Barbad

Barbad (Persian باربد ) (* in Dschahrom ) was a musician and poet at the court of Khosrow Parviz Sassanide ( ref. 590-628 ).

He played the lute Barbat and founded a music system in seven modes, so-called Chosravānis, which is considered the oldest detectable music system in the Middle East and their traces can be still detected in the designation of certain Dastgahs of modern Persian music system. For this purpose he used 30 tones ( Lahns ) and 360 melodies ( Dastan ), which he varied daily and the moods of his audience accessible. He also informed at the risk of his own life the king over the loss of his favorite horse Shabdiz by the incident, he improvised a piece alluding.

Other famous musicians of the time were Ramtin, Sarkash, Bamshad, Azādvār -e changi and probably the Greek harper Nakisa.