abstract:Radif (Persian: ردیف, meaning order in Persian) is a collection of many old melodic figures preserved through many generations by oral tradition. It organizes the melodies in a number of different tonal spaces called Dastgah.
Learning the radif stretches over at least a decade of self devotion during which the students memorize the radif s repertoire and engage in a process of musical asceticism intended to open the gates of spirituality.