Century-old nomadic voyage in Persia, immortalized in a documentary, receives updated music accompaniment
In 1925, a historic event unfolded as 50,000 members of the Persian Bakhtiari tribe embarked on a journey from Ankara, Turkey, to the grasslands of modern-day western Iran. This epic trek was captured in the silent documentary film "Grass: A Nation's Battle for Life," produced by film-makers Merian C Cooper and Ernest B Schoedsack.
Now, more than a century later, the film is being remastered and given a new lease of life, with a fresh score written by Iranian composer Peyman Yazdanian. His score, a live improvised duet between piano and the kamancheh, an Iranian string instrument, will be performed at the re-screening of "Grass: A Nation's Battle for Life."
Yazdanian and his collaborator Adib Rostami on kamancheh use written guidelines for the sequences but otherwise play what they feel in the moment, allowing the music to be informed by the images on display. This approach is seen as a rebuttal of previous versions' western perspective and a reframing of the film's own colonialist viewpoint.
Cultural critic and film historian Babak Elahi argues that the right scoring can help create a new narrative, and Yazdanian's score will build on previous efforts and take it into new territory. The music is a testament to the power of improvisation and the ability of art to evolve and adapt, reflecting the changing times.
On 19 September, Yazdanian will be performing his score alongside a screening of the film at Kings Place in central London. This is a unique opportunity for audiences to experience the film in a new light, with a score that resonates with the cultural richness of the Middle East.
In a twist of drama, in particularly dramatic moments, Yazdanian plans to use sticks to create harsh percussive sounds on the piano, while Rostami will play on an Iranian hand drum called tombak. This addition promises to add an extra layer of emotion to the already powerful film.
Peyman Yazdanian's score for "Grass: A Nation's Battle for Life" is not his first foray into reimagining classic films. In 1992, Amir Vahab composed a score for Grass that drew on Persian music, Arab maqam, Turkish folk, and Kurdish traditional music, aiming to recreate a sense of cultural geography. Yazdanian's score, however, takes a different approach, focusing on improvisation and live performance, creating a unique and immersive experience for audiences.
The re-screening of "Grass: A Nation's Battle for Life" with Peyman Yazdanian's live score will take place on September 21, 2025, in Germany. This event promises to be a significant moment in the history of film and music, bringing together the past and the present in a powerful and moving performance.
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