Walter H. Rubsamen Music Library

My inspiration for composing this piece was the Nowruz music played with Saz and Dohol. The word Nowruz, means new day; its spelling and pronunciation may vary by country. Nowruz marks the first day of spring and is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on 21 March. It is celebrated as the beginning of the new year by more than 300 million people all around the world and has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and other regions. Inscribed in 2009 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a cultural tradition observed by numerous peoples, Nowruz is an ancestral festivity marking the first day of spring and the renewal of nature. It promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighborliness, thus contributing to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities. Nowruz plays a significant role in strengthening the ties among peoples based on mutual respect and the ideals of peace and good neighborliness. Its traditions and rituals reflect the cultural and ancient customs of the civilizations of the East and West, which influenced those civilizations through the interchange of human values. Celebrating Nowruz means the affirmation of life in harmony with nature, awareness of the inseparable link between constructive labor and natural cycles of renewal and a solicitous and respectful attitude towards natural sources of life (International Nowruz Day, 2023).

In ancient Iran, Saz and Dohol were used for national important day such as Nowruz. Saz or Sorna is a conical wooden tube 30–45 cm long, but its length may extend to 60 cm. It is played with a double reed and usually has a pirouette. This type of instrument is between one and a half to two octaves, depending on the model(Poché & Sultanova, 2001).  The Dohol is an instrument of the family of two-sided membranophones. It, which is present in different shapes and sizes in different areas of Iran, is known by the following names: Dohol, dehel, dahil, dol, daval, timbuk, judeh, gap Dohol, dehlak, dehlak nal, dammām, etc. All types of Dohol have a wooden cylinder (sometimes made of metal), are covered by leather on both sides and the skins are joined to the body by two rings with a row of cords. This instrument is played in different ways in different areas of Iran (usually with two wooden sticks) (Redazione., 2019).

This music score was submitted for Resonate 2024: An Open Access Call for Scores by the UCLA Music Library.