A fictitious discussion about music between Yaghma Jandaghi, the famous Persian poet from the 19th century, and his descendant, Kambiz Yaghmaei.

 One summer's day, Yaghma und Kambiz were spending the afternoon together on the veranda of Yaghma's house. The leaves on the trees danced in the light breeze and you could hear the silence.

Yaghma asked Kambiz: My dear Kambiz, we haven't seen each other for almost two centuries. Would you talk to me about music on this beautiful. sunny day? Could you describe the similarities and differences between Persian and Western Music? Kambiz: Yes, l'd love to. ln my time, Persian music is considered to be monophonic and Westem to be polyphonic. Thal's the main difference between the music cultures of the East and West. Yaghma: monophony and polyphony? Kambiz: Yes, it's like this. Rhythm, melody and harmony play a key role in music. To explain it briefly, there is no harmony dimension in Persian music as we understand it in Western music, just one voice or one melody as the main structure. Music in the West is polyphonic, as several voices can be heard at the same time but, above all, independently. Yaghma: That's a big difference! Kambiz: Yes. harmony became highly developed in the West, but not in the East. Precisely because of that, though, because of this absence, other elements, namely melody and rhythm were really able to flourish in the East. There has always been an exchange of ideas between East and West. We have been inspiring each other for a long time, including on a cultural level, It wasn't long after the first piano had been introduced to Persia that mainly native musicians tried to "install" Western harmony into Persian music, sometimes consciously; sometimes subconsciously. 

Yaghma: Can I lake from what you say that you don't approve? Kambiz: Yes, you could say it was like trying to put on clothes that don't fit.

 Yaghma: But... on the one hand you don't approve of using Western harmonies in Persian music; on the other hand, you use harmonies, one of the main features of Western music, in your music. 

Kambiz: Yes, alongside my pieces that are based on monophonic Persian music, I continuously also use various Western harmonies of different styles, from classical, blues, jazz, rock and world music -that's what the genres are called today - at the same time, although my music cannot be classified as a specific style. lt can't be pigeon-holed, and I don't want it to be. I'm interested in bringing together monophonic music, without distorting its character, and polyphonic music, regardless of genre. 

Yaghma: You mean expressing both genres. Persian and Western music, together and in a balanced way, without losing their spirit. A noble quest.

Kambiz: Yes. Thanks for your support. In a similar context, it is expressed in the poem GINGO BILOBA by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Yaghma: I know it. lt's a wonderful poem!   

Kambiz: Yes, it is wonderful! By the way... you and Goethe were contemporaries. You could have met. 

Yaghma: That's true! For that meeting, I would have invited you to go with me to Weimar to meet Goethe.

Kambiz: Thanks, that would have been a great honour for me, but I would rather have left the greats to themselves.... So, l wanted to say: Both types of music are unique, and each in its own way. 

Yaghma: Well said, my dear relation!

 Kambiz: I actually think... you don't need any instructions to understand and feel music. You should just listen and enjoy. Yaghma: That's how it should be! Let's listen to the dance of the leaves as the herald of silence...

May 2018 Kambiz Yaghmaei       

Yaghma Jandaghi