Dastgah
Encyclopedia
Dastgāh is a musical modal
system in traditional Persian art music. Persian art music consists of twelve principal musical modal systems or dastgāhs; in spite of 50 or more extant dastgāhs, theorists generally refer to a set of twelve principal ones. A dastgāh is a melody type
on the basis of which a performer produces extemporised pieces.
Each dastgāh consists of seven basic notes, plus several variable notes used for ornamentation and modulation
. Each dastgāh is a certain modal variety subject to a course of development (sayr) that is determined by the pre-established order of sequences, and revolves around 365 central nuclear melodies known as gushehs (each of these melodies being a gusheh) which the individual musician
comes to know through experience and absorption. This process of centonization
is personal, and it is a tradition of great subtlety and depth. The full collection of gushehs in all dastgāhs is referred to as the radif
. During the meeting of The Inter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage of the United Nations
, held between 28 September – 2 October 2009 in Abu Dhabi
, radifs were officially registered on the UNESCO
List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The dastgāh system has been a major influence in the maqam
system in the Arabic music, both of which are deeply rooted in the Sassanid Persia
's melodies which entered into the Islamic world following the Arab conquest of Iran in the 7th century.
The system of twelve dastgāhs and gushehs has remained nearly the same as it was codified by the music masters of the nineteenth century, in particular Mîrzā Abdollāh Farāhāni
(1843–1918). No new dastgāh or large gusheh has been devised since that codification. When in the modern times an āvāz or dastgāh has been developed, it has almost always been through borrowings from the extant dastgāhs and gushehs, rather than through unqualified invention. From this remarkable stability one may infer that the system must have achieved "canonical" status in Iran.
in Western musicology. This however does not reflect the correct meaning of the term. The term can be described by noting that a dastgāh is usually the name of the initial mode of a piece of music being played which is referred to again and again and moreover a dastgāh identifies a group of modes which are grouped together according to tradition. In short, a dastgāh is both the collective title of a grouping of modes as well as the initial mode of each group.
According to musicians themselves, the etymology of the term dastgāh is associated with “the position (gāh) of the hand (dast) [on the neck of the instrument],” The Persian term dastgah can be translated as "system," and dastgāh is then "first and foremost a collection of discrete and heterogeneous elements organized into a hierarchy that is entirely coherent though nevertheless flexible."
In conventional classifications of Persian music, Abu-ata, Dashti, Afshari, and Bayat-e-tork are considered to be sub-classes of Shur dastgāh. Likewise, Bayat-e-esfahan is defined as a sub-class of Homayoon, reducing the number of principal Dastgahs to a total of seven. The sub-classes in the conventional system are referred to as "Avaz".
—Note that in some cases the sub-classes (āvāz) are counted as individual Dastgāh, yet this contradicts technicalities in Iranian Music.
Musical mode
In the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...
system in traditional Persian art music. Persian art music consists of twelve principal musical modal systems or dastgāhs; in spite of 50 or more extant dastgāhs, theorists generally refer to a set of twelve principal ones. A dastgāh is a melody type
Melody type
In ethnomusicology and musicology, a melody type is a set of melodic formulas, figures, and patterns which are used in the composition of an enormous variety of music, especially non-Western and early Western music. Such music is generally composed by a process of centonization, either freely In...
on the basis of which a performer produces extemporised pieces.
Each dastgāh consists of seven basic notes, plus several variable notes used for ornamentation and modulation
Modulation (music)
In music, modulation is most commonly the act or process of changing from one key to another. This may or may not be accompanied by a change in key signature. Modulations articulate or create the structure or form of many pieces, as well as add interest...
. Each dastgāh is a certain modal variety subject to a course of development (sayr) that is determined by the pre-established order of sequences, and revolves around 365 central nuclear melodies known as gushehs (each of these melodies being a gusheh) which the individual musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
comes to know through experience and absorption. This process of centonization
Centonization
In music centonization is a theory about the composition of a melody, melodies, or piece based on pre-existing melodic figures and formulas...
is personal, and it is a tradition of great subtlety and depth. The full collection of gushehs in all dastgāhs is referred to as the radif
Musical radif
Radif is a collection of many old melodic figures preserved through many generations by oral tradition. It organizes the melodies in a number of different tonal spaces called Dastgah...
. During the meeting of The Inter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, held between 28 September – 2 October 2009 in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
, radifs were officially registered on the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The dastgāh system has been a major influence in the maqam
Arabic maqam
Arabic maqām is the system of melodic modes used in traditional Arabic music, which is mainly melodic. The word maqam in Arabic means place, location or rank. The Arabic maqam is a melody type...
system in the Arabic music, both of which are deeply rooted in the Sassanid Persia
Sassanid music
Sassanid music refers to the golden age of Persian music that occurred under the reign of the Sassanid dynasty.Persian classical music dates to the sixth century BC; during the time of the Achaemenid Empire , music played an important role in prayer and in royal and national events...
's melodies which entered into the Islamic world following the Arab conquest of Iran in the 7th century.
The system of twelve dastgāhs and gushehs has remained nearly the same as it was codified by the music masters of the nineteenth century, in particular Mîrzā Abdollāh Farāhāni
Mirza Abdollah
Mirza Abdollah, also known as Agha Mirza Abdollah Farahani , was a tar and setar player. He is among the most significant musicians in Iran's history...
(1843–1918). No new dastgāh or large gusheh has been devised since that codification. When in the modern times an āvāz or dastgāh has been developed, it has almost always been through borrowings from the extant dastgāhs and gushehs, rather than through unqualified invention. From this remarkable stability one may infer that the system must have achieved "canonical" status in Iran.
The terminology of Dastgāh
The term dastgāh has often been compared to the musical modeMusical mode
In the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...
in Western musicology. This however does not reflect the correct meaning of the term. The term can be described by noting that a dastgāh is usually the name of the initial mode of a piece of music being played which is referred to again and again and moreover a dastgāh identifies a group of modes which are grouped together according to tradition. In short, a dastgāh is both the collective title of a grouping of modes as well as the initial mode of each group.
According to musicians themselves, the etymology of the term dastgāh is associated with “the position (gāh) of the hand (dast) [on the neck of the instrument],” The Persian term dastgah can be translated as "system," and dastgāh is then "first and foremost a collection of discrete and heterogeneous elements organized into a hierarchy that is entirely coherent though nevertheless flexible."
In conventional classifications of Persian music, Abu-ata, Dashti, Afshari, and Bayat-e-tork are considered to be sub-classes of Shur dastgāh. Likewise, Bayat-e-esfahan is defined as a sub-class of Homayoon, reducing the number of principal Dastgahs to a total of seven. The sub-classes in the conventional system are referred to as "Avaz".
The Seven Dastgahs
The following is a list of the twelve dastgāhs:- Se'gāh ("third place")
- Chahār'gāh ("fourth place")
- Rāst-Panj'gāh ("fifth place")
- ŠurDastgāh-e ŠurDastgāh-e Šur is one of the seven Dastgāhs of Persian Music ....
- Bayāt-e Tork
- Abu'atā
- Dashti
- Afshāri
- MāhurDastgāh-e MāhurDastgāh-e Māhur is one of the seven Dastgāhs of Persian Music ....
- Homāyoun
- Māhur
- Esfahān
- Navā
—Note that in some cases the sub-classes (āvāz) are counted as individual Dastgāh, yet this contradicts technicalities in Iranian Music.
Further reading
- Hormoz Farhat, The Dastgāh Concept in Persian Music (Cambridge University Press, 1990). ISBN 0-521-30542-X, ISBN 0-521-54206-5 (first paperback edition, 2004). For a review of this book see: Stephen Blum, Ethnomusicology, Vol. 36, No. 3, Special Issue: Music and the Public Interest, pp. 422–425 (1992): JSTOR.
- Ella Zonis, Classical Persian Music: An Introduction (Harvard University Press, 1973)
- Lloyd Clifton Miller. 1995. Persian Music: A Study of Form and Content of Persian Avaz, Dastgah & Radif Dissertation. University of Utah.
- Bruno Nettl, The Radif od Persian Music: Studies of Structure and Cultural Context (Elephant & Cat, Champaign, 1987)
- Ella Zonis, Contemporary Art Music in Persia, The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 51, No. 4, pp. 636–648 (1965). JSTOR
External links
- The Dastgah system
- A sample of solo music on SetārSetar (lute)Setar is a Persian musical instrument. It is a member of the lute family. Two and a half centuries ago, a fourth string was added to the setar, which has 25 - 27 moveable frets...
by Master Ahmad EbadiAhmad EbadiAhmad Ebādi was an Iranian musician and setar player. Born in Tehran, he was a member of the most extraordinary family of Iranian music. Ahmad's father, Mirza Abdollah, is arguably the most influential figure in Persian traditional music, and his paternal uncle, Mirza Hossein Gholi, is also...
in the following Dastgahs: Segāh, Chahārgāh, Homāyoun, Esfahān, Afshāri.