Vol. 10

Yaar-e Bewafa (The Faithless Beloved) is among the most emotionally concentrated recordings Zahir produced during his peak years. The theme of betrayal and faithlessness in love runs through every track, drawing on Hafiz's classical treatment of the unfaithful saqi as well as more contemporary romantic poetry. The arrangements are deliberately restrained, allowing the lyrical weight to dominate, and Zahir's vocal control on the slow passages here is considered by many scholars of Afghan music to be his finest recorded work.