Javād Ma'roufi -- Golden Dreams & Other Romantic Melodies (Iran, 197x / SARLP-500)

  

"Javad Maroufi (جواد معروفی)  was born in Tehran in 1919. He was one of the first musicians who chose to perform Persian music on the piano. Piano and violin were brought to Persia during the reign of the Qajar King Nassereddin-Shah. In the beginning, these instruments could only be found in the royal palaces and the homes of the nobility. Qolamreza Salar Moazez, Motamedolmolk Yahyaian, and Mahmoud Mofakham were among the first musicians who introduced the piano in Persia. Alinaqi Vaziri taught piano in his music school, and later, prominent musicians like Moshirhomayoun Shahrdar, Hossein Ostovar, Morteza Mahjoubi, and Javad Maroufi were the ones who were admired by the lovers of this instrument and by ordinary people. Maroufi was the son of Moussa Maroufi, a renowned player of the tar. Mousa was the best student of Darvish Khan and Alinaqi Vaziri. He paid special attention to his son Javad’s musical education. After completing elementary school, Javad Maroufi attended Alinaqi Vaziri's School of Music. He started with the tar, but turned to the piano after a few years. Maroufi graduated from Vaziri’s School of Music in 1932. He went on to receive a diploma from the Tehran Conservatory, where he studied Western music. He believed that, in order to be able to play Persian music on the piano, one should also master the techniques of Western music. Maroufi began working at Radio Iran when it was established in 1941. He collaborated closely with the great Rouhollah Khaleghi as a piano soloist, as well as an arranger of works of other composers. He taught piano, music theory, and solfege at the School of National Music for many years. He also composed many original works for piano solo. Maroufi passed away in 1994." (Rouhollah Khaleghi Artistic Center)

Here's a much needed re-rip of this wistful, yet contemplative, solo set of Persian piano compositions by Javād Ma'roufi. Golden Dreams is a longtime personal favorite from my collection, highly recommended, we'll say, for any other homeless wanderers who've found solace in the sounds of Tsegue Maryam Guebrou. Romantic regional piano solos; Bartok's Romanian Folk Dances, as another example, are slowly becoming a strong fascination, here. Do any discerning readers out there have further recommendations? 

Javād Ma'roufi -- Golden Dreams & Other Romantic Melodies (Iran, 197x / SARLP-500)

Flac + 320

Side A

1. Prelude no. 1

2. Prelude no. 2

3. Prelude no. 3

4. Prelude no. 4

5. Prelude no. 5

Side B

1. Jila

2. Golden Dreams

3. Kou Kou

4. Fantasie on Armenian Theme

5. Fantasie on La Minor

Javad Ma'roufi- Golden Dreams and Other Romantic Melodies جواد معروفی طلایی رویاهای کلاسیک ایران پیانو

I have no idea which thrift store I was mining when I scored this gem of record; but it was somewhere in Virginia. Well, I've had it now for probably 10 years and it has definitely become one of my personal favorites. For the record, romantic piano is not normally my thing, but this one appeals to the Satie fan in me. Ma'roufi's compositions are heady, meditative and and exotic (to my ears) without feeling the slightest bit new age.


The Tracklist:
1. Prelude no. 1
2. Prelude no. 2
3. Prelude no. 3
4. Prelude no. 4
5. Prelude no. 5
6. Golden Dreams
7. Kou Kou
8. Jila
9. Fantasie on an Armenian Theme Pt. 1
10. Fantasie on an Armenian Theme Pt. 2
11. Fantasie on an Armenian Theme Pt. 3
12. Fantasie in La Minor

Mediafire Download Link- Javad Ma'roufi- Golden Dreams and Other Romantic Melodies