Ahmad Ebadi

Ahmad Ebādi^[1] (Persian: احمد عبادی; 1906 – 1993)^[2] was an Iranian musician and setar player. Born in Tehran, he was a member of the most extraordinary family of Iranian music. Ahmad's father, Mirza Abdollah, is arguably the most influential figure in Persian traditional music, and his paternal uncle, Mirza Hossein-Qoli, is also well known for his mastery in playing the tar. Ahmad's paternal grandfather, Ali-Akbar Farahani, was also a talented musician.

Ahmad Ebādi
احمد عبادی
Born	Ahmad Ebādi احمد عبادی 1906 Tehran, Iran
Died	14 March 1993(1993-03-14) (aged 87) Tehran, Iran
Occupation(s)	Musician, player of Setār
Parent	Mirza Abdollah

Ahmad started learning music at an early age. At the age of seven, he was able to play tombak to accompany his father. Unfortunately he lost his father soon thereafter, but continued his education with his sisters, especially Moloud Khanom. He became one of the best setar players of all time. For years he played on Iranian radio especially in a program called Golha, produced by Davood Pirnia. Ebadi had a unique style in playing the setar. He also invented a variety of different tunings for setar.

He died in 1993 and is buried in Emamzadeh Taher Cemetery in Karaj.^[3]

Ahmad Ebadi and Moluk Zarabi performed in 1924 at Tehran's Grand Hotel.^[4]

Notes

1. Master Ahmad Ebādi (استاد احمد عبادی) is the more commonly used name.
2. 1285 – 1371 AH.
3. Photograph of the gravestone of Ahmad Ebadi: Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine.
4. "آواهای کم‌شنیده از دیروز تا امروز • ملوک ضرابی – DW – ۱۳۹۶/۳/۴". dw.com (in Persian). Retrieved 2023-09-20.

References

• Haghighat, A., Honarmandān-e Irani az Āghāz tā Emrooz, Koomesh Publications, 2004 (in Persian).
• Khaleghi, R., Sargozasht-e Musighi-e Iran, Ferdowsi Publications, 1955 (in Persian).

External links

• Ahmad Ebadi entry in the Encyclopædia Iranica
• Video. Ahmad Ebadi playing setar.
• A sample of solo music on Setār by Ahmad Ebadi in the following Dastgahs: Segāh, Chahārgāh, Homāyoun, Esfahān, Afshāri.
• A sample of orchestral Persian traditional music in Segāh Dastgah, with Ahmad Ebadi playing the Setār, from the Barg-e Sabz, no. 306 . The singer is Mohammad Reza Shajarian, singing a ghazal by Saadi. Other players are Assadollah Malek, Violin, and Jahangir Malek, Tonbak. The poems, by Jami and Kamal Esmail, are read by Roshanak.