Music in Iran Since the Revolution

"...there has been a radical transformation of the Iranian music scene since the fall of the Shah -- but the salient changes are not rooted in foreign forms like rock and rap. Rather, the changes flow from a revitalization of the classical Persian tradition that began around the same time as the revolutionary ferment itself. Musical groups collectively known as the Chavosh (Herald) movement altered the way that players of classical Persian music viewed the world and related to their audiences. Like Western rockers, these performers were "modern" -- in the sense that they chose as lyrics the lines of contemporary poets and they played in a style projecting impatience and idealism. And these were also "underground" bands -- in the sense that their music stayed clear of the mainstream, defied the demands of the market, sought momentum in the energy of listeners and stayed true to the spirit of the times. There has been a radical transformation of the Iranian music scene since the fall of the Shah and the consolidation of the Islamic Republic. But the salient changes are rooted in the traditions of classical Persian music, not in the imported musical forms that Western observers love to write about."

Ramin Sadighi and Sohrab Mahdavi explain in their essay, "The Song Does Not Remain the Same," now available in Middle East Report Online.

Let me add that the Middle East Report is an excellent magazine with deep insider knowledge from different countries, movements and trends in the region. Check it out.