Iranian Music

Every element of Ancient Iran ranging from the designs, to the masonries and miniatures that belong to the pre-Islamic history of Iran have strong indications of the Iranians' interests and taste in music.



In spite of all the opposition it has faced in the post-Islamic era the art of music has survived, though the opposition has made the music lose its former success. Iranian music is an amalgamation of tunes and melodies.

These tunes and melodies have been created over the course of centuries in Iran. They have also evolved along with other aspects of the Iranian life. The Iranian music reflects the moral characteristics, and also the political and social events and the geographical features of Iran.

The subtleness and the profoundness of the Iranian music has the power to compel anyone to reflect deeply think. The music also has the ability to take him to a celestial world.

Iranian music has the following branches:

1. The pre-Islamic Iranian music, which is the music of the ancient tribes of Iran such as, Bakhtyari, Kordi, Lori, etc.

2. The post-Islamic Iranian music consists of:

Maghaml or Mystic music: This Maghaml music includes epical music, tyric music which is played for marriages, birthdays and all other happy occasions, and elegiac music which is meant for all the mournful occasions.

Radif music: It includes the Dastgahs or modes of Traditional Iranian music.

Iran's National Music: The contemporary era of the Iranian music consists of three branches: the ones mentioned above in addition to the third branch, which is Iran's national music. This branch of Iranian music covers extensively the traditional melodies contained in the above two groups, but of course with a touch of a classic rendition.