Iranian traditional music on the UNESCO list

Originally at: http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=30792&NewsKind=Culture

LONDON, April 10 (IranMania) - The titles and items of Iranian radifs to be registered on the UNESCO List of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity were selected last week at the first joint session of the new Iranian calendar year (began on March 21) of Iran’s Music House and UNESCO officials.

The spokesman of Iran’s Music House made the announcement on Sunday, adding, “It will begin with radifs, and the names of dastgahs and various melodies come next.”

The history of Iranian music and its various transformations over the years, changes in Iranian musical instruments, the development of radifs, and the system of oral instruction of Iranian radifs have been included, Mohammad Sarir said.

In the music of Iran, a set of notes, their special characteristics, and an associated group of traditional melodies that constitute a basis for improvised performance is called dastgah. The total collection of more than 200 gushehs (traditional melodic entities) in all 12 dastgahs is known as the radif.

Sarir pointed to the importance of the registration of Iranian radifs on the UNESCO List of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity and noted that it will promote Iranian music.

“We aim to present Iranian music to the world as a universal art and cultural heritage,” he added.

The Music House plans to register the titles of Iranian radifs on the UNESCO list first and will then collect and present the details of the music under the supervision of Iranian traditional musicians.