Century-old nomadic trek across Persia marked by fresh musical composition in documentary film
In a unique fusion of classical silent film scores and modern Iranian music, acclaimed Iranian composer Peyman Yazdanian will be performing a live improvised soundtrack to the 1925 silent documentary film, "Grass: A Nation's Battle for Life". The event will take place on 19 September 2024 at Kings Place in central London.
Originally produced by film-makers Merian C Cooper and Ernest B Schoedsack, "Grass" is a captivating journey of the Persian Bakhtiari tribe as they trek from Turkey to Iran. The film, which is being remastered and presented with a new score, offers a fresh perspective on this historical narrative.
Yazdanian's score for "Grass" will be a duet between the piano and the kamancheh, an Iranian string instrument. The music will be improvised to accompany the images on display in the film, creating a dynamic and engaging audio-visual experience.
The composer's aim is to use "real Iranian colour and instrumentation" to create a dialogue between the classical silent film scores and modern Iranian music. Cultural critic and film historian Babak Elahi sees Yazdanian's new score as a rebuttal of previous versions' western perspective and a reframing of the film's own colonialist viewpoint.
The score will also feature percussive sounds on the piano and the use of an Iranian hand drum called tombak. Yazdanian's performance is set to be a must-see event for film and music enthusiasts alike.
Don't miss this opportunity to experience a timeless classic reimagined with a contemporary twist. Join us at Kings Place on 19 September 2024 to witness Peyman Yazdanian's live performance of the new score for "Grass: A Nation's Battle for Life".
