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The '''santur''' (also ''santūr'', ''santour'', ''santoor'' ) ({{lang-fa|'''سنتور'''}}) ({{lang-ar|'''سنطور'''}}) is a [[hammered dulcimer]], of Babylonian origin{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}. It has strong resemblances to the Indian ''[[santoor]]''. It is a [[trapezoid]]-shaped box often made of [[walnut]] or different exotic woods. The original classical santur has 72 strings. The can be roughly described as ''one hundred strings'' in Persian. The oval-shaped mallets (Mezrabs) are feather-weight and are held between the index and middle fingers. A typical santur has two sets of bridges, providing a range of approximately three [[octave]]s. The right-hand strings are made of a combined mixture of copper and brass, while the left-hand strings are made of stainless steel. Two rows of 9 articles called "Kharak" (18 kharaks) divide the santur into three positions. Each lead four unitone strings to the right and left side of the instrument. Each note repeats three times in three positions [making (9*3) 27 tones all together and doubles in frequency going to the left. As four notes are repeated in tonation there are 23 tones in Santur. The Persian santur is primarily tuned to a variety of different diatonic scales which utilize 1/4 tones (semi-tones). However, the Iranian santur has, since its inception, been fully chromatic since it uses 12 bridges on each sides and supports all of the persian or oriental scales. |
The '''santur''' (also ''santūr'', ''santour'', ''santoor'' ) ({{lang-fa|'''سنتور'''}}) ({{lang-ar|'''سنطور'''}}) is a [[hammered dulcimer]], of Babylonian origin{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}. It has strong resemblances to the Indian ''[[santoor]]''. It is a [[trapezoid]]-shaped box often made of [[walnut]] or different exotic woods. The original classical santur has 72 strings. The can be roughly described as ''one hundred strings'' in Persian. The oval-shaped mallets (Mezrabs) are feather-weight and are held between the index and middle fingers. A typical santur has two sets of bridges, providing a range of approximately three [[octave]]s. The right-hand strings are made of a combined mixture of copper and brass, while the left-hand strings are made of stainless steel. Two rows of 9 articles called "Kharak" (18 kharaks) divide the santur into three positions. Each lead four unitone strings to the right and left side of the instrument. Each note repeats three times in three positions [making (9*3) 27 tones all together and doubles in frequency going to the left. As four notes are repeated in tonation there are 23 tones in Santur. The Persian santur is primarily tuned to a variety of different diatonic scales which utilize 1/4 tones (semi-tones). However, the Iranian santur has, since its inception, been fully chromatic since it uses 12 bridges on each sides and supports all of the persian or oriental scales. |
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[[File:Santur babylon2.jpg|thumb|Ancient Babylonian Santur Drawing of Relief]] |
[[File:Santur babylon2.jpg|thumb|Ancient Babylonian Santur Drawing of Relief]] |
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==Derivations== |
==Derivations== |
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Many instruments around the world at least in part, derive from the santur. Similar forms of the santur have been present in neighboring cultures like India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Armenia, Turkey, and Iraq for centuries. The Indian [[santoor]] is thicker, more rectangular, and has more strings. Its corresponding mallets are also held differently. The Chinese [[yangqin]] originated from the Persian santur. The Iraqi santur has, since its inception, been chromatic and allows for full Maqam modulations. The [[Roma (Romani subgroup)|Roma people]] introduced a derivative of the santur called the [[cymbalum]] to Eastern Europe. The [[Greeks|Greek]] [[santouri]] is also derived from the santur, and in Nikos Kazantzakis' classic novel ''[[Zorba the Greek]]'' Zorba plays the santouri. |
Many instruments around the world at least in part, derive from the santur. Similar forms of the santur have been present in neighboring cultures like India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Armenia, Turkey, and Iraq for centuries. The Indian [[santoor]] is thicker, more rectangular, and has more strings. Its corresponding mallets are also held differently. The Chinese [[yangqin]] originated from the Persian santur. The Iraqi santur has, since its inception, been chromatic and allows for full Maqam modulations. The [[Roma (Romani subgroup)|Roma people]] introduced a derivative of the santur called the [[cymbalum]] to Eastern Europe. The [[Greeks|Greek]] [[santouri]] is also derived from the santur, and in Nikos Kazantzakis' classic novel ''[[Zorba the Greek]]'' Zorba plays the santouri. |
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Revision as of 16:31, 23 July 2011
- See Santoor for the Indian variant of the instrument.
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (June 2009) |
| File:Santur babylon.jpg Ancient Babylonian Santur Relief. | |
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| Qanun | |
The santur (also santūr, santour, santoor ) (Template:Lang-fa) (Template:Lang-ar) is a hammered dulcimer, of Babylonian origin[citation needed]. It has strong resemblances to the Indian santoor. It is a trapezoid-shaped box often made of walnut or different exotic woods. The original classical santur has 72 strings. The can be roughly described as one hundred strings in Persian. The oval-shaped mallets (Mezrabs) are feather-weight and are held between the index and middle fingers. A typical santur has two sets of bridges, providing a range of approximately three octaves. The right-hand strings are made of a combined mixture of copper and brass, while the left-hand strings are made of stainless steel. Two rows of 9 articles called "Kharak" (18 kharaks) divide the santur into three positions. Each lead four unitone strings to the right and left side of the instrument. Each note repeats three times in three positions [making (9*3) 27 tones all together and doubles in frequency going to the left. As four notes are repeated in tonation there are 23 tones in Santur. The Persian santur is primarily tuned to a variety of different diatonic scales which utilize 1/4 tones (semi-tones). However, the Iranian santur has, since its inception, been fully chromatic since it uses 12 bridges on each sides and supports all of the persian or oriental scales.
Derivations
Many instruments around the world at least in part, derive from the santur. Similar forms of the santur have been present in neighboring cultures like India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Armenia, Turkey, and Iraq for centuries. The Indian santoor is thicker, more rectangular, and has more strings. Its corresponding mallets are also held differently. The Chinese yangqin originated from the Persian santur. The Iraqi santur has, since its inception, been chromatic and allows for full Maqam modulations. The Roma people introduced a derivative of the santur called the cymbalum to Eastern Europe. The Greek santouri is also derived from the santur, and in Nikos Kazantzakis' classic novel Zorba the Greek Zorba plays the santouri.
History
The santur was invented in ancient Babylonian (1600-911 BCE) and neo-Assyrian (911-612 BCE) eras. This instrument was traded and traveled to different parts of the middle east and each country customized and designed their own versions to adapt to their musical scales and tunings. The original santur was made with tree bark, stones and stringed with goat intestines.
Notable Persian santur players
Iran
- Abol Hassan Saba
- Manoochehr Sadeghi
- Jalal Akhbari
- Faramarz Payvar
- Parviz Meshkatian
- Reza Shafieian
- Ardavan Kamkar
- Pashang Kamkar
- Kourosh Zolani
- Majid Kiani[citation needed]
- Arfa Atrai
- Reza Varzandeh[citation needed]
- HabibSomai[citation needed]
- Syroos Saghari
India (see Indian santoor)
Greece
Iraq
See also
External links
- Santur - The Art of Persian Music
- Santur introduction in American Lutherie magazine
- Nay-Nava Encyclopedia entry on the santur
- Dr. Ümit Mutlu's information on the santur (in Turkish)
- Santur history (in Turkish)
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