Bamshad

Many Shahanshahs of the Sasanian Empire were ardent supporters of music, including the founder of the empire Ardashir I and Bahram V.{{sfn|Lawergren|2001|loc="5. Sassanian period, 224–651 CE."}} Khosrow II ({{reign|590|628}}) was the most outstanding patron, his reign being regarded as a golden age of Persian music.{{sfn|Lawergren|2001|loc="5. Sassanian period, 224–651 CE."}} Musicians in Khosrow's service include Āzādvar-e Changi,{{refn|Āzādvar-e Changi is also known as simply Āzād.{{sfn|Farhat|2004|p=3}}|group=n}} Bamshad, the harpist Nagisa (Nakisa), Ramtin, Sarkash (also Sargis or Sarkas){{refn|There is much contradiction in modern sources over the musicians Nagisa (Nakisa) and Sarkash (also Sargis or Sarkas). Some sources, such as {{harvtxt|During|1991a|p=39}} and {{harvtxt|Farhat|2004|p=3}} present them as separate individuals, listing them both as among the musicians of Khosrow's court. Other sources, such as {{harvtxt|Lawergren|2001|loc="5. Sassanian period, 224–651 CE."}} and {{harvtxt|Farhat|2001|loc="1. History."}} suggest the two are the same person: "harpist Sarkash (also called Nakisā)",{{sfn|Lawergren|2001|loc="5. Sassanian period, 224–651 CE."}} and "Nakisa or Sarkash".{{sfn|Farhat|2001|loc="1. History."}} Matters are made more confusing by the fact that Hormoz Farhat presented the two musicians differently.|group=n|name=Nakisa}} and Barbad,{{sfn|During|1991a|p=39}} who was by-far the most famous.{{sfn|Farhat|2001|loc="1. History."}} These musicians were usually active as minstrels, which were performers who worked as both court poets and musicians;{{sfn|Curtis|2003|p=138}} in the Sasanian Empire there was little distinction between poetry and music.{{sfn|During|1991b|p=154}}

Essentially nothing is known of Bamshad except that he was a noted musician during the reign of Khosrow II ({{reign|590|628}}).{{sfn|Tafażżolī|1988}} His name comes from his practice of playing music at dawn every day: "bam" and "shad" translate as "dawn" and "happiness".

The Persian lexicons, for example Dehḵodā's Loḡat-nāma, describe him as a well-known musician equal to Barbad. He is also mentioned in a poem by the Persian poet Manūčehrī.{{sfn|Tafażżolī|1988}}

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;Books and Chapters

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• {{cite book |last=Curtis |first=Vesta Sarkhosh |author-link=Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis |year=2003 |title=World of Myths |chapter=Persian Myths |publisher=University of Texas Press |location=Austin |isbn=978-0-292-70607-1 |url={{google books|plainurl=y|id=xr7wES9T-ksC}} }}
• {{cite book |editor-last1=During |editor-first1=Jean |editor-link1=Jean During |editor-last2=Mirabdolbaghi |editor-first2=Zia |year=1991a |title=The Art of Persian Music |publisher=Mage Publishers |location=Washington D.C. |isbn=978-0-934211-22-2 }}
• {{cite book |last=During |first=Jean |author-link=Jean During |year=1991a |title=The Art of Persian Music |chapter=Historical Survey |pages=31–56 }} (In {{harvtxt|During|Mirabdolbaghi|1991a}})
• {{cite book |last1=During |first1=Jean |author-link1=Jean During |last2=Mirabdolbaghi |first2=Zia |year=1991b |title=The Art of Persian Music |chapter=The Instruments of Yesterday and Today |pages=99–152}} (In {{harvtxt|During|Mirabdolbaghi|1991a}})
• {{cite book |last=During |first=Jean |author-link=Jean During |year=1991b |title=The Art of Persian Music |chapter=Poetry and Music |pages=153–166 }} (In {{harvtxt|During|Mirabdolbaghi|1991a}})
• {{cite book |last=Farhat |first=Hormoz |author-link=Hormoz Farhat |year=2004 |title=The Dastgah Concept in Persian Music |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=978-0-521-54206-7 |url={{google books|plainurl=y|id=NiMhWnYDuQMC}} }}

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;Journal and Encyclopedia articles

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• {{cite encyclopedia |last1=Lawergren |first1=Bo |author-link1=Bo Lawergren |last2=Farhat |first2=Hormoz |author-link2=Hormoz Farhat |last3=Blum |first3=Stephen |author-link3=Stephen Blum |year=2001 |encyclopedia=Grove Music Online |title=Iran |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.13895 |isbn=978-1-56159-263-0 |url-access=subscription |url=https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000013895 }} {{Grove Music subscription}}
• {{cite encyclopedia |last=Lawergren |first=Bo |author-link=Bo Lawergren |year=2001 |encyclopedia=Grove Music Online |title=Iran |section=I. Pre-Islamic }} (In {{harvtxt|Lawergren|Farhat|Blum|2001}})
• {{cite encyclopedia |last=Farhat |first=Hormoz |author-link=Hormoz Farhat |year=2001 |encyclopedia=Grove Music Online |title=Iran |section=II. Classical traditions }} (In {{harvtxt|Lawergren|Farhat|Blum|2001}})
• {{cite encyclopedia |last=Tafażżolī |first=A. |year=1988 |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Iranica |title=Bāmšād |publisher=Brill Publishers |location=Leiden |url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/bamsad-a-musician-at-the-court-of-the-sasanian-king-kosrow-ii-parvez-a }}

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{{Medieval Perso-Arab music}}

{{portal bar|Biography|Music|Iran}}

Category:7th-century Iranian people

Category:Musicians from the Sasanian Empire

Category:7th-century musicians