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Themusic of Iran encompassesmusic produced byIranian artists. In addition to the traditionalfolk andclassicalgenres, it also includespop and internationally celebrated styles such asjazz,rock, andhip hop.
Iranian music influenced other cultures inWest Asia, building up much of the musical terminology of the neighboringTurkic andArabic cultures, and reachedIndia through the16th-centuryPersianateMughal Empire, whose court promoted new musical forms by bringing Iranian musicians.[1]
Music in Iran, as evidenced by the "pre-Iranian"archaeological records ofElam, the oldest civilization in southwestern Iran, dates back thousands of years. Iran is the birthplace of the earliest complex instruments, which date back to the third millennium BC.[2] A number oftrumpets made ofsilver,gold, andcopper were found ineastern Iran that are attributed to theOxus civilization and date back between 2200 and 1750 BC. The use of both vertical and horizontalangular harps have been documented at the archaeological sites ofMadaktu (650 BC) andKul-e Fara (900–600 BC), with the largest collection ofElamite instruments documented atKul-e Fara. Multipledepictions of horizontal harps were also sculpted inAssyrian palaces, dating back between 865 and 650 BC.[2]
Little is known about music in the classical Iranian empires of theMedes, theAchaemenids, and theParthians apart from what can be gleaned from the comments ofGreek historians. According toHerodotus, themagi, who were apriestly caste inancient Iran, accompanied their sacrifice rituals with singing.Athenaeus ofNaucratis, in hisDeipnosophistae, mentions a court singer who had sung a warning to the king of theMedian Empire ofthe plans ofCyrus the Great, who would later establish theAchaemenid dynasty.[2] Athenaeus also notes the capture of singing girls at the court of the last Achaemenid kingDarius III (336–330 BC) byMacedonian generalParmenion.Xenophon'sCyropaedia mentions a great number of singing women at the court of theAchaemenid Empire. Under theParthian Empire, thegōsān (Parthian for "minstrel") had a prominent role in society.[3] They performed for their audiences at royal courts[4] and in public theaters.[3] According toPlutarch'sLife of Crassus[5] (32.3), they praised their national heroes and ridiculed theirRoman rivals. Likewise,Strabo'sGeographica reports that the Parthian youth were taught songs about "the deeds both of the gods and of the noblest men".[6] Parthian songs were later absorbed into the Iranian national epic ofŠhāhnāmeh, composed by 10th-century Persian poetFerdowsi.[2]Šāhnāme itself was based onXwadāynāmag (Khwaday-Namag), an earlierMiddle Persian work, which was an important part ofPersian folklore and that is now lost.[7] It is also mentioned inPlutarch'sLife of Crassus (23.7) that the Parthians useddrums to prepare for battle.[2]
Under the reign of theSasanians, the Middle Persian termhuniyāgar was used to refer to aminstrel.[3] The history ofSasanian music is better documented than earlier periods, and is especially evident inAvestan texts. The recitation of the Sasanian Avestan text ofVendidād has been connected to the Oxus trumpet. TheZoroastrian paradise itself was known as the "House of Song" (garōdmān inMiddle Persian), "where music induced perpetual joy". Musical instruments were not accompanied with formal Zoroastrian worship, but they were used in the festivals. Sasanian musical scenes are depicted especially on silver vessels and some wall reliefs.[2]
The reign of Sasanian rulerKhosrow II is regarded as a "golden age" for Iranian music. He is shown among his musicians on a large relief at the archaeological site ofTaq-e Bostan, holding a bow and arrows himself and standing in a boat amidst a group ofharpists. The relief depicts two boats that are shown at "two successive moments within the same panel".[2] The court of Khosrow II hosted a number of prominent musicians, including Azad,Bamshad,Barbad,Nagisa, Ramtin, andSarkash. Among these attested names, Barbad is remembered in many documents and has been named as remarkably highly skilled. He was a poet-musician who performed on occasions such as state banquets and the festivals ofNowruz andMehrgan.[8] He may have invented thelute and the musical tradition that gave rise todastgah andmaqam. He has been credited to have organized a musical system consisting of seven "royal modes" (xosrovāni), 30 derived modes (navā),[9] and 360 melodies (dāstān).[2] These numbers are in accordance with the number of days in a week, month, and year in theSasanian calendar.[10] The theories thesemodal systems were based on are not known. However, writers of later periods have left a list of these modes and melodies. Some of them are named after epic figures, such asKin-e Iraj ("Vengeance of Iraj"),Kin-e Siāvaš ("Vengeance of Siavash"), andTaxt-e Ardašir ("Throne of Ardashir"), some are named in honor of the Sasanian royal court, such asBāğ-e Širin ("Garden of Shirin"),Bāğ-e Šahryār ("Garden of the Sovereign"), andHaft Ganj ("Seven Treasures"), and some are named after nature, such asRowšan Čerāğ ("Bright Light").[10]
The academicclassical music of Iran, in addition to preservingmelody types that are attributed to Sasanian musicians, is based on the theories of sonic aesthetics expounded byAvicenna,Farabi,Qotb-ed-Din Shirazi, andSafi-ed-Din Urmawi.[1]
Two prominent Iranian musicians who lived under reign of thethird Arab caliphate wereEbrahim Mawseli and his sonEshaq Mawseli.[1]Zaryab ofBaghdad, a student of Eshaq, is credited with influencingSpain'sclassical Andalusian music.[11]
The ninth century Persian poetRudaki, who lived under the reign of theSamanids, set his own poems to music. At the court of thePersianateGhaznavid dynasty, who ruled Iran between 977 and 1186, 10th-century Persian poetFarrokhi Sistani composed songs together withsongster Andalib andtanbur player Buqi.Lute player Mohammad Barbati and songstress Setti Zarrin-kamar also entertained the Ghaznavid rulers at their court.[12]
In the post-medieval era, musical performances continued to be observed and promoted through especially princely courts,Sufi orders, and modernizing social forces.[1] Under the reign of the 19th-centuryQajar dynasty, Iranian music was renewed through the development of classicalmelody types (radif), that is the basic repertoire of Iran's classical music, and the introduction of modern technologies and principles that were introduced from the West.[1]Mirza Abdollah, a prominenttar andsetar master and one of the most respected musicians of the court of the late Qajar period, is considered a major influence on the teaching of classical Iranian music in Iran's contemporary conservatories and universities.Radif, the repertoire that he developed in the 19th century, is the oldest documented version of the sevendastgah system, and is regarded as a rearrangement of the older 12 maqam system.[13]
Ali-Naqi Vaziri, a respected player of numerous Iranian and western instruments who studied westernmusical theory and composition in Europe, was one of the most prominent and influential musicians of the lateQajar and earlyPahlavi periods. He established a privatemusic school in 1924, where he also created a school orchestra composed of his students, formed by a combination of the tar and some western instruments. Vaziri then founded an association namedMusic Club (Kolub-e Musiqi), formed by a number of progressive-minded writers and scholars, where the school orchestra performed concerts that were conducted by himself. He was an extraordinary figure among the Iranian musicians of the 20th century, and his primary goal was to provide music for ordinary citizens through a public arena.[14] TheTehran Symphony Orchestra (Orkestr-e Samfoni-ye Tehrān) was founded by Gholamhossein Minbashian in 1933.[15] It was reformed byParviz Mahmoud in 1946, and is currently the oldest and largest symphony orchestra in Iran.[16] Later,Ruhollah Khaleqi, a student of Vaziri, established the Society for National Music (Anjoman-e Musiqi-ye Melli) in 1949.[17] Numerous musical compositions were produced within the parameters of classical Iranian modes, and many involved westernmusical harmonies.Iranian folkloric songs and poems of both classical and contemporary Iranian poets were incorporated for the arrangement of orchestral pieces that would bear the new influences.[17]
Prior to the 1950s, Iran's music industry was dominated by classical artists.[18] New western influences were introduced into thepopular music of Iran by the 1950s, withelectric guitar and other imported characteristics accompanying the indigenous instruments and forms, and the popular music developed by the contributions of artists such asViguen, who was known as the "Sultan" of Iranian pop and jazz music.[18][19][20] Viguen was one of Iran's first musicians to perform with a guitar.[18]
Following the1979 Revolution, the music industry of Iran went under a strict supervision, and pop music was prohibited for almost two decades.[21] Women were banned from singing as soloists for male audiences. In the 1990s, the new regime began to produce and promote pop music in a new standardized framework, in order to compete with the abroad and unsanctioned sources of Iranian music.[22] Under the presidency ofReformistKhatami, as a result of easing cultural restrictions within Iran, a number of new pop singers emerged from within the country.[23][21] Since the new administration took office, theMinistry of Ershad adopted a different policy, mainly to make it easier to monitor the industry. The newly adopted policy included loosening restrictions for a small number of artists, while tightening it for the rest. However, the number of album releases increased.
The emergence ofIranian hip hop in the 2000s also resulted in major movements and influences in the music of Iran.[24][25][26][27]
The classical music of Iran consists ofmelody types developed through the country's classical and medieval eras.[1]Dastgah, amusical mode in Iran's classical music, despite its popularity, has always been the preserve of the elite. The influence of dastgah is seen as the reservoir of authenticity that other forms of musical genres derive melodic and performance inspiration from.
Iran's folk, ceremonial, and popular songs might be considered "vernacular" in the sense that they are known and appreciated by a major part of the society (as opposed to the art music, which caters for the most part to more elite social classes).[1] The variance of the folk music of Iran has often been stressed, in accordance to the cultural diversity of the country's local and ethnic groups.
Iranian folk songs are categorized in various themes, including those of historical, social, religious, and nostalgic contexts. There are also folk songs that apply to particular occasions, such as weddings and harvests, as well as lullabies, children's songs, and riddles.[28]
There are several traditional specialists of folk music in Iran. Professional folk instrumentalists and vocalists perform at formal events such as weddings. Storytellers (naqqāl;gōsān) would recite epic poetry, such as that of theŠāhnāme, using traditional melodic forms, interspersing with spoken commentary, which is a practice found also inCentral Asian andBalkan traditions. Thebakshy (baxši), wandering minstrels who play thedotar, entertain their audiences at social gatherings with romantic ballads about warriors and warlords. There are alsolament singers (rowze-xān), who recite verses that would commemorate the martyrdom of religious figures.[1]
Iranian singers of both classical and folk music may improvise the lyric and the melody within the proper musical mode.[29] Many Iranian folk songs have the potential of being adapted into major or minor tonalities, and therefore, a number of Iranian folk songs were arranged for orchestral accompaniment.[17]
Many of Iran's old folkloric songs were revitalized through a project developed by theInstitute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, a cultural and educational institute that was founded under the patronage of Iran's former empressFarah Pahlavi in 1965. They were produced in a collection of quality recordings, performed by professional vocalists such asPari Zanganeh,Monir Vakili, and Minu Javan, and were highly influential in Iran's both folk and pop music productions.[30]
Iran'ssymphonic music, as observed in the modern times, was developed by the late Qajar and early Pahlavi periods. In addition to instrumental compositions, some of Iran's symphonic pieces are based on the country's folk songs, and some are based on poetry of both classical and contemporary Iranian poets.[17]
Symphonische Dichtungen aus Persien ("Symphonic Poems from Persia"), a collection of Persian symphonic works, was performed by the GermanNuremberg Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Iranian conductorAli Rahbari in 1980.[31]
Loris Tjeknavorian, an acclaimedIranian Armenian composer and conductor, composedRostam and Sohrab, anopera withPersianlibretto that is based on the tragedy ofRostam and Sohrab from Iran's long epic poemŠāhnāme, in over two decades. It was first performed by the Tehran Symphony Orchestra atTehran'sRoudaki Hall in December 2003.[32]Alexander Rahbari is an important conductor and composer who has mor than 250 published albums and conducted more than 450 orchestras,he is now conductor of Mariinsky theatre's Orchestra[33]
In 2005, thePersepolis Orchestra (Melal Orchestra) played a piece that dates back 3000 years. The notes of this piece, which were discovered among some ancient inscriptions, were deciphered by archaeologists and are believed to have belonged to theSumerians and theancient Greeks. Renowned Iranian musicianPeyman Soltani conducted the orchestra.[citation needed]
Following the emergence ofradio, under the reign of the Qajar dynasty, a form ofpopular music was formed and began to develop in Iran.[34] Later, the arrival of new western influences, such as the use of the guitar and other western instruments, marked a turning point in Iran's popular music by the 1950s.[18] Iranian pop music is commonly performed by vocalists who are accompanied with elaborate ensembles, often using a combination of both indigenous Iranian and European instruments.[1]
The pop music of Iran is largely promoted through mass media, but it experienced some decade of prohibition after the 1979 Revolution. Public performances were also banned, but they have been occasionally permitted since 1990. The pop music ofIranian diasporan communities has also been significant.[1][21]
Jazz music was introduced into Iran's popular music by the emergence of artists such asViguen, who was known as Iran's "Sultan of Jazz". Viguen's first song,Moonlight, which was released in 1954, was an instant hit on the radio and is considered highly influential.[20][19][18]
Indigenous Iranian elements, such as classical musical forms and poetry, have also been incorporated into Iranian jazz.[35]Rana Farhan, an Iranian jazz and blues singer living in New York,[36] combines classical Persian poetry with modern jazz and blues.[37] Her best-known work,Drunk With Love, is based on a poem by prominent 13th-century Persian poetRumi.[36] Jazz and blues artists who work in post-revolutionary Iran have also gained popularity.[38][39][40]
Rock music was introduced into Iran's popular music by the 1960s, together with the emergence of other Western European and American musical genres.[1] It soon became popular among the young generation, especially at the nightclubs of Tehran.[41] In post-revolutionary Iran, many rock music artists are not officially sanctioned and have to rely on the Internet and underground scenes.[42]
In 2008,power metal bandAngband signed with Germanrecord labelPure Steel Records[43] as the first Iranian metal band to release internationally through a European label. They had collaborations with well-known producer Achim Köhler.[44][45]
Iranian hip hop emerged by the 2000s, from the country's capital city,Tehran.[46] It started with underground artists recording mixtapes influenced by the Americanhip hop culture, and was later combined with elements from the indigenous Iranian musical forms.[47][48]
Iranian A cappella (music without instrument) in 2011 with a new type was first introduced byDamour Vocal Band[citation needed] led byFaraz Khosravi Danesh. This genre of music has been performed as achoir in the past, but since 2011 it has become such that the human larynx has replacedmusical instruments. Various groups, including the Tehran Vocal Ensemble, began to operate after that, and this style of music flowed in a creative and new way in the Iranian A cappella music.[citation needed]
The following are a number of notable internationally awarded Iranian musical works.
(Pers.navā, Ar.laḥn,naḡma, etc.)
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