Iranian
music has a colorful and spiritual melody. Music in Iran
is contemporary with literature and poetry of great
poets. It absorbs the listener emotionally steering him,
as if on a flight of stairs, to an elevation approaching
divinity. The romantic and mystical lyrics of ancient
poets are placed at the disposal of singers who, with
the magic and boundless power of their voices, breathe
new life and enchantment into them. Iranian musicians
combine the inner melody in these lyrics with their own
emotions and the result of this liaison flows out
through one of the traditional musical instruments.
The
music is generally non-rhythmic and in case a rhythmic
music accompanies a verse; it only enters a section of
the melody and remains detached in other instances. In
addition to the tradition oriented music, Iran has also
inherited one of the richest arts of folk music. Country
songs have been conveyed, mouth to mouth, from those
very ancient ages to today. Some of the lyrics reflect
signs of hardship and suffering that have been inflicted
upon the people. Today ethnomusicology is one of the
branches of research pursued by musical experts of the
country. Folk music, depending upon its needs, calls for
the use of special musical instruments such as Kamancheh
and Ghichak, Daf, Tambur, Tar and Se tar.
The
followings are a few of the traditional Iranian musical
instrument: Santoor This is a large horizontal sounding
box over which are stretched numerous strings. It is
played with plectrum and sometimes with fingers. It is
much like the zither both in shape and in tonality. Tar
and Se Tar This is the most popular musical instrument
of Iran, which in Persian means string. It is a string
instrument with a pear-shaped body and six strings. Then
there is the Se Tar, a three-stringed instrument of the
same general shape that is plucked by the fingers. Nay
This is the first musical instrument that was used
thousands of years ago in Iran. Made from the stem of a
reed, it is a simple tube with several perforations. It
was played mostly by shepherds and is famous as “the
music of the Prophets”.
Tonbak With a very melodious sound, this is a percussion
instrument and is also the main component of the present
day traditional Iranian music. The mixing of the sounds
of Tonbak and Daf generates the most exhilarating
melodies for the songs of Dervishes and spirituals. The
most famous Iranian singer having a special mastery over
Iranian music, Mohammad Reza Shajarian has performed
musical concerts all over the world. In Iran, Abol
Hassan Saba is considered to be the father of classical
Iranian music. Besides the tradition oriented Iranian
music, Iranian youths are also interested in western
rhythmic music and Iranian pop music. Traditional
Iranian orchestral music too, has a large number of fans
in Iran. Non Iranians, too, have enjoyed this music.
Among the many famous Iranian orchestral musicians the
names of Kambiz Rowshan Rawan, Parviz Meshkatian,
Mahmood Alizadeh, Ferreidun Naseri, Rouhollah Khaleghi
and the Kamkar group are more outstanding than others.
PERSIAN MUSIC
About the music of the Elamites not much is known;
however, we know of a ruler of Susa who had musician at
his temple gate about 2600 BC. There are also the
bas-relief which shows musicians playing harps and
tambourine. It is possible that there was not a lot of
difference between Babylonian-Assyrian music and Iran at
that time and the Persian names of tabire (drum) and
karranay (trumpet) may be derived from names of the
Akkadian tabbalu and qarnu.
After the conquest of Alexander the Great when
Hellenistic culture found expression in Persia, one
might suppose that Greek derived the name of salpinx
(trumpet) from Iranians. During Parthian period (
beginning 2nd century BC) when Aramaic became the
official language, the word shaipur (trumpet) which is
Semitic may be taken from Aramaic word.
Sassanian dynasty cherished music as shown on rock
carvings of Taq-i Bustan which are two types of harp,
trumpet and drums. Also, lute (ud), guitar (rubab) and
pandore (tanbura) can be seen from other arts. One can
name Barbad, Shirin, and Azada as famous musicians of
this era. We also know that specific modes of music were
used at certain hours of the day, week, and month, each
for a particular purpose as a part of governmental
procedure.
After the Arab conquest, Arabic music became known in
Iran. At the same time, Persian music influenced Arabic
music. In the 10th century, Persian musicians became
favorite at Arab court and the Persian lute was a
favored instrument.
In the 9th century, the Khorasanian scale was
introduced. The musicians played on Persian tanbur which
became as popular as lute. The nay (flute), chang
(harp), rabab (viol), and the nay-i siyah (reedpipe)
were also common instruments at the time.
Persian musical instruments: Drum,
Tombak, Ney, Santur
M. Nejad*
on Ney
Persian theorists were leaders in Arabian musical
theory, for example, Al-Razi and Al-Sarakhsi. Ibn Sina
mentions twelve principal modes of music:Rahawi, Husain,
Rast, Busalik, Zangula, Ushshaq, Hijaz, Iraq, Ispahan,
Nava, Buzurg, and Mukhalif (zirafgand). We know little
about their formation. Four of modes mentioned above
have Arabic names which may indicate Arabian origin.
Ispahan was named as one of the ancient modes of Persia.
There are also six secondary modes (avazat).
During Ghuri rulers and Khwarizmi (12th -13 th century)
music grew. Two notable theorists of this era were Fakhr
al-Din al Razi and nasir al-Din al Tusi. Another Persian
theorist was Qutb al Din al-Shirazi who was famous for
Pearl of Crown (Durrat al-taj). In the Treasure-House of
Gift (Kanz al -Tahaf) an important work in 1350, ud
(lute), rubab (guitar), mughni ( archlute), chang
(harp), nuzha, qanun (psaltery), ghishak (spiked viol),
pisha (fife) and nay-i siyah (reedpipe) are completely
described. In other places, dutar ( two strings) and
sitar (three strings) exquisite of poet Hafez are
mentioned.
During Timuri Dynasty, Abdal-Qadir ibn Ghaibi lived who
wrote The compiler of Melodies (Jami al-alhan) which is
cherished in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. By the 14th
and 15th century, twenty four branch modes (shuba) and
forty eight derived modes (gusha) began, respectively.
By the 17th century, there were twenty four of rhythmic
modes (usul).
Under Safavid Dynasty, chartar (four strings) and
sheshtar (six strings) musical instruments were
invented. Ud (lute) and kamancha (spiked viol) were the
most favorite instruments with addition of nay (flute)
and daira (tambourine) as can be seen in a painting of
Shah Safi court. Surnay (shawm), naqqarat (kettledrums),
karna (long trumpet), duhul (side drum), and kus
(kettledrum) were for military uses. Persian theory
especially in nomenclature influenced Indian, Arabian,
Turkish and Turkomanian music. Even China through
Turkomans was affected by Persian instruments.
By the 19th century, ud (lute), rubab (guitar), qanun
(psaltery) were not in use but santur (dulcimer) was
still used. During the second half of the 19th century,
three viols rumuz, madilan, and tarab angiz were
introduced.
About the mid century, European influence found its way
into Persia, mostly in military bands. In the early 20th
century, Ali Naqi khan Vaziri a teacher, a composer and
instrumentalist played an important role in reviving and
advancing the native music of Persia. Vaziri gives the
notation of most popular modes (avaz); Mahur, humayun,
Bayat-i Ispahan, chahargah, shur, segah, nava, and
bayat-i kurd. "Pish dar amad" is an introduction which
prepares the listener for dastgah (melodic modes) which
are the pieces to come.