Iranian Traditional Music in UNESCO

May 16, 1998 - 0:0
TEHRAN Iranian traditional music was performed in one of the amphitheaters of the United Nation's Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris. The program was organized by Iran's representative to the organization. Before the performance started, Iranian ambassador to Unesco, Ahmad Jalali, briefed the audience on the different aspects and branches of Iran's mystical and religious music. He also pointed to the connection between Iran's music with the other elements building up its civilization and culture.

The ambassador further explained the place and significance of such musical instruments as Daf (a round wooden circle one side of which is covered with a thin layer of goat skin), the pipe and Dotar (an instrument with two strings which is particular to Iranian traditional music) in the country's mystical literature and outlined the ways Iranian literature and music merged to create vivid pictures of its great spiritual civilization.

The program was attended by a large number of ambassadors and representatives of foreign countries to France, artists, representatives of the International Council of Music as well as Iranians living in France. The World Music Center which is based in UNESCO has voiced interest to distribute the records of the performance worldwide.