View Full Paper

Student Name
Instructor’s Name
Course
Date

Kamancheh and Barbat Musical Instruments and Their Historical Significance

Kamancheh is an Iranian string bow musical instrument, and it is played using an adjustable bow (Kamancheh, par. 5). A vast range of classical music from Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Armenia uses the instrument. The modernized Kamancheh has four strings as opposed to the ancient one that had three. Kamancheh features a lower bowl-shaped bottom and a long top neck. When the instrument is played, a spike that extends from the bottom provides stability. It is held like a cello, and the person playing it must be sitting. The bow used to play the Kamancheh is referred to as the Kaman, and it is the same bow that is used to play the violin, where the French name "archet," which means short bow, has taken its place (Kamancheh, par. 2). The sizes and shapes of Kamancheh bowls are not yet defined and standardized. The bowls have a sphere- or squeeze-cone-shaped construction.

Barbat is an ancient Persian plucked lute originating from Central Asia. The Barbat is the ancestor of a wide range of instruments, including the Arabic oud. The instrument is frequently referred to as the Barbat when performed in a Persian heritage and as the oud when played in an Arabic culture (Definitions, par. 1). Nevertheless, the Barbat and the oud of today are fundamentally the same thing. The traditional musical instrument known as the oud makes a variety of sounds. Among the types of ouds are Turkish oud, Iranian oud, Arabic oud, Barbat oud, Syrian oud, and Electric oud.

Impact of the Iranian Revolution on Musical Expression and Cultural Production

The chapter examines the period of the revolution and how it impacted music. Individuals were not concerned about any music during this time because there was so much activity in the streets. Due to the political nature of some of the musicians who produced music during this time, exile was the only way for them to be safe. The majority of the music at the time was also heavily influenced by Western culture, and the majority of people believed that Iran's scholars at the time greatly contributed to the state of the nation because the majority of them were utilized as protesters (Shajarian, p. 64). There was a void left after the majority of the pop musicians left the nation, and nobody filled it. The benefit of classical Persian music led various musicians to collaborate and create some music. A multi-vocal chorus was used to create all of the music, which aided in concealing the identity of the artist and safeguarding them. Given that it was produced on cassette tapes, circulation was also made simple. It was challenging to find music played on the radio or television because both were governed by the state. The technology of audio cassettes proved extremely important in saving Iranian music. People believed that change was coming because of the music (Shajarian, p. 67). As time passed, the artists lost their fear of utilizing their voices. For example, Shajarian could use his voice to urge armed rebellion. One of this generation's most important artists is Shajarian.

Furthermore, the artists had a challenging time throughout the revolution. Others could not keep producing music, while some were forced into exile. Majid Derakhshani relates how they were forced to stop playing because the regime was upsetting them. Some artists, including Shajarian and Shahram Nazeri, were fortunate enough to still be able to make music. Music began to take up as the Iran-Iraq war came to a conclusion, and the music's prohibition was approaching its end. The first music sales took place, and the policy's easing led to the legalization of musical instruments as well (Shajarian, p. 71). Television and radio broadcasts of music are now legal. There were now video recordings that could also be utilized for music as technology advanced. Shajarian emerged after going missing for a few years. He may carry on refining his phrases and his music. During this time, a lot of musicians had the ability to express their political opinions through their music. Shajarian encountered some resistance as a result of his music from the legislature. The government's rejection of Shajarian's music on the grounds of Westernization and moral corruption was opposed by it. Shajarian never shied away from criticizing the regime over the years (Shajarian, p. 78). He expressed his dissatisfaction with both the government and some of the measures. Shajarian continues to encounter a lot of resistance due to his audacity, including his appearances on Persian-language television networks and his candid remarks regarding the election.

References

Definitions. “What Does Barbat Mean?” Definitions, 2022, www.definitions.net/definition/barbat.

Kamancheh. “What Is Kamancheh?” Kamancheh, 11 Aug. 2021, kamancheh.com/kamanche/.

Shajarian, Mohammad Reza. "CHAPTER THREE. THE MUSICAL GUIDE." Soundtrack of the Revolution. Stanford University Press, 2017. 63–86.