Barbad
Barbad 7th century
Barbad the Jahromi was a Persian musician of the Sassanid era.
The oldest recorded Persian music was created by a musician called Baar-Bad who lived in Jahrom about 1400 years ago (7th Century). He composed 365 songs for 365 day /year for sassanid Dynasty king, Khosro-Parviz.
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Life
In most sources, jahrom a small city south of shiraz in the Fars province is mentioned as his birthplace, but in some sources (Tha’alib?) 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 dastgahs 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 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 çartar (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 (Khosrow II, Chosroes II, or Xosrov II in classical sources, sometimes called Parvez, “the Ever Victorious” was the twenty-second Sassanid King of Persia, reigning from 590 to 628. He was the son of Hormizd IV (reigned 579–590) and grandson of Khosrau I (reigned 531–579).
