Iranian music
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Simin Tander and Tord Gustavsen
The harmony of mysticism
The Afghan-German singer Simin Tander and the Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen combine Sufi poetry with Christian hymns. By Stefan Franzen
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Persian classical music
Going their own way
For a long time, Persian classical music was considered untouchable. Now the sons of Iran′s great ustads have begun to change traditional music. By Marian Brehmer
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Iran and its authors
The perils of writing
The history of modern Iranian literature has been shaped by censorship. Nonetheless, Iran is hoping to be guest of honour at the world′s leading book fair in Frankfurt in 2018. Amir Hassan Cheheltan, one of Iran′s best-known contemporary authors, describes how he copes with the situation
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″The Secret Handshake″
An Iranian and an Israeli band tour together
The political situation between their home countries may be tense, but that hasn't stopped an Iranian and an Israeli band from jamming together. Now the musicians are joining forces to tour Germany. By Heike Mund
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Interview with the Iranian filmmaker Ayat Najafi
"Freedom starts in the mind"
In his two documentary films, Ayat Najafi has focused on women who are fighting for change in Iran. Marian Brehmer talked to him about his projects and the difficulties faced by Iranian filmmakers
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"Tamburi Mundi" music festival
Summit of friendship
The Freiburg-based "Tamburi Mundi" music festival celebrated its tenth anniversary in special fashion this year by bringing together musicians from Isfahan and Tel Aviv. Far from the political tensions one might expect from representatives of these two cities, this get-together was all about friendship and harmonious unity. By Stefan Franzen
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The Iranian singer Mahsa Vahdat
"Every place can be my stage"
Mahsa Vahdat is not only one of the finest woman singers in Iran, she has also dedicated herself to the preservation of the female voice in classical Iranian music. Marian Brehmer listened to her new album "Traces of an old vineyard"
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Film review: "No Land's Song"
One woman's quest to make Iranian women's voices heard
It sounds like a completely mad enterprise: in Iran, a country where women have not been allowed to sing unaccompanied in public in front of men since the 1979 revolution, an Iranian woman sets out to organise a concert of women singing Iranian songs. The documentary "No Land's Song" charts her progress. Richard Marcus saw the film
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Album review: "Dawar" by Trio Chemirani
A brilliant kaleidoscope of textures
In Western music, percussion generally supports a singer or other musical instruments, rarely playing a starring role in its own right. "Dawar", the latest recording from Trio Chemirani, turns this notion on its head. Richard Marcus listened to the album and was astounded by the diversity of sound and feelings that three musicians are able to create using just a few instruments
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Interview with Michael Dreyer of the Osnabruck Morgenland Festival
A hub connecting the Orient and the Occident
The Osnabruck Morgenland Festival has acquired a reputation for top-class Oriental music. Marian Brehmer spoke to the festival's founder, Michael Dreyer, about the challenges of organising the annual festival, and how un-political a festival of the Orient can be
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Interview with Ramin Sadighi from the Iranian music label Hermes Records
The fine line between what is permitted and what is not
Ramin Sadighi, the founder of Iranian world music label Hermes Records, talks to Shahram Ahadi about the constraints on artists in the Islamic Republic, the battle against copyright infringement and what international sanctions mean for his record label
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Music and power in Iran
An instrument of propaganda and control
In her essay, Maria Koomen examines the important role played by music in the history of Iran, in particular since the Islamic revolution of 1979