Barbad
Encyclopedia
Barbad or Barbad the Jahromi ( / باربد / باربذ) was a Persian musician of the Sassanid era, who lived during the rule of Khosrau II
, 590 to 628..
a small city south of shiraz
in the Fars province is mentioned as his birthplace, but in some sources(Tha'ālibī
) he is mentioned as "marvi" (from merv
an city in ancient Iran). Barbad was the most famous and skilled court musician of the Sassanid Empire
of Persia. Barbad is remembered in much documents and has been named as a remarkably high skilled musician of his time.
He has been credited to have given an organisation of musical system consisting of seven "Royal modes" named Xosrovani , thirty derivative modes named lahn, and 360 melodies named dastan. These numbers are in accordance with Sassanid's calendar
of number of days in a week, month, and year. His musical theories based on which these modal system was based are not known, however the writers of later period have left a list of these modes and melodies. These names include some of epic forms such as kin-e Iraj (lit. the Vengeance of Iraj), kin-e siavash (lit. the Vengeance of Siavash), and Taxt-e Ardashir (lit. the Throne of Ardashir) and some connected with the glories of Sassanid royal court such as Bagh-e shirin (lit the garden of Shirin), Bagh-e Shahryar (lit. the Sovereign's Garden), and haft Ganj (lit. the seven treasures). There are also some of a descriptive nature like roshan cheragh (lit. bright lights).
This was the oldest Middle Eastern musical system of which some traces still exist. Its enduring heritage is the names given to some of today's gooshehs of the various dastgah
s in the modern system of Persian music.
According to the legends, it was Barbad, who through a song - potentially risking his life - informed the Sassanid king, Khosro Parviz
of his most beloved horse, Shabdiz
's death. According to the Nizami epic Khosro & Shirin, Khosro's courtship with Shirin began in earnest when Shirin overheard Barbad singing of the king's love for her in a neighbouring tent.
Yaqut Hamawi
in Mu'jam Al-Buldan
relates that Shabdiz had developed a sickness and its death appeared imminent. Khosro restlessly threatened that: "Whoever brings tidings of Shabdiz's death, shall be executed!". As Shabdiz expired, the royal equerry (Pahlavi: ākhorsālār) resorted to Barbad in frustration to convey this news to Khosro in whichever way he deemed appropriate and receive a certain reward in exchange for the same. Once Khosro's feast started as usual, Barbad tuned his çārtār (four-stringed musical instrument) and played an overwhelmingly melancholic tune. "Lest Shabdiz hath died?" Khosro queried sorrowfully. Barbad immediately replied: "Shahanshah saith thus!". Yaqut also mentions that Khalid Fayyadh has also related this story in verse.
Other famous musicians lived in Sassanid dynasty were: Bamshad
, Nagisa (Nakisa), Sarkash
and Ramtin.
Khosrau II
250px|thumb|Khosrau II 250px|thumb|Khosrau II 250px|thumb|Khosrau II (Khosrow II, Chosroes II, or Xosrov II in classical sources, sometimes called Parvez, "the Ever Victorious" – (in Persian: خسرو پرویز), was the twenty-second Sassanid King of Persia, reigning from 590 to 628...
, 590 to 628..
Etymology
The name is the arabicized pronunciation of the Persian name Pahlbod, which is most probably how he was called in his own day.Life
In most sources, jahromJahrom
Jahrom is a city in and the capital of Jahrom County, Fars Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 103,023, in 25,946 families....
a small city south of shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
in the Fars province is mentioned as his birthplace, but in some sources(Tha'ālibī
Tha'alibi
Tha'ālibī [Abu Manşūr 'Abd ul-Malik ibn Mahommed ibn Isma'īl] , Muslim philologist, was born in Nishapur, Iran, and is said to have been at one time a furrier. Although he wrote prose and verse of his own, he was most famous for his anthologies and collections of epigrams...
) he is mentioned as "marvi" (from merv
Merv
Merv , formerly Achaemenid Satrapy of Margiana, and later Alexandria and Antiochia in Margiana , was a major oasis-city in Central Asia, on the historical Silk Road, located near today's Mary in Turkmenistan. Several cities have existed on this site, which is significant for the interchange of...
an city in ancient Iran). Barbad was the most famous and skilled court musician of the Sassanid Empire
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
of Persia. Barbad is remembered in much documents and has been named as a remarkably high skilled musician of his time.
He has been credited to have given an organisation of musical system consisting of seven "Royal modes" named Xosrovani , thirty derivative modes named lahn, and 360 melodies named dastan. These numbers are in accordance with Sassanid's calendar
Iranian calendar
The Iranian calendars or sometimes called Persian calendars are a succession of calendars invented or used for over two millennia in Greater Iran...
of number of days in a week, month, and year. His musical theories based on which these modal system was based are not known, however the writers of later period have left a list of these modes and melodies. These names include some of epic forms such as kin-e Iraj (lit. the Vengeance of Iraj), kin-e siavash (lit. the Vengeance of Siavash), and Taxt-e Ardashir (lit. the Throne of Ardashir) and some connected with the glories of Sassanid royal court such as Bagh-e shirin (lit the garden of Shirin), Bagh-e Shahryar (lit. the Sovereign's Garden), and haft Ganj (lit. the seven treasures). There are also some of a descriptive nature like roshan cheragh (lit. bright lights).
This was the oldest Middle Eastern musical system of which some traces still exist. Its enduring heritage is the names given to some of today's gooshehs of the various dastgah
Dastgah
Dastgāh is a musical modal system in traditional Persian art music. Persian art music consists of twelve principal musical modal systems or dastgāhs; in spite of 50 or more extant dastgāhs, theorists generally refer to a set of twelve principal ones...
s in the modern system of Persian music.
According to the legends, it was Barbad, who through a song - potentially risking his life - informed the Sassanid king, Khosro Parviz
Khosrau II
250px|thumb|Khosrau II 250px|thumb|Khosrau II 250px|thumb|Khosrau II (Khosrow II, Chosroes II, or Xosrov II in classical sources, sometimes called Parvez, "the Ever Victorious" – (in Persian: خسرو پرویز), was the twenty-second Sassanid King of Persia, reigning from 590 to 628...
of his most beloved horse, Shabdiz
Shabdiz
Shabdiz was the legendary black stallion of Khosrau Parvez, one of the most famed Sassanid Persian kings . Shabdiz, meaning "midnight", was reputedly the "world's fastest horse" according to ancient Persian literature...
's death. According to the Nizami epic Khosro & Shirin, Khosro's courtship with Shirin began in earnest when Shirin overheard Barbad singing of the king's love for her in a neighbouring tent.
Yaqut Hamawi
Yaqut al-Hamawi
Yāqūt ibn-'Abdullah al-Rūmī al-Hamawī) was an Islamic biographer and geographer renowned for his encyclopedic writings on the Muslim world. "al-Rumi" refers to his Greek descent; "al-Hamawi" means that he is from Hama, Syria, and ibn-Abdullah is a reference to his father's name, Abdullah...
in Mu'jam Al-Buldan
Mu'jam Al-Buldan
Mu'jam al-buldan is a book by Yaqut al-Hamawi, a Muslim scholar who is famous for his encyclopedic books.Al-Hamawi started the book in 1224 and finished in 1228, one year before he died....
relates that Shabdiz had developed a sickness and its death appeared imminent. Khosro restlessly threatened that: "Whoever brings tidings of Shabdiz's death, shall be executed!". As Shabdiz expired, the royal equerry (Pahlavi: ākhorsālār) resorted to Barbad in frustration to convey this news to Khosro in whichever way he deemed appropriate and receive a certain reward in exchange for the same. Once Khosro's feast started as usual, Barbad tuned his çārtār (four-stringed musical instrument) and played an overwhelmingly melancholic tune. "Lest Shabdiz hath died?" Khosro queried sorrowfully. Barbad immediately replied: "Shahanshah saith thus!". Yaqut also mentions that Khalid Fayyadh has also related this story in verse.
Other famous musicians lived in Sassanid dynasty were: Bamshad
Bamshad
Bamshad was one of the four most famous and skilled musicians lived in the Persian Sassanid dynasty when Xusro Parviz was in power . He used to play music with passion and full of energy in the beginning of everyday in the time of dawn, for this reason, people were always happy and pleased. That's...
, Nagisa (Nakisa), Sarkash
Sarkash
Sarkash is the least renowned of the three most influential musicians of the Sassanids. He was the top musician of the Sassanid court just before Barbod. He had the same racial background as Shirin, the wife of king Khosrau II....
and Ramtin.