Valerian's Doom - Epic Iranian Music
Added 2025-06-12 18:11:48 +0000 UTCA sequel of sorts to my song Shapur the Victorious, where the lyrics use the same inscriptions written in the Parthian language by the Sasanian king Shapur I. These describe the defeat of Roman Emperor Valerian, the only time (then) that a Roman Emperor was taken captive by an enemy force.
This piece is rooted in the orchestral, Westernised style of contemporary Iranian music of the 20th century onwards, which saw wide adoption of the Western orchestral and tonal systems. In this system, traditional modes of Iranian music are often rendered tonal by converting their microtonal notes into the closest Western equivalents. Isfahan, for example, with a microtonal 6th degree, is rendered into a 12TET Western Harmonic Minor. In my case, I wanted to fuse the sounds of traditional Iranian systems with the Western orchestral system, thereby keeping the micro-tones but using them alongside the Western harmonic progression.
Comments
This captures the essence of Shapur’s greatness so incredibly well. So towering, so epic, so supremely confident, and so majestic. It encapsulates the almost unbelievable achievement of completely shattering Roman military power, a feat that was at the time nothing short of the world turning upside down. My third favourite Iranian monarch ever (followed by Cyrus and Esmail). Shapur I is such a complete Sassanid monarch, a champion of Zoroastrian faith, unmatched in military glory in all of Iranian history, and a great administrator. He encapsulates so well what the Sassanids aspired to be in almost every way.
Amir Latifi
2025-09-30 07:15:35 +0000 UTCI'm just amazed at singing in micro-tones. I feel like those notes would be so much more difficult to reach and hold--in my completely western singing experince. I was in choir for six years throughout middle school and high school and I feel like I never developed a proper ear for pitch.
Heidi
2025-08-10 00:44:48 +0000 UTC
