From: smortaz@handel.Eng.Sun.COM (Shahrokh Mortazavi)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.iranian
Subject: Re: String instruments in Iran
Date: 9 Nov 92 23:09:16 GMT
Article-I.D.: exodus.lftrssINNipa
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mountain View, CA  USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: handel

In article <1992Nov5.213447.23441@news.acns.nwu.edu> MHz@nwu.edu (Mariam Hakim-Zargar) writes:
>
>	It has been recorded that there were several bowed instruments
>developed in Iran.  For instance, during the _SAsAni_ dynasty (what is 
>that called in English?), 

theyre called the sasanid empire.

a bowed instument called _ghazhak_ (today known
>as _gheychak_) was quite popular.  This instrument's popluarity seemed to
>die becuase evidently the players were not very skilled, so it never 
>really caught on (Or at least that is what Mr. Rouholla KhAleghi says in
>his book: _Nazari be Mousighi, bakhsheh dovvom_).

plausible...  although i dont see how if it became quite popular if
musicians werent skilled on it.  i suppose it died gradually when its
sound/music wasnt fashionable.  history is certainly full of these types
of instruments (ask seyed about the guillotine)!

>
>	You said something to the effect that the cello has such a deep 
>mellow tone which suits persian music.  I would like to take a step back 
>and mention that Iranian music has not always had the "sad" tone it has 
>today.  Before the Arab invasion, the persians had a very "happy" music, 
 	 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~	

aakh, nagoo aabjee!  a lot more things were in a "happier" state before
the invasion of the body (and soul) snatchers.

>something like the Turkish music of today.  So for that music, an
>instrument like the cello would not at all be suitable (though a violin 
>would).                   
>After the arab invasion, music was totally (and I mean totally) 
>outlawed, becuase it was primarily associated with the _eish-o-noush_ 
>of the kings.  So the musicians were forced to hide their insrtuments 
>(which would be hard for a cello ;-) and had to take refuge in dark, 
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

:) (unless it had a couple of sikhs of kabaab on it!).

>dismal graveyards, (and other such secluded places), where they could not
>be heard...
>in this manner the _ostAd_s continued to teach the music to
>their students.  They spent their hours in dark, damp, and most often 
>lonely, secluded areas, playing away at their instruments, keeping the 
>music alive; but, they could not help the effect of the opression, and thus 
>the music became so _souznAk_ or sad.  

an interesting hypothesis.  our music certainly leans toward the souznaak
and melancholy side.

>yourself: I am sure there are many other explanations out there as well.

how about the fact that they are difficult to build?  when were violins
introduced to iran anyway?  1500/1600's?

>[key note:  The arabs did not outlaw all music, just Persian music.  They
>came with their own music (ie. Ghor'An khAni, rowzed khAni, etc) which
>was primarily of a religious nature. 

> Only music for the purpose of entertainment was prohibited.
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ah, well that makes sense... who'd want to actually *enjoy* music!?
Newsgroups: soc.culture.iranian