The pieces Bidad and Mokhalef emerge from the living, improvisatory tradition of Iranian music. In both works, form, mode, and rhythmic flow arise spontaneously from the performers’ shared moment, unfolding with immediacy and sensitivity. Throughout these extended improvisations—whose structures defy the conventional single-form frame of Persian classical music—one witnesses striking musical interactions between the two artists. Their intuitive coordination is vividly reflected in the way musical ideas are exchanged: at times flowing from the melodic instrument to the rhythmic one, and at other times in reverse, occasionally converging into a unified voice that reveals their deep mutual understanding of musical ideas and each other’s artistic character.

The phrasing, dynamics, and articulation further testify to this remarkable rapport. Within each piece (especially Mokhalef), diverse instrumental forms—Pishdaramad, Chaharmezrab, Zarbi, and Reng—are seamlessly woven into a single, coherent structure. While the melodic instrument (the tār) generally leads the transitions, the tombak often foreshadows upcoming motifs, creating a rich, dialogic texture.

The shared “instant of insight” between the two musicians propels the music toward new, unified pathways—like concentric Euclidean circles with different radii but a common axis. Importantly, despite their expansive internal form and extended duration, each piece retains a clear conceptual direction, never losing its thread. After fifteen minutes, Mokhalef still holds to the essence it set out to express.

Beyond the technical mastery and modal–formal journeys, this coherence allows Bidad and Mokhalef to be experienced as complete, uninterrupted narratives—where time, structure, and mode dissolve into the musical moment. The deliberate choice of secondary modes (Bidad-e Homayoun and Mokhalef-e Chahargah) to frame the beginning and end further reflects Mehdi Haqiqi’s sharp artistic vision, recalling, in the case of Bidad, the spirit of Parviz Meshkatian’s legendary work of the same name.

Ultimately, Bidad-e Mokhalef stands as a distinguished and noteworthy contribution to the art of improvisation in Persian classical music—an example that resonates both artistically and historically.

02 Opponent (Moķhālef)

Master of Iranian Music, Tehran University
www.qpRecords.com/

02 Opponent (Moķhālef)

Mahdi Haqiqi