| Nasir Kan'ani translated by
copyright 1995 |
|
| Nasir Kan'ani translated by
copyright 1995 |
Music has played a significant role in our lives. It is a mixture of local sounds and native Iranian songs that have absorbed the sounds and songs of other peoples. Our music is the mainstay of our existence. In it, there is no room for world view.
The Ups and Downs of Persian Music
A long time ago in distant lands, musicians and dancers were handsomely paid by mighty and wealthy patrons to entertain them in their lavish palaces. There is no reason to dispute the existence of such artists whose music might have soothed the souls of their people. Nevertheless, we do not have any record of their compositions, only scattered references in Persian literature of bygone times.
Emerging from that obscure background, music gradually found its way into the Sufi circles where it became a vehicle (sama') for serving disciples who wished to traverse the path (tariqa) and reach the Ultimate. Dervishes, singing and dancing, went from town to town, and village to village, to convey the message of their order to the populace. Similarly, story tellers and bards went from district to district singing, in enchanting voices, the exploits of the heroes of the ancient Iranian epics. Our music, in a manner of speaking, became our story; we owe our identity to its centuries of trials and tribulations.
Music and Taste
Our music, whether it is labeled traditional, festive, local, or native, is an integral part of our ancient culture. While primarily it exerts a special influence on the hearts and minds of those who live in Iran, its contribution to the enrichment of the lives of those who, for one reason or another, have left Iran is no less. We are not, of course, preferring one type of music over another. Our culture, oppressed over centuries by tyrants, leaves little room for squabbles over artistic skills.
World View in Music
In the arts in general and in music specifically, there is no room for world view; the talent and taste of the artist and the public's appreciation of his or her art are paramount. Neither dogma, based on pride and guidance, nor force should find admittance. Our music is wedded to our souls; it does not distinguish types nor does it prefer types. Any egotistical or selfish infringement upon it would be an insult to the love of the multitude for their culture. Replacement of one type of music with another by force or by decree is tantamount to divesting a people of their last vestige of freedom.
The Relation Between the Rub'parda and Civilization
Not long ago a group existed that believed that Iran's backwardness was due to the use of rub'pardas between the notes of Iranian music. This group's solution for the civilizational problems of Iran was summarized by the elimination of the rub'parda from Persian music. Strangely, this was the idea of individuals who were familiar with Iranian as well as European music. Were this to be the case, one might ask, why should there be backwardness among nations whose musical scales do not use the rub'parda? Isn't rub'parda the very feature that imparts flexibility, color, and mystery to our music?
The Doleful Nature of Persian Music
Many critics, some altogether unfamiliar with Persian music, condemn our traditional music as being doleful. They accuse it of making people unhappy, unproductive, and defeatist. They consider our music to be stagnant. These intellectuals, of course, have their own specific agendas. Closing their hearts to feelings, they are plagued by the dictates of reason-structure and analysis have become their touchstone. We are not advocating that these critics should refrain from giving their opinion simply because they are not familiar with Persian music; rather, we are saying that they should make informed judgment and present a realistic theory. For instance, rather than comparing the sorrowful tunes of Persian music with the merry songs of South America or Africa, they should compare them to the sad songs of those cultures.
Music and Humankind's Spiritual Needs
If our doleful music is the cause of our disappointments and afflictions, why then are the people of nations with gay and uplifting music suffering the same pangs as the Iranians? Are there not progressive nations whose music, based on their religious beliefs, is heavy and melancholy? Besides, why should all our music be gay? Are there not moments in life when one yearns to be transported into a different world?
The Well-Spring of Happiness Wouldn't it be most profitable if every musician composed according to his or her own wont? Should we not ponder the real import of happiness? Does not our traditional music reflect the tumultuous past history of our people? Would not the destruction of this "mirror" eliminate the reality of our past? Would a mere disregard for music remedy the pains of our people? Iran's problems are real. Their solutions rest in an improvement of the circumstances of the lives of the audiences of Persian music, not in the dismissal of a musical tradition that has evolved over centuries and which has been the mainstay of the culture.
I Wonder at the Attitude of the Poets of New Poetry
A general criticism of traditional music does not dismay its supporters. The public has the right to seek the best way to elevate its spirit. But when criticism originates in well-known personalities of "new poetry," the situation changes. Why should they want to join forces with the public against the poor art of traditional Persian music? The puzzling thing is that Persian poetry itself, until recently, suffered the oppression of the court poets and the ode reciters. Should not the poets of new poetry share the results of their experiment with us? After all, new poetry emerged from the same set of circumstances that traditional music finds itself in today. Should they not come to the rescue of this sister genre?
The Roles of Poetry and of the Singer in Persian Music
While discussing poetry, we should recall that there has always existed a bond between Persian music and Persian lyric, epic, and Sufic poetry. Poetry has an effect on the individual, of course; but it is music that makes that impact manifold. And in this context, the singer plays a major role. It is the talent of the singer that synthesizes the music and the lyric, and it is the singer who charms the audience. That is why music that is not accompanied by lyric and a vocalist is not appealing to most audiences. We should not be surprised, of course, because the crescendo of the musical piece is reached only when the art of the singer merges with the enchantment of the song.
Selected Bibliography
From the Hymns of Zarathustra to the Songs of Borbad