Iranian-Kurdish Music

Traditionally, there are three types of Kurdish Classical performers - storytellers (çîrokbêj), minstrels (stranbêj) and bards (dengbêj). There was no specific music related to the Kurdish princely courts, and instead, music performed in night gatherings (şevbihêrk) is considered classical. Several musical forms are found in this genre. Many songs are epic in nature, such as the popular Lawiks which are heroic ballads recounting the tales of Kurdish heroes such as Saladin. Heyrans are love ballads usually expressing the melancholy of separation and unfulfilled love. Lawje is a form of religious music and Payizoks are songs performed specifically in autumn. Love songs, dance music, wedding and other celebratory songs (dîlok/narînk and bend), erotic poetry and work songs are also popular.

Another style of singing that originated as practice to recite hymns in both Zoroastrian and Islamic Sufi faiths is Siya Cheman. This style is practiced mostly in the mountainous subregion of Hewraman in the Hewrami dialect. However, some modern artists, have adopted the style and blended it with other Kurdish music. Siya Cheman can also be classified as çîrokbêj because it is often used to for storytelling.

Musical instruments include the tembûr (tembûr, saz), biziq (bozuk), qernête (Duduk) and bilûr (Kaval) in northern and western Kurdistan, şimşal (long flute), cûzele, kemençe and def (frame drum) in the south and east. Zirne (wooden shawm) and dahol (drum) are found in all parts of Kurdistan.

The most frequently used song form has two verses with ten syllable lines. Kurdish songs (stran or goranî) are characterized by their simple melodies, with a range of only four or five notes. The sacred sufi music of the Yarsanî sect (Ahleh Haqq) with its 72 meqams is thought to be one of the most authentic and deep-rooted musical traditions in the world.

 Some of the most famous classical musicians, composers and singers of the past century from this part include Hassan Zirak (Boukan 1921–1972) who performed and recorded more than a thousand songs, Mohammad Mamlê (Mahabad 1925–1998) who was known for his heartwarming voice, Abbas Kamandi (Sanandaj), Aziz Shahrokh, Hassan Darzi, Seyed Mohammad Safayi, Osman Hawrami, Najmaddin Gholami (Sanandaj) and Mazhar Khaleqi (Sanandaj).

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