The Structure of Kurdistan Daf (III)

Researcher:
Mohammad Tarighat

Translator:
Fatemeh Alimohammadi

There are different definitions for the structure and sound of Daf from other aspects rooted in mythical and holy-oriented beliefs. Pahlavan says the following regarding this matter:

“Our ancestors believe powerful blows upon the Daf scatters evil spirits of disease and distress to create a clean and holy space filled with health and prosperity. Adding tools to Daf increases this instrument’s purification, spreading, and summoning powers of evil forces and goddesses. Daf was mostly depicted by red, color of blood, in ancient times or sometimes it was depicted with green, the color of plants and nature. There were probably some mysterious designs painted upon the wooden body and frames of these instruments just like today” (Pahlavan, 2013: 44).

Also, Mohammad Reza Darvishi in his book entitled “Encyclopedia of Music”, quoted from Ahmad Tusi, Mohammad Tusi’s son, in Sama and Fotovvat, interprets Daf in relation to playing it and to Daf player: “The circle of Daf refers to the circle of the universe and the skin stretched on Daf, refers to the absolute existence and the beat on Daf, refers to the entry of divine inspirations from depths of hidden into the absolute existence and Daf player individual, is a reference to the position of truth, through which the people’s soul are placed in the trap of love” (Darvishi, 2016: 396).

It is believed that Daf player extends his two hands to the sky in a state of prayer and supplication, so it is necessary to be recited with a mystical and prayerful slogan. Daf is never placed on the ground by the skin and this act is considered insulting the position of this instrument and indirectly to religious beliefs (Naqib Sardasht, 2007: 300). If Daf skin is torn during the ceremony, mystics say that the Daf has been “martyred”. If the skin is prepared from Haram* animals, it is Haram to bring it to the monastery. At the end of ceremony, the Daf is kissed and hung on the wall; with the special Daf of this ceremony, frivolous and farcical melodies are never performed because it is considered a sin by the mystics. Also, these Dafs are not entrusted to persons who are not authorized to maintain it (Nasrollahpour, 1999: 78).

According to the mystics, Daf is a symbol of monastery; Daf rings, indicate number of disciples and thumb index, is the entrance of monastery. Thumb index is in a semicircular and concave form and when one holds the Daf, completes this concavity and forms a link between himself and the Daf. The Center of Daf is considered as a symbol of God (Ahmadi, 2019: 11).

Other ceremonies in which Daf and Daf playing have great value can be called “Mowludi khani”, “welcoming and accompanying the religious scholars and mystics”, and “welcoming pilgrims”. In following, a brief explanation will be given about Mowludi and Mowludi khani.

The month of Rabi al-Aval is known among the Kurds as Mowlud month which Mowludi khani in description of the Prophet (PBUH) is the most basic program of this month. Ebrahim Moradi believes: “The Kurds believe that holding Mowludi khani ceremonies in their home, increases their livelihood and keeps pain and misery away from family members” (Moradi, 2020: 51).

The role of Daf and Daf playing in Iranian music is of special importance in three forms “solo”, “accompaniment”, and “group playing”.

 

___________________

*Haram” means forbidden and anti-halal. In religious terms is something that is forbidden by God and doing it is considered a sin.

Post a Comment

Required fields are marked *
*
*
Your email is never shared.

Five Major Myths About Mozart’s Life

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the renowned Austrian composer, is undoubtedly one of the greatest geniuses in the history of classical music. However, his life is surrounded by numerous myths and legends, some of which are not based on facts. This article explores five of the most common misconceptions about Mozart’s life.

Bahma Rajabi Passed Away!

Bahman Rajabi, the renowned tonbak (Persian goblet drum) player and educator, passed away at his home at the age of 86 due to a heart condition. He was the founder of a distinctive school of tonbak playing, and his teaching methods have been widely used by instructors of the instrument for decades..

From Past Days…

Polyphony in Iranian Music (IV)

Two choirs alternatively perform Veŝ Tavaré Na avaz (Transcription 5). The second group starts the avaz before the first group finishes it; consequently, two different voices coincide (Transcription 5, staves 2 and 5).

From the Last Instrumentalist to the First Composer (II)

Rouhollah Khaleghi was the master of composing beautiful melodies. He was the premier of the course of history which was first established by Ali Naghi Vaziri and which improved the Iranian music from simply a gathering music to the classical music of the country. First efforts to compose independent and instrumental music can be also traced in Khaleghi’s works.

Women Musicians in Large Iranian Orchestras

It is more than a century now that the sociologists consider the presence of women in different social domains as a benchmark for a society’s progress. They analyze the presence of women in society by the means of available statistics. Unfortunately, as with regard to the Iranian society, statistics related to women’s engagement, has not been available to the researchers, if they existed at all.

Principles of Violin Playing (X)

Creating sound continuity between two notes in the source and destination positions when left hand position changes and “two different finger numbers” are involved is called portamento. Portamento can be performed on single string or two neighboring strings and with hand moving on fingerboard either upward or downward.

Negation of Changes in Iranian Music: Embracing Tradition

The perspective that denies any alteration or innovation beneath the realm of Iranian music, and more broadly, the performance and even the structure of Iranian music instruments, stems from the discourse of “tradition-oriented”* and the “return to self” movement in Iranian music. Given that some educators still adhere to this discourse and emphasize the necessity of preserving tradition, a perception is formed among art students that Iranian music, including Radif, lacks dynamism and is confined within a rigid framework.

A note on “Illusion or Ingenuity” article

The author of the “Illusion or Ingenuity” article, who is apprehensive of the future of the Music in Iran, enumerates some symptoms of the music weakening in the country for example decreasing in the quality of the music as well as lack of the innovation in creating them, a gradual decline in the music public taste and the drop in the application of layered sound and polyphony in music. He explains that one reason for this gradual weakening might be our unawareness of the fact that we are not so intelligent nation. He believes that we, Iranians, have a comprehensive “Illusion of the high national intelligence “that make us ignorant of the unfavorable realities of our music and consequently no searching for the remedy is taking place. His point of view brings to the mind a patient who thinks he is healthy, therefore delays the treatment and finally is killed by the disease. The author also refers to the national difficulties which gradually will lower the national intelligence score such as the increased rate of the immigration and brain drain, low quality of the nutrition, incompetence of the education system and etc and predicts that the condition of the music of Iran might deteriorate in the future because of the mentioned illusion of its great status.

Developments in Iranian Music Since Qajar Era (II)

Santour:
Nine-bridge and twelve-bridge Sanours were both used until the early Pahlavi dynasty. However, as Faramarz Payvar devised new methods for playing the nine-bridge Sanour, this variety of the instrument which was hammered by felted sticks became popular.

Interview with the Makers of the New Qeychak (II)

Regarding the classification of a new instrument in an instrument family, one can point to a number of fundamental issues, one of the most obvious of which is the instrument’s visual features. If we look at how the new instrument has changed compared to its historical versions, the set of visual elements that link the instrument to the Qeychak family becomes apparent. But other characteristics such as the geometric dimensions of the instrument, characteristics of the instrument’s various parts and how they relate to each other, its systematic performance, its sound range (compared to modern versions), the material and color of the sound, the way it is played and the like, can be considered in order to classify the instrument in the Qeychak family.

Musical Sense or Technique?

One of the most popular terms used by Iranian instrumentalists is the existence or a lack of musical “sense”. Both musicians and fans of music consider having “sense” while playing music as an important principle to the extent that they use it vis-a-vis having technique.

Principles of Violin Playing (II)

Since for playing violin, it’s necessary that the player’s palms and fingers be inclined toward the fingerboard, therefore, the player, while bringing up his hand, should turn it toward the fingerboard.