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Persian classical musicThe term "Khonyâ-ye Bâstâni Irâni" (خنيای باستانی ایرانی) is the purely Iranian transliteration of what would translate into "Ancient Iranian Music," that is to say, Iranian Classical Music. This Iranian term is well-understood today, but it is rarely used when compared to the more frequently used term, "Musiqi-e assil," which would translate to about the same. Through excavated evidence, such as statuettes recovered in Susa, it can be fairly stated that music in Iran can be traced back to the days of the Elamite Empire (2,500-644B.C). Understandably, little is known of the music during this period except for the fact that various instruments, such as guitars, lutes, and flutes were created and played. Instruments, such as the "Barbat," are said to have originated in this period, probably around 800B.C.
Image:Sassanid Music Plate 7thcentury.jpg Ancient Iranians attached great importance to music and poetry, like today. Post Sassanid era silver plate. 7th century. The British Museum. Iranian Classical Music is improvised and is based on a series of modal scales and tunes which must be memorized. Apprentices and masters (ostad) have a traditional relationship which has declined during the 20th century as music education moved to universities and conservatoires. A repertoire of more than two hundreed series (radif) are each divided into short melodies called gusheh, which are themselves divided into twelve Dastgah. Each Gusheh and Dastgah has an individual name. A typical performance consists of a "pishdaramad" (pre-introduction), "daramad" (introduction), "tasnif" (song), "Chahar Mezrab" (rhythmic) and a chosen number of "gusheh" (movements). Unconventionally, these parts may be varied or omitted. Toward the end of the Safavid Empire (1502-1736), complex movements in 10, 14, and 16 beats stopped being performed. Today, pieces are performed in 6 or at most 7 beats. Many melodies and modes are related to the maqams of Turkish and Arabic music:it must be made clear that the Arabs, upon their invasion of the Persian Empire, declared the lands they had conquered as their "Islamic World." Though most Arab rulers prohibited musical activity, others ordered Persian musicians to write compositions in the form of a book which was called, in Arabic, "Kitab al-Musiqi al-Kabir," meaning The Great Book of Music. Other than the influence of the Sassanid Empire, this is another reason that melodies within the classical musics of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Egypt bear some names of Iranian scales and modes. The Classical music is vocal based. The vocalist plays a crucial role: she or he decides what mood to express and which Dastgah relates to that mood. The vocalist is also responsible, in many cases, for choosing the poems to be sung. If the performance requires a singer, the singer is accompanied by at least one wind or string instrument, and at least one type of percussion. There could be an ensemble of instruments, though the primary vocalist must maintain hers or his role. At times, the musicians may accompany the singer by singing along several verses. Traditionally, music is performed while seated on finely decorated cusions and rugs. Candles are sometimes lit. The group of musicians and the vocalist decide on which Dastgahs and which of their gushehs to perform, depending on the mood of a certain time or situation. Image:Mehmooni2.jpg This wall painting depicts a scene from 17th century Persia. Before the Arab invasion, the melodies in which recitals from the "Avesta," the sacred book of the Mazdean religion of Prophet Zoroaster were chanted or sung, were fited into those modes (visit [1]for more details on this in Persian). The term "gah" has two meanings: in the Pahlavi language, it means both "gath" (a prayer from the Avesta) and also "time." The modes "yekgah, dogah, segah chahargah, panjgah, sheshgah, and haftgah" were used to recite gaths one through seven. Recently, it was discovered that the mode "rast" (lit. truth) was used while singing stories of truthful acts or people and "shekasteh" (lit. broken) was used in telling stories of evil doers. The mode "homayoun" was used while reciting morning prayers. Most of these modes, except probably for "sheshgah" and "haftgah" still exist in the system today. Despite this evidence, musicians still tend to attribute the meaning of "gah" strictly to "time" or "place" in regards to movements on an instrument. When Islam became the dominant religion of Iran, rulers decided to either ban music or to later discourage people from the recital of Mazdean prayers in those modes. Classical music was performed strictly in court up until the 20th century. It was performed in secret during the rule of Islamic extremists of medieval era. It is important to say that a few movements are probably not ancient, but very old.
Major instrumentsInstruments used in Persian classical music include the bowed spike-fiddle kamancheh, the goblet drum tombak, the end-blown flute ney, the frame drum daf, the long-necked lutes tar, setar, tanbur, dotar, and the dulcimer santur. Harps, "chang[s]," were a very important part of music up until the middle of the Safavid Empire. They were most-likely replaced by the piano which was introduced by the West during the Safavid Dynasty of Iran. Many, if not most, of these instruments inspired the creation of instruments of other Middle Eastern Countries. Perhaps the most loved string instrument is the tar. Tar players are highly chosen to function as the primary string instrument in a performance. The setar is also very loved for its delicacy and is the favorite among Mystic musicians. Some instruments like the sorna, neyanban, dohol, gheichak, and others, are no longer used in the Classical repertoire as they were during the Sassanid era yet they have maintained their place in Iranian Folk Music, another ancient tradition. The instruments used in the Classical field are also used in Iranian Folk Music.
Major ensembles
Reference
Further reading
See alsoImage:PersianMasters.jpg Flyer for Masters of Persian Music concert autographed by Shajarian (from left to right: Alizadeh, Shajarian,Kalhor, and Homayoun Shajarian)
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