A Commemoration Ceremony for the Inscription of the Radif of Iranian Classical Music Was Held

The commemoration of the inscription of the Radif of Iranian Music on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List was held at Rudaki Hall from 18:00 to 20:00 on 15 October 2024, through the efforts of the Faculty of Music of the Iran University of Art and the Rudaki Foundation, in the presence of the Secretary-General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO.

At the event, Hassan Fartousi, Secretary-General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO, stated: “Dastgah music is the distillation and essence of Iran’s musical culture, in which all the ethnic groups and communities of this land have a share: Bayat-e Kord, Shushtari, Gilaki and Masihi; Dashtestani, Esfahan and Bayat-e Shiraz; Bayat-e Tork, Bakhtiari and Dastan-e Arab all bear witness to this national agreement and solidarity. Indeed, the Radif of Iranian music is one of the most comprehensive manifestations of this solidarity, which is the outcome of centuries of peaceful coexistence.”

The full text of the speech delivered by the Secretary-General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO is as follows:

“In the Name of God

May the world never be bereft of the lament of lovers…

In his interpretation of Kashf al-Asrar fi ‘Iddat al-Abrar, Maybodi presents a deeply moving allegory of the veils of the human heart. He says that the human heart has four veils: sadr, qalb, fu’ad and shaghaf; each of these veils serves a purpose. In the words of the sage Nezami:

‘Every particle, though but a speck of dust,
Has a purpose within the realm of existence.’

Yet the veils of the heart are renowned and honored for one great purpose: remembering the beloved and expressing the pain of longing. And every heart that is truly a heart cannot remain even for a moment distant from the beloved.

As Sheikh Baha’i says:

‘For one whose heart is troubled by love,
Every tale he tells is pleasing to the heart.’

But why is the story of the heart so precious? Because God breathes into the veils of the human heart. And how magnificent is the melody and sound that emerges from that breath! It is wholly perfumed with the fragrance of the beloved. This is why, throughout the long history of this ancient land of Iran, minstrels and musicians have never ceased, even for a moment, from lamenting and celebrating. Sing, O lovelorn nightingale, for this is the place for a cry!

The human being is God’s instrument, and He breathes into the veils of the human heart. The purer and more refined these veils are, the more harmonious are the melodies of devotion.

‘If you are a king and set forth upon the road,
Make your journey with a melody more beautiful still.’

And the more the corridors of the heart are filled with desires and passions, the more, in the words of Rumi:

‘When among twenty musicians one plays out of tune,
All lose their way when the guide is at odds.’

A heart filled and burdened with the rebellious demons within and without has neither movement nor rising. Pride, greed, avarice, envy and resentment prevent the heart from remaining in harmony and from joining its voice to that of the universal guide. Thus, when the inner self is emptied, one comes to seek and breathe in the fragrance of the Beloved’s breath within the corridors of the heart.

‘When I became empty within, like the reed,
I knew nothing but God.
Since I am no longer “I”, O breath arising from Him,
Before this breath, whoever claims a breath of his own is an unbeliever.’

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dastgah music is the distillation and essence of Iran’s musical culture, in which all the ethnic groups and communities of this land have a share: Bayat-e Kord, Shushtari, Gilaki and Masihi; Dashtestani, Esfahan and Bayat-e Shiraz; Bayat-e Tork, Bakhtiari and Dastan-e Arab all bear witness to this national agreement and solidarity. Indeed, the Radif of Iranian music is one of the most comprehensive manifestations of this solidarity, which is the outcome of centuries of peaceful coexistence.

Moreover, the Radif of Iranian music is a gift of Iranian culture to human culture, and its inscription as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, in addition to introducing it at the global level, means that people around the world have a responsibility to safeguard and preserve it. This not only demonstrates the contribution and influence of Iranian culture in the world, but also creates opportunities for greater interaction with other cultures and enhances the cultural standing of Iranian culture in today’s world.

The Iranian National Commission for UNESCO is greatly honored that, through the efforts of the UNESCO Music Committee, which was established more than 14 years ago and was greatly supported by prominent figures in the field of music, the dastgahs, avaz, melodies and gusheh were inscribed in 2009 on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List as part of the traditional musical repertoire of Iran.

However, it is important to note that inscription alone is not sufficient to fulfil this purpose. From UNESCO’s perspective, activities aimed at promoting and educating people about this ancestral art are of vital importance.

I hope that this enduring treasure, which has been handed down to us over the centuries, will be safeguarded and protected more than ever through the efforts of you, the custodians and practitioners of the musical arts, and that it will be passed on to future generations.

And I shall conclude with the eloquent words of Hafez, who said:

‘The minstrel of love possesses a wondrous melody and tune;
Every melody he plays finds its way to its destined place.
May the world never be bereft of the lament of lovers,
For their song is harmonious and their air brings joy.

Thank you.’

It is worth noting that several Radif performances were presented during the programme, including Rang-e Osul, performed by a group comprising Mehdi Darvish-Mand (santur), Shamim Amani (kamancheh), Mehdi Shirpour (tar), Amirhossein Esfandiyari (oud) and Mohammad-Amin Habibi (tombak); a rendition of the Muntazam al-Hokama repertoire on setar by Babak Raheti; the Radif of Aqa Hossein-Qoli on tar by Amirhossein Saleh Karimi; the Radif of Habib Samai on santur by Aref Shahidnavaz; the Radif of Morteza Neydavoud on tar by Ali Samadani; a rendition from Azerbaijan on kamancheh by Hossein Towhidvand; the Radif of Ali-Akbar Shahnazi on tar by Sama Mahmoudi; the Radif of Ali Tajvidi on violin by Behrang Azadeh; the violin Radif of Abolhasan Saba on kamancheh by Shamim Amani; and a performance of the Masnavi by Hassan Kasaei, accompanied on the ney by Zaman Kheiri.

Dr. Houman Asadi spoke on the Radif and its inscription; Dr. Tara Elahverdi spoke about the performances of Esmail Gharamani; and Dr. Babak Khazraei spoke about the practice and transmission of the Radif.