A Synopsis of The Historic Evolution of Persian Music

Persian music or Iranian Art in general can be divided into two periods: the period before Islam and the period after Islam.  The period before Islam before can be divided into a number of categories: 1. Before Medes.  2. Medes.  3. Parsia and Achaemenians.  4. Parhia and Arsacides.  5. Sassanian.
 

BEFORE ISLAM
 

Before Medes  Era

This period is prior to 800 BC.  During this time period numerous stone sculptures and relief carvings were produced showing a strong iconography of the presence of music.   See Image 1-1 "Mohre Choghameesh."  (3500 BC)

Upon looking at this period there is a continuous line of high civilizations: Babylonian, Assyrian, and Elam…    There have been numerous sculptures found in these areas.  Some of these delicate carvings are of musicians playing the instrument known as the "Tanbur."   Images 1-2 and 1-3 are sculptures found at Susa (1500B.C.).

Medes Era

Medians were Aryans who established Medes government in early seventh or eighth century BC
The most important music of this period was the Zorastrian Gaath songs that had its own purities

Achaemenians Era (320-550 B.C)
During the Gaaths's music songs, the other forms of music such as military music, celebratory music and so on were prevalent. The Greek historian, Heroditus - says that during the dynasty of Cyrus the militia went into conflict with the sound of clarions.

Parthia or Arsacides  Era (250 B.C - 224 C )

Between the two dynasties of Achaemenian and Arsacides there was a short period in which Alexander the Great and his followers governed (249-331 BC) At this time we can see the effect of Greek culture and art on society.  From Arsacides period we have a few literary opuses which have given us a great amount of information under the protection of the philology science.  Research shows us that at this time there were musician/poet/singers called "Gusan."  Their roll is similar to the minstrels of Khorassan, today known as "Bakhshi."    (Listen to the attached CD, sample No.2)

Sassanian Era (224 - 652 C)

From research we can divide this era into two parts: 1- The regional or local music of the lands of the Iranian emperor.  2- the official music of the Sassanian court.  The music was found in the capital, Tisfoon, and was called "Barbad," named after the famous musician. The music consisted of  " haft (7) khosrovani," 30 tones and 360 positions that corresponded to the Sassanian days of the week, the month and the year.

During the Sassanian era there was a great variety of humanistic music.  (See maps 2-6)

AFTER ISLAM

Before The Dastgah Era

Between the years 639-642 AD Iran was overrun by the Arabs and the Islamic invasion.  Because of the concepts that were introduced with the coming of Islam, there were a great many changes that led to high developments in the arts and sciences.  This in turn led to the creation of an extremely high civilization.

The Iranian music also saw an exceptional growth during this period. Despite what we have read and heard, the clergy did not boycott this music. The existence of numerous books and theses on music and development of musical instruments all attest to this claim.

The new understanding of music helped the development of the musical instruments. Great musicians such as "Mansour Razi " found new intervals, which spread, quickly throughout the lands of Islam.

This music was structured on the "Magham" system.   In the Maqam system, there were 133 light cycles (khoshayand) and khaffialtanafor (nesbatan khoshayand). Within this there were 12 main cycles that contained 6 chants and 24 branches.

This includes the rise of great musicians such as "Zalzal," "Ebrahim Mouseli," and his son "Issac Mouseli," who was renown as both a performer and theoretician  (9th century C)

There were many scientific books about music written.  These musical scholars were Iranian, but their works were written in Arabic, the main scientific language of the time.   Books that were written at this time were: "Al Moosighi Al Kabir" by Al Farabi, the music chapter of book, "Sheffa" by Abouali Sina, and "Al Kaafi Felmousighi" by Ebne Zeyleye Esfahani.  There were also the pamphlets "Aladvaar" and "Sharafiye" published by Safiyeddin Omravi, and many other books too numerous to mention here.

It should be noted that we can see the remnants of the magham music in the regional or folk music of Iran.  It can be seen in the  "Bakhshi" of Turkman Sahra, and the  "Asheq" of the Azeri in northwestern Iran.

The Transition to the Dastgah modal system   

The exact date of this important change is not clear, because of the lack of any written record.   There is no question of the deep relationship between Magham music and Dastgah music, and due to this relationship we consider Dastgah music as a newer form of Magham music.

Dastgah or Radif music 

As explained before, the Dastgah  music is the result of Iran's long history, and it's music and cultural ideals. This was by the sages and scholars named previously.  We can say the best narrator of the Arts and Sciences of Iran, is Music.

We know that this music was organized and systematized during Qajar dynasty. Due to this systemization, musicians from the various regions of Iran know it's rules and structures, and how to play it.  This in turn has led to the spread of this music in Tabriz, Isfahan, Shiraz, and also Kordestan and Gazvin.  Each of these regions have produced great masters, masters such as Mohammad Hasan Khan (Santour) from Shiraz, Abolhasan Eghbal Azar (singer) from Tabriz and Seyyed Rahim Esfahani from Isfahan.

During this period all of the masters, in their specialized areas began to establish this great musical system, and is apparent from the past history.  It should be noted that the teaching of this music, from the beginning was "chest to chest."  This means it was taught from master to student orally.  Nowadays notation is used by some teachers, but still the proper method of instruction is chest to chest.

Tar and Setar

Santour

Ney

Kamanche

Tonbak and Tasnif

Tasnif

Ali Akbar Sheyda - Abolghasem Aref Ghazvini - Amir Jahed
 

Avaz

The music of Iran and the modern branches

From the end of Qajar period and with the arrival of the professional French military music (1865 C), a new chapter in Iranian music began.  Here we have the clash of European and Iranian cultures.   This clash gave birth to the advanced school of music developed by Ali Naghi Vaziri.  Sixty-seven years later, this school of music was divided into two different parts: the first part stressed that musical performances should adhere to the structures of the European musical model, and the second part, which was under the influence of Mr. Vaziri's, attempted to perform the Persian music using European structures.   The first group went their own way, yet their influence can be seen in Persian music today.

Today we can see the influence of Vaziri in the following ways:

1- Dastgah music of Iran (radif).

2- music of regional areas of Iran .

3- compound music (using European structures to perform Persian music using Vazari's thinking)

4- classical music of Europe.

These classifications are in two parts when you perform it Artistic or when you do it non-Artistic.

From another point of view we can divide Persian music to these branches:

- Dastgah music of Iran (radif)

-  Regional music of Iran.  For example music from Khorassan, Lorestan, Kordestan…

- compound music

- Classical music of Europe.

- Religious music

- Monastery or Sufi (khaneghah) music

- Zurkhane music: ancient form of music that accompanies sport exercises

- Light music: that has its own sorts:

                        - Western light music

                        - Non-western music: Turkish - Arabic - Iranian

                        - Traditional light music: that uses traditional instruments and pays attention more to the light parts and crowd-pleasing.