Dastgāh

Each {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}} consists of seven basic notes, plus several variable notes used for ornamentation and modulation. Each {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}} is a certain modal variety subject to a course of development ({{transliteration|fa|sayr}}) that is determined by the pre-established order of sequences, and revolves around 365 central core melodies known as {{transliteration|fa|gusheh}}s (each of these melodies being a {{transliteration|fa|gusheh}}), which musicians come to know through experience and absorption. This process of centonization is personal, and it is a tradition of great subtlety and depth. The full collection of {{transliteration|fa|gusheh}}s in all {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}}s is referred to as the radif. During the meeting of The Inter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage of the United Nations, held between 28 September – 2 October 2009 in Abu Dhabi, radifs were officially registered on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.The Radif of Iranian music: Inscribed in 2009 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, [http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?RL=00279 UNESCO].Noruz and Iranian radifs registered on UNESCO list, Tehran Times, 1 October 2009, [http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=204443].Nowruz became international, in Persian, BBC Persian, Wednesday, 30 September 2009, [http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/arts/2009/09/090930_mg_nowrooz_global_register.shtml].

The system of twelve {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}}s and {{transliteration|fa|gusheh}}s has remained nearly the same as it was codified by the music masters of the nineteenth century, in particular Mîrzā Abdollāh Farāhāni (1843–1918). No new {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}} or large {{transliteration|fa|gusheh}} has been devised since that codification. When in the modern times an {{transliteration|fa|āvāz}} or a {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}} has been developed, it has almost always been through borrowings from the extant {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}}s and {{transliteration|fa|gusheh}}s, rather than through unqualified invention. From this remarkable stability one may infer that the system must have achieved "canonical" status in Iran.{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}

The term {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}} has often been compared to the musical mode in Western musicology, but this is inaccurate. A {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}} is usually the name of the initial mode of a piece, which the music returns to—and moreover, a {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}} identifies a group of modes grouped according to tradition. In short, a {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}} is both the collective title of a grouping of modes and the initial mode of each group.{{harvp|Farhat|2004|p=19}}

According to musicians themselves, the etymology of the term {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}} is associated with "the position ({{transliteration|fa|gāh}}) of the hand ({{transliteration|fa|dast}}) [on the neck of the instrument]". The Persian term {{transliteration|fa|dastgah}} can be translated as "system", and {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}} is then "first and foremost a collection of discrete and heterogeneous elements organized into a hierarchy that is entirely coherent though nevertheless flexible."{{harvp|During|1994}}

In conventional classifications of Persian music, Abū ʿAṭā,{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Encyclopaedia Iranica |title=Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica |url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/abu-ata |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=iranicaonline.org |language=en-US}} Dashti,{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Encyclopaedia Iranica |title=Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica |url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/dasti-one-of-the-twelve-modal-systems |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=iranicaonline.org |language=en-US}} Afshāri, and Bayāt-e Tork are considered sub-classes of Šur {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}}. Likewise, Bayāt-e Esfahān is a sub-class of Homāyun, reducing the number of principal {{transliteration|fa|dastgāhs}} to a total of seven. A sub-class in the conventional system is referred to as {{transliteration|fa|āvāz}}.

Image:U+1D1EA.svg (half flat) sign]]

A {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}} is more than a set of notes, and one component of the additional structure making up each {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}} is which pitches are singled out for various musical functions.

Examples include:

It's so named because it usually functions as the goal or destination tone that melodic cadences end on when they have a conclusory feel. This is also sometimes referred to as "tonic" but some authors avoid that usage because "tonic" is associated with Western tonality.

It's the pitch on which an improvisation in a {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}} usually begins. In some {{transliteration|fa|dastgāhs}} it is different from the finalis while in others it is the same pitch.

It's a pitch other than the finalis which often serves as the ending note for phrases other than final cadences

It's a particularly prominent pitch.

It's a variable note – one that consistently appears as two distinct pitches, which can be used alternately in different contexts or at the performer's discretion.

{{further2|Koron (music) and Sori (music) for information about Persian quarter tone}}

File:Dastgah chahargah.png

File:Dastgah homayoun.png

File:Dastgah segah.png

File:BAYĀT-E TORK 02.wav

File:Segah Mode.wav

File:Nava Mode.wav

File:Homayoun Mode.wav

File:Chahargah Mode.wav

File:Mahoor Mode.wav

File:Rastpanjgah Mode.wav

Most scholars divide the traditional Persian art music to seven {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}}s. Others divide them into 12 {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}}s by counting Abu Ata, Dashti, Afshari, Bayat-e Kord and Bayat-e Esfahan as separate {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}}s rather than subcategories of other {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}}s.{{cite book|last=Farhat|first=Hormoz|author-link=Hormoz Farhat|title=The Dastgah concept in Persian music|year=1990|publisher=Cambridge University press|location=Cambridge|isbn=9780521542067}}

Those who categorize the traditional Persian art music into seven {{transliteration|fa|dastgāhs}} often also list seven {{transliteration|fa|āvāzes}} ({{langx|fa|آواز}}, which means songs) in conjunction with these {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}}s.

The following is a list of the seven {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}}s and seven {{transliteration|fa|āvāz}}es:

There are listed in order as per the radif (music) of Mirza Abdollah.

Flats are shown with a ׳♭׳. Koron (half flats) are shown with a ׳p׳.

• Shur شور (C^a D^f Ep F G A/Ap^m B♭ C)
• Bayat-e-tork بیات ترک (C^a,i D Ep F^f,ŝ G A B♭ C)
• Dashti دشتی (C D^f E♭ F^a G A/Ap^m,ŝ B♭ C)
• Abu-ata{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Encyclopaedia Iranica |title=Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica |url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/abu-ata |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=iranicaonline.org |language=en-US}} ابوعطا (C D^f Eb^a,i F G^a,ŝ Ap B♭/Bp C)
• Afshari افشاری (C^f D E♭ⁱ F G^a,ŝ Ap/A^m B♭ C)
• Segah سه‌گاه (C D/Dp Ep^a,f,ŝ F G Ap B♭ C)
• Nava نوا (C D Epⁱ F^a G^f A B♭ C)
• Homayun همایون (C D E♭^a Fⁱ G^f Ap^ŝ B C)
• Bayat-e-Esfahan (also called simply Esfahan) اصفهان (C D Epⁱ F♯ G^a,f,ŝ A B♭ C)
• Chahargah چهارگاه (C^f Dp E F G Ap^a B C)
• Mahur ماهور (C^a,f D^ŝ E F G A B C)
• Rast-Panjgah راست‌ پنجگاه (C D E F^a,f G A B♭ C)

Less common are:

• Bayat-e-kord (C D E♭ F G Ap B♭ C) (Sometimes included as an Avaz under Shur)
• Shushtar (Sometimes included as an Avaz under Homayun, but usually just as a gushe)

Note that in some cases the sub-classes ({{transliteration|fa|āvāz}}s) are counted as individual {{transliteration|fa|dastgāh}}s, yet this contradicts technicalities in Iranian music.

• Dastgah music
• Mugam
• Persian traditional music
• Persian maqam

{{reflist|24em}}

{{refbegin|32em}}

• {{cite encyclopedia|year=1988|title=Bayāt-e Tork|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/bayat-e-tork|last=Caton|first=Margaret}}
• {{cite encyclopedia|year=1990|title=Bayāt-e Eṣfahān|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/bayat-e-esfahan|last=Caton|first=Margaret}}
• {{cite encyclopedia|year=2004|title=Bayāt-e Kord|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/bayat-e-kord-dastgah|last=Caton|first=Margaret|ref=CITEREFCaton1989}}
• {{cite encyclopedia|year=1994|title=Dastgāh|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/dastgah|last=During|first=Jean}}
• {{cite encyclopedia|year=1996|title=Daštī|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/dasti-one-of-the-twelve-modal-systems|last=During|first=Jean}}
• {{cite encyclopedia|year=2004|title=Homāyun|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/homayun|last=During|first=Jean}}
• {{cite encyclopedia|year=1984|title=Afšārī|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/afsari|last=Farhat|first=Hormoz}}
• {{cite book |title=The Dastgah Concept in Persian Music |last=Farhat |first=Hormoz |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2004 |isbn=0-521-54206-5 }}
• {{cite encyclopedia|year=1990|title=Čahārgāh|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/cahargah|last=Nettl|first=Bruno}}
• {{cite book |title=Iran: les Traditions Musicales |last2=Caron |first2=Nelly |publisher=Editions Buchet/chastel |year=1966 |location=Paris |last1=Safvat |first1=Daryush }}
• {{cite encyclopedia|year=1983|title=Abū ʿAṭā|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/abu-ata-ata-one-of-the-twelve-modes-in-the-dastgah-system-of-classical-iranian-music-more-precisely-it-should-be-called-avaz-e-abu-ata-or-nagma-ye-abu-ata|last=Tsuge|first=Gen'ichi|access-date=2015-01-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627093244/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/abu-ata-ata-one-of-the-twelve-modes-in-the-dastgah-system-of-classical-iranian-music-more-precisely-it-should-be-called-avaz-e-abu-ata-or-nagma-ye-abu-ata|archive-date=2015-06-27|url-status=dead}}

{{refend}}

• Hormoz Farhat, The Dastgāh Concept in Persian Music (Cambridge University Press, 1990). {{ISBN|0-521-30542-X}}, {{ISBN|0-521-54206-5}} (first paperback edition, 2004). For a review of this book see: Stephen Blum, Ethnomusicology, Vol. 36, No. 3, Special Issue: Music and the Public Interest, pp. 422–425 (1992): [https://www.jstor.org/stable/851875 JSTOR].
• Ella Zonis, Classical Persian Music: An Introduction (Harvard University Press, 1973)
• Lloyd Clifton Miller. 1995. Persian Music: A Study of Form and Content of Persian Avaz, Dastgah & Radif Dissertation. University of Utah.
• Bruno Nettl, The Radif of Persian Music: Studies of Structure and Cultural Context (Elephant & Cat, Champaign, 1987)
• Ella Zonis, Contemporary Art Music in Persia, The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 51, No. 4, pp. 636–648 (1965). [https://www.jstor.org/stable/741053 JSTOR]
• {{cite encyclopedia |last= During |first=Jean | title= Dastgāh | encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Iranica | access-date=2012-08-21 |url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/dastgah}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060420182247/http://www.duke.edu/~azomorod/dastgah.html The Dastgah system]
• A sample of solo music on Setār by Master Ahmad Ebadi in the following Dastgahs: [http://www.iranian.com/ram/Ebadi/1.ram Segāh], [http://www.iranian.com/ram/Ebadi/2.ram Chahārgāh], [http://www.iranian.com/ram/Ebadi/3.ram Homāyoun], [http://www.iranian.com/ram/Ebadi/4.ram Esfahān], [http://www.iranian.com/ram/Ebadi/5.ram Afshāri].

{{Melody types}}

{{Musical radif}}

Category:Modes (music)

Category:Persian classical music

Category:Persian words and phrases