Radif (, ) is a collection of many old melodic figures preserved through many generations by oral tradition. It organizes the melodies in a number of different tonal spaces called dastgāh. The traditional music of Iran is based on the radif, which is a collection of old melodies that have been handed down by the masters to the students through the generations. Over time, each master's own interpretation has shaped and added new melodies to this collection, which may bear the master's name.
The preservation of these melodies greatly depended on each successive generation's memory and mastery, since the interpretive origin of this music was expressed only through the oral tradition.
To learn and absorb the essence of the radif, many years of repetition and practice are required. A master of the radif must internalize it so completely to be able to perform any part of it at any given time.
The radif contains several different dastgāhs which are distinguished from each other by their relationship of note intervals and the form of the movement of the melodies within them. A dastgāh portrays a specific sonic space. A dastgāh may contain approximately 10 to 30 ("melodies"). The principal of the dastgāh specify the different scales within that dastgāh. The note, upon which the is based and often is the center of the , is called the shahed. The shahed moves when we modulate between principal , and this movement creates a new sonic space. Rhythm in these melodies takes three different forms: symmetric, asymmetric (lang), and free form. The rhythm is greatly influenced by the rhythm and meter of Persian poetry. The instrumental and vocal radif is different from the rhythmical point of view; however, their melodic structures are the same.
The radifs for tar are one of the most famous radifs associated, with many old melodies collected that include 20–40 in each dastgāh.
The radifs of Mirza Hossein-Qoli and Mirza Abdollah are the oldest radifs that are still in use for many students who wish to carry on learning Persian music. It is very famous as it consisted of many melodies collected from that time and before.
Many of the melodies were changed by Mirza Gholi and some kept same to the composer's desire, but the evidence is small to suggest melodies were changed or not, but due to radif being passed down through oral tradition (not in notation) we cannot state whether melodies were changed as we cannot compare notations or audios, but due to the mutations in music through oral transfer it is obvious.
One of the most notable tar players and repertoire of Mirza Hossien Gholi's radif was Ostad Ali-Akbar Shahnazi, who was the son of Mirza Hossien Gholi and was the first tar player to record the long radif memorized by heart. His work is still used by many Masters and are now some directions which are followed by many tar players. Of course, beginner-intermediate students will not be able to follow his works on audio due to the level at which it was performed at, so not much will be understood, but a Tar Master can expect to use it and re-focus on what was forgotten in his teachings at lesson with students. This can minimize mutations and keep the radif in line.
The radif of Mirza Abdollah was published in notation by Jean During in 1970s based on Nour Ali Boroumand, who recorded the radif by heart. On the other hand, the radif of Mirza Hossein-Qoli was first published in notation by Dariush Pirniakan in 2001. Though the radif is not popular with many young students it still is the constitute and basis of Persian music. It can be related to Classical music of western music that is not much popular, but forms the basis of Western Music.
Definition Radif is a collection of traditional melodies in Iranian music that, in various instrumental and vocal renditions, are organized with a specific order within different dastgahs and avazes (modal systems). In other words, the radif is a method for categorizing gushehs (melodic pieces) to facilitate their learning through repetition.Fakhraddini, F. (2015). Analysis and explanation of the Radif of Iranian music. Tehran: Nashr-e Mo’in. ISBN 978-964-165-098-0.
Radif is not merely a set of gushehs; as its name suggests, it also refers to the specific order of these gushehs. In each dastgah, the gusheh with the lowest pitch range is usually selected as the first and is called daramad (introduction), with the other gushehs following it. The gushehs have been compiled based on the taste and judgment of masters of Iranian modal music and have been arranged in the maqams (musical modes) of Iranian music in a particular sequence. According to Majid Kiani, whenever melodies and tunes (gushehs) are performed in a sequence “consistent with the artistic logic and aesthetic sensibility of Iranian culture,” along with a coordination of interval proportions, melodic movement, rhythm, and the specific embellishments of this music, the result is called radif. Each traditional music master creates a radif from the sequence of gushehs based on their own taste, thought, and emotion, and every creative performer, during its execution, gives birth to a new radif founded upon solo performance and improvisation.Kiani, M. (1989). The seven Dastgahs of Iranian music. Tehran: Sureh Mehr. ISBN 978-600-175-617-7.
History
Background Before the transformation from maqam to dastgah, Iranian music was taught using the system of maqams. After this transformation, the melodic pieces (gushehs) were also categorized under the seven dastgahs, and some of the maqams were preserved in the form of gushehs. The beginning of the separation of Iranian music from the maqam-based method likely dates back to the Timurid period (14th–15th centuries CE). However, there is disagreement regarding the exact method of music education during this period. Raphael Kiesewetter believes that the formation of the radif took place during this time, with the goal of teaching the components of Iranian music individually. Bruno Nettl also asserts that the history of radif goes back at least to the 18th century.Nettl, B. (1987). The radif of Persian classical music: Studies of structure and cultural context in the classical music of Iran. Elephant and Cat.
In contrast, Dariush Talai argues that the systematic ordering of Iranian melodies into a radif began only in the 13th century of the Iranian calendar (equivalent to the 19th century CE). In any case, there is a consensus among theorists that the purpose of creating radifs was to make it easier to teach the dastgahs, avazes, and gushehs of Iranian music, and that the method of instruction required students to memorize all the melodies.[ Meanwhile, Hormoz Farhat speculates that this transformation resulted from a decline in the skills of musicians during the Safavid era, to the point that they were no longer capable of composing or improvising within a single maqam or fixed scale. As a result, they began to combine gushehs from various maqams, leading to the necessity of teaching and categorizing these gushehs separately within a dastgah—even when those gushehs did not share a common scale.Tallāyī, D. (1993). A new perspective on the theory of Iranian music. Mahoor Cultural and Artistic Institute. ISBN 964-8105-38-3.
From the perspective of Walter Feldman, a prominent scholar of Ottoman music, while Turkish music focused on developing its theoretical foundations (through expanding maqams), Iranian music moved toward formalization (emphasizing musical structure). Vocal music came to dominate over instrumental music in Iran, and maqams (and later dastgahs) were broken into smaller segments that could each be taught independently—giving rise to the radif of Iranian music.Hajarian, M. (2016). "Maqam" in Iranian musicology. Anthropology and Culture. Archived from the original on August 24, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2016. On the other hand, some researchers link the formation of radif in Iran to the increasing influence of Western culture during the Qajar period.
According to Bruno Nettl, the formation of the Iranian radif in the 20th century is connected to the nationalist movements of that time and represents an attempt by Iranians to assert the independence of their music from Turkish and Arab traditions, which share common roots. Dariush Talai also contends that the primary goal of the founders of the radif was to compile a coherent and systematic collection of traditional melodies; they were not necessarily concerned with organizing a modal system. Therefore, the relationship between the radif and musical modes (maqams) remains undefined, and the pedagogical system of the radif does not embody any explanatory theory.
Although the transformation from maqam to dastgah gradually occurred from the mid-Safavid era to the late Qajar period, the term radif only came into use during the late Qajar era and is absent in earlier manuscripts. For instance, the book Bahrol-Alhan, written in the Qajar era and one of the first works addressing dastgahi music, names the seven dastgahs and their associated gushehs in detail, but does not use the term radif.Kalantari, S. (2011). In search of the concept of radif. Iranian Music House Quarterly Journal, (1), 17–19. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
Formation of the Radif The formation of the radif is generally attributed to Ali Akbar Farahani. Farahani was a masterful musician in the court of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar who, due to his privileged position and his commitment to preserving Iranian music (despite the cultural decline of his era), undertook the task of classifying Iranian music. Although Farahani's original radif has not survived, its influence can be found in all subsequent radifs, particularly those transmitted through his sons, Mirza Abdollah and Agha Hosseinqoli.
Mirza Abdollah and Agha Hosseinqoli were both prominent tar players during the Qajar period, dedicating their lives to compiling and teaching their respective radifs. Among them, Mirza Abdollah's radif is considered the most important, as he transmitted it to numerous students, thereby keeping the artistic legacy of the pre-Qajar era alive to this day.Talaei, D. (1993). A new perspective on the theory of Iranian music. Mahoor Cultural and Artistic Institute. ISBN 964-8105-38-3.
In addition to these two brothers, some sources also mention Mohammad Sadeq Khan (a musician at Naser al-Din Shah's court) as one of the earliest figures to perform the radif. The creation of the first tasnifs (composed pieces) based on the radif is also attributed to women of the royal court, including Soltan Khanom (a court musician) and Taj al-Saltaneh (a royal princess).
Publication and Dissemination The dissemination of the radif (repertoire) of Iranian music beyond the royal court is attributed to Darvish Khan. He served under Prince Malek Mansour Mirza Shoa‘ al-Saltaneh at the Qajar court. After being threatened with having his hands cut off for performing music in front of people outside the prince's court, he fled and sought refuge at the British Embassy. Eventually, with the embassy's mediation, he was released from the Qajar court. He then performed music publicly in Tehran and earned his living this way.
In the early 19th century, the feudal system gradually receded from Iranian music, and musicians increasingly performed in public, financially independent from the royal court. During this period, Ali Khan Zahir al-Dowleh founded the Anjoman-e Okhovat (Brotherhood Society), which included many renowned musicians of the time. They regularly performed at the society's events.