Shur (mugham)

“Shur” (Persian: شور‎) – is one of the great Dastgahs (a multifrequency vocal-instrumental composition) of seven main modes[1] in Persian music.[2] In comparison with Shur of the beginning of the 20th century, in the modern Shur many parts are not used. Modern Shur consists of parts (shobe) such as Maye, Kur-Shahnaz, Bayati-Kurd, Shikesteyi-fars, Mubarriga, Semayi-shems, Hijnaz, Sarenj and Nishibi-feraz.[2] Some performers of Shur use little parts such as Buselik, Ashiran and Shah Khatai.

Maximally shortened kind of Shur destgah includes 8 main parts: Berdasht, Maye, Shur-Shahnaz, Bayati-Turk, Shikesteyi-fars, Semayi-shems, Hijaz and Sarenj.[3] These parts play a function of “bearing components” of the whole construction in the modern level and make a mode “skeleton” of the composition.[3]

There is also maqam Shur in Azerbaijani music. Mughams such as Shahnaz, Bayati-Kurd, Nava, Azerbaijani national songs and dance melodies and also Shur are based in this maqam.[2]

Azerbaijani composer Fikret Amirov composed “Shur” mugham[2] on the basis of this Shur. A documentary of the same name, shot in 1967 by AzTV, is dedicated to “Shur” mugham.