| Persian Percussion Encyclopedia | Encyclopedia of Persian Percussion Instruments
Encyclopedia of Persian Percussion Instruments
Peyman Nasehpour © 2002
A B C D G J K M N R S T Z
Akhlakandu: A very ancient percussion instrument. It was made of skull
that it includes gravel stones in it. Today its name is Jeghjeghe that literally
means rattle. It was played by shaking the instrument.
Ajlakandu: Another name of Akhlakandu.
Alvah:
It is a set of wooden or metallic plates that is played by being struck with
sticks.
Arabaneh: A...
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| Tonbak Names | Different Names for the Tonbak
A
Research for Different Names of Tonbak
Peyman Nasehpour © 2001
Abstract
Tonbak
is the chief percussion
skinned instrument of Persian art music. In this article, I try to explain
different names of the instrument and conclude that tonbak is the most suitable
name for it.
Introduction
Tonbak
is the chief percussion skinned instrument of Persian art music, though it is
used in Persian folk
music
too. This instrument, after the great masters of ...
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| Dohol | Dohol
Introduction.
Dohol is
a double-headed cylindrical drum
for accompanying the sorna (Persian oboe) to be played in outdoors in regional
music of Persia in the festive ceremonies. Different names are applied for this
drum in Iran and other countries. In this article I will discuss different
versions of this instrument in different regions. Any other information is
welcomed.
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| Ghaval | Ghaval
Dzhabbar
Kariagdiev
Ghaval (not to be confused with qawwali music) the
Azerbaijani frame drum
is played in Azerbaijani folk and art music. In folk music of Azerbaijan Ashigh
(poet-musician) sings and plays on gopuz (nine-stringed long-necked lute) and
sometimes composes poems in different festive occasions. The drum that usually
accompanies the Ashigh is ghaval. In Azerbaijani art
music
a traditional ensemble contains a singer, which plays on ghaval and two
instrumentalists...
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| Igha | igha
Igha' (Theory of Old Rhythms)
Peyman Nasehpour © 2002
A Brief
Discussion of Rhythm Cycles (Advar-e-Igha'i)
Introduction
Safi
al-Din Ormavi, one of the most celebrated Persian theorists and musicians, was
born in Orumiyyeh city of Azerbaijan province in Iran. He has written two
important books about theory of Persian art
music
of his time, which they are Al-advar and Al-sharafiyyeh. In the past music
was divided into two important chapters: 1. Tali...
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| Kettledrums | Kettledrums
Kettledrums of Iran and other
countries
Peyman Nasehpour ©2002
Introduction.
Persian large-sized kettledrums are called Kus. Many poets have
mentioned the word Kus in their works. It is a pair of drums made of clay, wood
or metal in the form of a hemispherical kettle, with skin stretched over the
mouth of it. Kus was played with leather or wood drumsticks (The leather
drumstick was called Daval). Kus usually was carried on horseback, camelback or
elephant...
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| Daf | The Daf - Peyman Nasehpoor
Frame
drums
are most ancient type of musical instruments. They have a simple structure with
strong spiritual and entertainment effect. Frame drums are usually round made of
wood with animal skin and sometimes metal rings or plates incorporated into the
drum to provide jingle.
They have different sizes; the larger drums are played
mainly by men in spiritual rituals and medium size drums are played mainly by
women. Frame drums are originated in the ancient Middle East, India an...
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| Tonbak Strokes | Tonbak Strokes
Abstract
The
tombak (also called zarb) is the principle percussion
instrument
of Persian classical music. Its technique involves innumerable strokes and
techniques employing all the fingers of both hands, alone and in combination.
Strokes on the tombak and strokes on the doumbek (Arabic/Turkish-style goblet drum)
are related, but they're very, very different.
The aim
of this article is to explain the basic strokes of the tombak as taught in the
style of Ostad Hossein Teh...
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| Composed Rhythms of Ostad Nasser Farhangfar | Composed Rhythms of Ostad Nasser Farhangfar
Composed Rhythms of
Ostad Nasser Farhangfar
Peyman Nasehpour © 2002
Abstract
Tonbak (a kind of goblet drum)
is the chief percussion skinned instrument of Persia. Great masters of tonbak,
especially Ostad Hossein Tehrani and Ostad Nasser
Farhangfar, have in recent times advanced playing techniques and
have created new rhythms and have refined many old rhythms.
Introduction
Ostad Nasser Farhangfar, one of the outstanding tonbak
players of last century, h...
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| Historical Persian Drum Paintings | Historical Persian Drum Paintings
Drums in Persian Paintings
A Research by Peyman Nasehpour and Mehdi Moghiceh (Painter)
©2002
Painted by Soltan Mohammad in 1519 .....................Painted in 1590
probably by Soltan Mohammad.........
............
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| Historical Tonbak Players | Historical Tonbak players
Tonbak
Players of the Past
Peyman Nasehpour © 2002
Introduction
In this
article I try to recall some Tonbak players of the past that there is not much
information about most of them.
Tonbak
Player of Ghajar, 19thCentury, Persia
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| Notating Tonbak Rhythms | Notating Tonbak Rhythms
Two
Systems for Notating Rhythms Played on the Tombak (Zarb)
Peyman Nasehpour and Matt Hannafin © 2002
There are
two systems for notating rhythms played on the tombak (Persian goblet drum).
This article introduces both, and explains the various symbols used to indicate
all the basic techniques of the drum.
Introduction
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| Ostah Hosain Tehrani | Ostad Hosain Tehrani (1912-1974)
In Remembrance of Ostad Hosain Tehrani (1912-1974)
Peyman Nasehpour © 2002
It is
really hard for me to write in remembrance of the late Ostad Hosain Tehrani who
is the father of modern tonbak. He changed the negative view that people had
about tonbak and tonbak players.
Every musician
that remembers him, not only talks about his great art, but also about his
kindness and his true courtesy.
He was
born in 1912 in Tehran. Once that he had gone to z...
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| Ostad Latid Tahmasebi-zadeh | Ostad Latif Tahmasebi-zadeh
Ostad Latif Tahmasebi-zadeh
A legendary Ghaval Player
Peyman Nasehpour © 2002
A
recognized master of ghaval (Azerbaijani frame drum), Ostad Latif
Tahmasebi-zadeh, was born in the city of Ardebil in province of Azerbaijan in
Iran, 1944.
His
father, Majid Tahmasebi-zadeh moved to Baku (capital of today Republic of
Azerbaijan) in order to find a good job. After moving to Baku he learnt garman
(Azerbaijani organ similar to European accordion). Ostad Latif...
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| Ostad Nasser Farhangfar | Ostad Nasser Farhangfar
Ostad
Nasser Farhangfar was a brilliant poet and calligrapher as well as a great
tonbak artist. The above poem is one of the most famous verses composed by him.
Maybe it can be translated to:
We wrote at the Gate of the Existence:
The sorrow of not having
camaraderie killed us!
This
genius of tonbak has added the most favorite style of tonbak playing after the
father of modern tonbak, Ostad Hosain Tehrani. Many artists have praised his
style. Some of his compositions are...
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| Social Status of Tonbak Players | Social Status of Tonbak Players
Social Status of Tonbak Players
Peyman Nasehpour © 2002
Social Status of the Tonbak Players of the Past
Tonbak was not considered as a solo instrument in the past. I should
explain that in Ghajar period vocalists
were of two kinds: avazkhan and tasnifkhan. The avazkhan's job was to sing the
non-rhythmic compositions of Persian radif repertoire and the tasnikhan's job
was to sing the rhythmic compositions of Persian art
music.
Though there were some...
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| Structure of a Tonbak | The structure of a tonbak
Introduction
Tonbak
does not have a standard size. Some people play on a large Tonbak and some on a
small tonbak. Some like Tonbaks with convex-formed body and some don't. The
different forms of tonbak is not the subject of this article. Here only the five
parts of tonbak will be discussed.
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