The Leader of the Band
Shiraz, Persia, 1907
Shiraz holds a special place in all Persian hearts, for it is the birthplace and resting place of two of the country’s most revered poets, Hafez and Sa’adi. In addition to being famous for its beautiful gardens, Shiraz is also the capital of the province of Fars, the seat of the first-ever world empire in nearby Persepolis.
Salar Moazaz was not happy with his son’s decision to accept this position in Shiraz. He felt the capital city was where his son had a future for introducing the new music. A more disturbing thought to him was about the position itself since Salar Moazaz was not keen on Nasrosoltan becoming involved with the family of the garrison’s commander.
The commander was the son of the famous and powerful governor of the province, Qavam Al-Molk Shirazi, a wealthy landowner and a member of one of the region’s most prominent families. He had publicly declared his allegiance to the new constitutional monarchy; however, there was a feeling that, in fact, he was just paying lip service to the desires of the democratic reformers. Qavam Al-Molk had no intention of giving up or even sharing his tremendous power over the region to this new democratic idealism.
Salar Moazaz and Nasrosoltan were not only forward-thinking in their desire to bring modern music to Persia, but they were also politically progressive. It was apparent to both of them that the concentration of wealth and privilege amongst the elites had held the country back from much-needed improvements.
Father and son had traveled and lived abroad and welcomed the culture and liberal ideas of Europe, wanting to see similar thinking take root in Persia. That is why Salar Moazaz and Nasrosoltan sympathized with the constitutionalists’ intentions to promote democratic reforms in their country.
Salar Moazaz’s suspicion of the commander’s family’s true allegiance concerned him, and he did not want his son to be embroiled in any political drama. But Nasrosoltan paid no heed to his father’s alarm and traveled to Shiraz in 1907. The position intrigued him, and he saw it not only as a way of regaining his independence from his overbearing father but also as an adventure to live in this enticing “city of the poets, literature, and wine.” As the conductor of the military band, Nasrosoltan believed he would have the necessary autonomy to introduce his unique ideas about music without external interference.
Upon arriving in Shiraz, Nasrosoltan marveled at the pleasant weather and sculpted gardens. The commander welcomed Nasrosoltan with an outpouring of respect and the appropriate amount of pomp and circumstance, which made him feel highly esteemed as an honored guest.
Nasrosoltan had first become acquainted with the commander while they were childhood classmates in Tehran. Nasrosoltan had not seen him since then but was surprised that not much had changed in his physical appearance. The commander was still short and stocky with a round face and small eyes, but now his mouth was framed by a well-trimmed bristly black goatee covering most of his lower sunburned face. He was dressed in his military suit and cap, adorned with various medals, a small pistol at his side, and an ornate jewel-encrusted decorative dagger on his belt.
When the governor had sent his son to Tehran for his education, he was sent to the same school as Nasrosoltan, which gave comfort to the anxious new student who knew no one else. The governor and Salar Moazaz were family friends, so Salar Moazaz had asked Nasrosoltan to look out for him.
From their school days together, Nasrosoltan recalled how the commander had a boastful attitude, always bragging about something to remind others of his status. He was the only child of a wealthy and influential family and felt entitled to act in this way. But to his dismay, the other students were not impressed since they were mostly of the same social status and actually considered him provincial.
He was pugnacious, getting into arguments over the most trivial matters. His display of aggressive behavior in the school courtyard, like a bully, left him with few friends. He could also quickly change his demeanor with whomever he was trying to impress and become incredibly charming. This was especially evident when he wanted something in return. Nasrosoltan heeded his father’s request by assisting the governor’s son at school and even defending him on several occasions.
And now in Shiraz, the commander was paying back Nasrosoltan for his kindness years earlier. He ordered that Nasrosoltan be given all the allurements one could ask for: a house with a lovely garden inside the garrison, a manservant, a cook, and a gardener.
When he first accepted this new position, Nasrosoltan had his reservations, albeit different than his father’s concerns. He was apprehensive that this remote part of the country, far from the capital, would be provincial and stifling. However, after some reflection, along with his eagerness to escape his father’s influence, he had dismissed these hesitations. With the dignified welcome that he received, he became more confident in the correctness of his decision.
On the evening of his arrival, Nasrosoltan was summoned to the commander’s house for a dinner in his honor. The gathering included prominent dignitaries of the city and the most influential families, including the commander's father, the powerful governor.
Though the party was in honor of Nasrosoltan, the real tribute was being paid to the governor, who presided over his son and all the significant goings-on in Shiraz. Nasrosoltan observed the spectacle with a brief sense of foreboding. As the party progressed, with delicious food and wine being served and introductions to more people than he would ever remember, Nasrosoltan soon forgot this uneasy feeling.
Living in the city of Shiraz was a welcome respite from the years of living in St. Petersburg with its frigid winters and even from the constant hustle and bustle of Tehran, which seemed to grow more crowded every day. Shiraz, by contrast, is a southern city with long, warm summers and brief, mild winters. The population of Shiraz is as sublime as the climate, and the beautiful gardens beckon families to picnic and enjoy the outside atmosphere all year round.
Although life in Shiraz had a restorative influence on Nasrosoltan, after a while, he fell into a lazy routine. His position as leader of the band afforded him great respect in the community, and he was regularly invited to dine with the most prominent Shirazi families.
He soon realized that the position was not as fulfilling as he initially hoped. Nasrosoltan had imagined that he would transform the band from a regular military one to a shining example of innovation for music in the country. His challenge was that the musicians were not disciplined performers. They preferred to play the music they were used to rather than the new music and methods Nasrosoltan was trying to introduce.
Undaunted, Nasrosoltan broached the subject with the commander, appealing for his support to make appropriate changes to promote the needed innovation. Every time he raised his concerns, the commander politely dismissed them. Nasrosoltan’s problems seemed trivial to the commander since he was preoccupied with the tenuous political situation in Shiraz. The commander viewed the reformer movement with suspicion, believing they were trying to wrest away the power his family had held for generations.
As the months passed, Nasrosoltan became frustrated with the lack of progress with the band. Most of his energy was spent socializing and enjoying the many comforts that life in Shiraz offered. What had initially been spiritually therapeutic slowly descended into a feeling of passive complacency. However, this all changed with the arrival of a new guest.