Pre-Islamic Persian and Pre-Islamic Turkish Music

Pre-Islamic Persian Music

• Under the Archaemenids (550-320 BCE) music served and important function in worship as well as in courtly entertainment
• The first written evidence of Persian music is from the Sassanid period (226-643 CE)
• The Sassanians wrote both secular and religious music
• In the king’s entourage (ex. Khosrau II), musicians occupied a high rank, some became famous (ex. Barbad who is said to have developed the musical system with 7 modal structures -> royal modes, and 365 melodies associated with the days of the week, month and year)
• The compositions of Barbad survived at least until the 10th century
• Iran has a vast variety in their music because it has a lot of different tribes
• Iran’s folklore music has two forms:
  • Local melodies, which are sung by one person or a group
  • Local danced which are accompanied by traditional musical instruments
• The pre-islamic music of Iran comes from their tribes, such as: Bakhtyari, Kordi and Lori

Pre-Islamic Turkish Music

• It is made of of many diverse cultures (it’s at the axis of the east/west)
• Anatolia had a very rich culture with thousands of years of history
• Mystical elements and epic song traditions were widespread in almost all turkish tribes during this period
• Religious figures: Shaman, Kam, Baksi (they were also healers and used music to meet the social needs of their societies), they were influential and directed the course of music
• When the tribes migrated they brought their musical traditions/songs with them
• Turkmens -> cultural bridge between the Turks of Asia and those of Turkey

Category: Middle Eastern, Music