Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1887 — Persian Musical Criticism. [ARTICLE]

Persian Musical Criticism.

In Persia, story telling or poetical recitations take the place of our spelling bees* and acting charades, says a writer in London Society, and often as soon as the repast is finished music commences, or, perhaps, a vocalist will vary the programme by favoring the company with a song. His repertory may consist of one song only; but no matter, he will sing it over and over again, with as much pride as though he could boast of an unbroken descent from Orpheus himself; over and over again, without any apparent sign of weariness, and, what seems more strange, to the unflagging interest of the listeners, although it sounds weird and uncanny to the unaccustomed European ear. “Bah, bah, bah, good in the extreme,” is echoed from one to another, while the singer pipes from the very top of his high voice, and shakes his head to bring out the quavering sounds to their fullest extent.

“Exactly like the bulbul” (nightingale), says the host. “ When it sings to the roses in the spring,” puts in a third. “Yes, Allah’s works are wonderful,” exclaims the first, sententiously, as he puffs away at the kalian, his turn having by this time come around. In Persia, a loud, high voice being equivalent to a good voice, the singer who can sustain a note the longest is pronounced the best, for the skill of the vocalist depends upon the length of time upon which he can trill a note.

Meditation is the fountain of discovery.