World Percussion 
| Social Status of Tonbak Players |
Social Status of Tonbak PlayersPeyman Nasehpour © 2002 Social Status of the Tonbak Players of the Past
Despite all these negative attitudes, tonbak players fortunately never
ceased to improve and according to the most of the researchers this revolution
started by the late Ostad Hosain Tehrani. It was necessary for tonbak to be free
from the yoke of tasnifkhan-s and to be given at the hands of players that they
were interested to work on tonbak more seriously and independently.
The world went through a series of upheavals. Also some movements happened in Iran. Due to this turmoil, the Iran's social structure began to change. This, in turn, had a strong effect on musicians and music. The former music patrons, i.e. the kings and aristocrats, were replaced by businessmen Music Colleges and Radio and then TV. Rather than performing in small salons for groups of relatively cultured aristocrats who apparently were trained to appreciate the classical form, musicians increasingly were expected to perform in larger halls for larger and apparently less well-educated audiences with different tastes. This bad social status of tonbak players and these changes in Iran caused that tonbak players started to change and make movements.
Outstanding tonbak masters such as Ostad Hosain Tehrani because of their love of tonbak tried to make
some changes. Gradually tonbak and tonbak player made a better place in the
music world. Then other prominent tonbak masters such as Ostad Nasser Farhangfar came
to fore and progressed the tonbak more. The clarity, stamina, extraordinary
speed and overall power of these tonbak players caused the tonbak to reach to
the very good point of progress and popularity. Tonbak found more roles in
instrumental music, though one of the most important characteristics of the art
of tonbak playing, i.e. to play cyclic rhythms, was forgotten.
The Social Status of the Tonbak Players of Today
The effort of these dear and devotee tonbak players such as Ostad Hosain Tehrani and Ostad Nasser Farhangfar caused
that tonbak became more popular among well-educated people and found more roles
in instrumental music. Tonbak players of today now really play very good. The
clarity, stamina, extraordinary speed and overall power of today tonbak players
are really praiseworthy. But by taking these progresses into consideration, the
question rises: what good has it really done to the social status of tonbak
players? Maybe tonbak players of today are more successful apparently. But the
overall image of the tonbak player is almost the same as the past. They are
those accompaniments and the secondary musician on the stage. The primary job of
the tonbak player is still to make the main artist's
music
more colorful and enjoyable by becoming an adjunct to him or her. The social
status of tonbak players has not changed and in fact only their exposure has
altered.
What Should It Be Done?
In my opinion the way that Ostad Hosain Tehrani had started should be
continued and tonbak players should start again to make more tonbak solo
recitals. By this comment I am not trying to say that the accompanying style of
tonbak playing is not incredible. Accompaniment is an art in itself,
particularly when it is performed on tonbak. There are many sensitive and
intelligent tonbak players, which show the power and beauty of the techniques of
the art of accompaniment.
Remark . The idea of this article comes from an article of the
excellent work of Pt. Aloke Dutta, Tabla, Lessons and Practice, 2nd
Edition.
References:
[KH]: Ruhollah Khaleghi, Sargozasht-e-Musighi-ye-Iran,
Tehran, 1974.
[M]: Hassan Mashhoun, Tarikh-e-Musighi-ye-Iran, Tehran, 1994. [NS]: Peyman Nasehpour and Siamak Sahafi, Vas'iyat-e-Ejtema'i-ye-Tonbak Navazan, Farda-ye-Behtar Magazine, No.16, 2nd year, Oct. 22nd, 1999. [T]: Hosain Tehrani, Amouzesh-e-Tombak (Tombak Rudiment), Tehran, 1970. | |
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