sentimentalism. So every country whose musical works was combination of expressions and feelings, was called laughing stoke and disappointed to succeed. Morteza Hannaneh notes:"first, I worried about this subject, and although I myself was witness of modern music improvement in Italy, I got my given tape again .But when I heard the work of Russians and some other nations which had a form and a frame of instrumental music, I decided to return my recorded music tape from Iran to the congress. This work was made by Hannaneh the own. Its name was "The Dream of the little devil" from OratorioBahram Yasht accompanied with the voice of Hossein Sarshar as the Tenor soloist and performed by Farabi radio symphonic orchestra. Everyone who heard the work, had a very good opinion about it. So the Jury agreed that it is the best modern music among the whole works since Iran had had remarkable changes in its music. The head of congress expressed: "we hope to hear more modern and interesting works and especially new voices from Iranian in near future".
Rest of the countries were not happy for this decision but they had to buy the best work from Iran and broadcast it from their countries. It was even recorded on a gramophone disk and became a universal work in modern music of Iran. After Iran, the best works were as following: Poland, England, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Sweden, Austria, Yugoslavia and France. Italy with 700 years experience and Germany could not succeed in this competition. The jury even laughed at the modern music of the (former Soviet Union) Russians, and called them backward. In this situation the work of Iran not only wasn't funny but also was the best one. 'Morteza Hannaneh said: "I hope to take part of Iran in this congress for the next years with new modern works. I invited all Iranian composers to introduce their partitures to the scientific music section of radio."
The reasons of stopping
Fereydoon Nasseri mentioned: "One of the biggest problems about the orchestra was reporting unreal news about the spent money for activity of it .For example they announced this money 4 times more than the reality. This was just the only orchestra which could keep the respectability of music of Iran. Except the solo instruments, the records of this orchestra were the only work sent to other countries and even won the first prize of the congress in Paris. It was broadcast through many foreign Radios."
Morteza Hannaneh said: "I prove that the recording of Farabi orchestras cost very cheaper than the other orchestras. Because the member of this orchestra were Frequently young and were paid just 15 tomans per 4 hours. While the elder ones got 200 Iranian tomans since we could not perform and record the "programs music" by a traditional instrument like "Tar", thus all of the orders were given to the Farabi orchestra."
Hannaneh finally announced that:"Although all of my colleagues are worried about my resignation and make me change my decision, and according to their said, I shouldn't deliver this great responsibility to the artless persons. You know that our energy is limited and I can't to relate the whole disturbances. specially in the field of art .I face the affected and faithless activities and persons making me not to perform any remarkable work. I proved during these years that I devoted my life to help the people and I was at their service. If you compare our works in Farabi orchestra with the same ones in other orchestras, you will get the differences and qualities. Thus this is the educated young turn, to try and continue this way. Having positive activities we expected to be supported at least. If I knew how to play instrument just for funny and earning I would surely do it. I hope my resignation is agreed. I think that every noble and hungry man and woman in Iran prefer living freely to live in a poisonous situation."