The present book is a general study of “Iranian Music”. “Iranian music” in between quotation marks indicates the quotation from other people’s speeches and writings, what is known as “Iranian Music” today and in fact the artistic music (non-folklore) of the last period of Qajar era, in the beginnings of 14th century AH in Tehran, which was then promoted to other cities with subtle differences and has been followed up to now with delicate changes and has reached us in the form of seven Dastgāhs (modal systems) and five Avāzs through the Radif’s of different master. There are other forms of music in different regions with related instruments, maqams and the specific regional systems but cannot come under this title. We (all those who write about Iranian music) have been trained and thought within the public musical discourse; so one main objective of the present work is to evade this discourse and strive to use the scientific musical language.

The present book is a general study of “Iranian Music”. “Iranian music” in between quotation marks indicates the quotation from other people’s speeches and writings, what is known as “Iranian Music” today and in fact the artistic music (non-folklore) of the last period of Qajar era, in the beginnings of 14th century AH in Tehran, which was then promoted to other cities with subtle differences and has been followed up to now with delicate changes and has reached us in the form of seven Dastgāhs (modal systems) and five Avāzs through the Radif’s of different master. There are other forms of music in different regions with related instruments, maqams and the specific regional systems but cannot come under this title. We (all those who write about Iranian music) have been trained and thought within the public musical discourse; so one main objective of the present work is to evade this discourse and strive to use the scientific musical language.