Information AboutDaf |
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, 17th century, Iran .]]A daf is a large-sized Tambourine used to accompany both popular and classical music in Iran . INTRODUCTION Frame drums are one of the most ancient types of musical instruments. They have a simple structure with strong spiritual and entertaining effects. Frame drums are usually round made of wood with animal skin and sometimes metal rings or plates incorporated into the drum to provide jingle. They have different sizes; the larger drums are played mainly by men in spiritual rituals and medium size drums are played mainly by women. Frame drums originated in the ancient Middle East , India , and Rome , and reached medieval Europe through Islamic culture. The similarity of the names of frame drums in these regions shows the common history of these drums. Daf is one of the most ancient frame drums in Asia and North Africa . In Iran and Kurdistan , Sufis use Daf during their Zikr (spiritual chanting) rituals. Although the Daf is mainly used in sufi music of the Yarsanî Kurdish cult, it has recently been used in classical and folk Kurdish Music , and in recent years Persian Musicians have successfully integrated it into popular Persian music. HISTORY The earliest evidence of Daf dates back to Sassanid Iran. The Pahlavi (an ancient Iranic language) name of Daf is ''dap''. The word daf is therefore the arabicized form of the word dap. Some pictures of dap have been found in the paintings to be painted before the birth of Christ. The presence of Iranian dap in the reliefs of Bisotun is enlightening and is hard proof that dafs existed much before the invasion of Islam. Dafs were part of religeous music in Iran much before Sufism. In fact, Iranian music has always been a spiritual tool. It shows that dafs played an important role in Mazdean Iran. The monuments of Bisotun are situated 25 kilometers from Kermanshah city. Also there is a kind of square frame drum in the stonecutting of Tagh-e-Bostan (another famous monument located 5 kilometers northeast from Kermanshah city). It is said that Norouz (the first day of the Iranic New Year and the national festival of The Iranic Peoples ) and other festive occasions have been accompanied by dap in Sassanid periods (224 A.D. - 651 A.D.). In this period dap was played in order to accompany Iranian Classical Music. Undoubtedly daps were used within court to be played in the modes and melodies of traditional music. This traditional or classical music was created by Barbod the Great and was named the ''khosravani'' after the King Khosrow (Chosroes). Recent research reveals that these modes were used in the recital of Mazdean (Zoroastrian) prayers. The modes were passed down from master to student and are today known as the Radif and Dastgah system. Many of the melodies were lost, but most of those that remain date to the Sassanid period. Dafs can be played to produce highly complex and intense ryhthms, causing one to go under a trance and reach an ecstatic state and spiritually-high state. For this reason, they have always been connected with religion in Iran, again, much before Islam. The Moors introduced Daf and other Middle Eastern musical instruments to Spain , and the Spanish adapted and promoted Daf and other musical instruments (such as the Guitar ) in medieval Europe. In the 15th century, daf was only used in Sufi ceremonies; the Ottomans reintroduced it to Europe in 17th century. The art of daf playing in Eastern Kurdistan and other parts of Iran has reached us by the effort of Iranian Sufis; especially in 20th century by the late ''Sayyed Baha-al-Din Shams Ghorayshi'' (1872-1947), ''Ostad Haj Khalifeh Karim Safvati'' (1919-…), ''Ostad Haj Khalifeh Mirza Agha Ghosi'' (1928-…), ''Mohi-al-Din Bolbolani'' (1929-…), ''Sayyed Mohammad Shams Ghorayshi'' (1930-…) and ''Masha-Allah Bakhtiyari'' (1940-…). It is fortunate that daf still functions as an important part of Kurdish and Persian art music (traditional or classical music) as it did in ancient times. It successfully encourages many young Iranians to take up learning this ancient instrument. THE STRUCTURE OF A DAF Daf has six parts: 1. Frame 2. Skin 3. Pin 4. Hook 5. Ring 6. Leather Band. #The frame is wooden. The diameter of the frame is 48-53 centimeters. The width of the frame is 5-7 centimeters. #The skin is glued to the frame. The most popular is goatskin. #The pins are applied in behind the frame in order to keep the skin on the frame tightly bound. #Hooks are applied in order to hang the rings in the inner part of the frame. #Rings are the jingles of the daf. #A leather band is applied in order to help the player for long duration performances. Information provided by Drum DoJo LINKS |
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