Setar of Arsalan Dargahi

Setar : Arsalan Dargahi

 Arsalan Dargahi (1902-1973)
From the age of 15 he began study music with Darvish Khan and Ney-Davud. Though he had recorded some pieces with tar and had accompanied Qamar on the instrument, from early youth he abandoned tar and concentrated only on setar playing. He was self-taught in this instrument and did not regard himself as a professional setar-player. He used to play only in private sessions. His own instrument had a circular membrane extended over a hole with a diameter of 7-10 cm., on which the bridge was fixed. This was a recent development in the morphology of setar that indubitably was under the influence of tar. Nowadays this kind of setar, known as "membranous setar", has lost its popularity due to its hybrid sonority.
In his style one can trace elements of radif, but also his idiosyncratic tempo and pacing as well as his personal taste in music. As a matter of fact his style is more close to that of playing tar especially in speed of plucking and rendering chaharmezrabs.

Published [28/08/2002]