Errant roots of Afghan Music: Music and musicians from Herat at home and in Iran

This joint lecture by Michel Gasco and Nazir Rahguzar (Inalco/CERMI) will address first the history of music in Herat, from the deeply rooted music of Khorasan to the Kabuli repertoire and the most important musicians performing it throughout the XX and XXI Century, like the Khoshnawaz and the Delahang families.

The second part of this lecture will address the situation of the Herati musicians in Herat and in Mashhad in northeastern Iran. Over the last forty years, Mashhad has received a large number of Afghan refugees, mainly from the city of Herat. Since 1978, the most important musicians of Herat, such as the professional musicians from the two well-known families mentioned above, as well as such independent singers as Jawad Tabesh and Asef Habibi, have settled in Mashhad either intermittently or permanently.

Through the stories of these musicians, this presentation will cover the different human movements caused by war and instability in Afghanistan. It will also pay attention to the relationship between these musicians and the regime in Iran and the way its cultural policies have worked to these artists’ detriment or benefit. Iran’s sickly economy, the Covid crisis and the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan have posed new challenges for this community of musicians who have seen their number increase due to the arrival of new musicians from Herat.

The talk will be accompanied by the videos of these artists and the repertoires they perform at their concerts and meetings recorded by Michel Gasco during his travels to Iran and Afghanistan.

Free entrance. 

Contacts :
Nazir Rahguzar, Inalco/CERMI, nazir.rahguzar@inalco.fr
Romain Mascagni, Inalco/CERM, romain.mascagni@gmail.com​