For amplified string quartet (processed)

In memory of Parviz Yahaghi

Commissioned by Kronos Quartet for Kronos Festival 2017

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Parviz Yahaghi (1936-2007) was one of the most prominent Persian violinist and the composer of many iconic melodies who lived in Iran for the entirety of his life despite of the fact that he was banned from performing and publishing for almost 20 years after the Iranian revolution in 1979. He was allowed to publish two albums in late 1990’s but during his last years, he was not able physically, to play the violin any more. He belongs to the generation of performers who literally translated the Persian music for western instruments and developed their own methods of performance and sonority, in accordance to the fine details of Persian music theory. These techniques are unique and dictate that the string instrument needs be processed and amplified.The portable amplifiers are also manufactured in Iran and for the purpose of this piece, four of them travelled a long way from Tehran to San Francisco to make it to the premiere. This piece is an homage to one of Parviz Yahaghi's melodies named Pareeshan meaning, abstracted.