Kashkool (for Brass Quintet)

Composer: Soheil Shirangi
Dedication: To Gholamreza Takhti (1930–1968) — the most beloved figure of modern Iranian history
Year of Creation: January 2014  Last Edition & Recording: July 2020
Published by: Zang Records, August 2020
Performers:
Trumpet I & II – Hassan Farahani • French Horn – Farshad Sheykhi • Trombone – Hossein Sharifi • Tuba – Babak Mirdadian
Recorded at: Sorna Music Studio, Tehran, Iran

Kashkool is a musical tribute to Gholamreza Takhti, the legendary Iranian wrestler whose kindness and humility made him a national symbol of integrity and compassion. The piece is inspired by a real historical event: the day Takhti walked through the streets of Tehran after the devastating 1962 Buin Zahra earthquake, carrying a small donation bowl—his kashkool—to collect money for the victims. Crowds gathered behind him as his sincerity stirred a wave of generosity among the people.

The work captures this deeply human moment through contrasting musical textures—solemn, lyrical passages give way to powerful, triumphant brass sonorities. The sound of the ensemble becomes both elegy and celebration: mourning loss while affirming solidarity and hope.

In form, Kashkool blends elements of narrative tone painting with modern harmonic language. The trumpet lines evoke Takhti’s strength and leadership; the horn and trombone reflect the weight of empathy and remembrance; while the tuba grounds the ensemble with warmth and gravity. Together, these voices embody both the public heroism and the quiet humanity of a man whose compassion transcended fame.

This work is not only a reflection on an individual but also a meditation on collective goodness—how one person’s integrity can ignite the spirit of an entire people. Today, as much as ever, we need the memory of figures like Takhti: symbols of courage, humility, and love in the face of adversity.