Navâ Trio

Navâ Trio is a composition for three Kamânches that focuses on the Dastgâh-e Navâ and incorporates poly-modal structures. The main objective of this piece is to explore polyphony within the framework of Persian modal music, combining classical polyphonic techniques with innovative approaches to texture and structure.

The composition draws upon six principal modes from the Navâ Dastgâh, selected from the Radif of Mīrzā Abdollāh: Darāmad, Bayât-e Raje, Hazin, Nahoft, Ashirân, and Neyshâburak. Each mode is arranged in a three-voice texture, and through variations based on the motifs of each mode, a polyphonic experience is created within a Persian musical context.

The structural plan for each movement is as follows:

As an example, in the first movement, fragments of the primary melodies of each mode are extracted and transformed to create a polyphonic flow. Detailed information about these transformations—including null (unchanged), retrograde (ret), inversion (inv), and transposition (trs)—is provided in the image below. Rhythmic modifications such as “x” are also specified here; for example, “2x” indicates that the duration of the melody has been doubled.

I’m planning to record this piece professionally soon. Since understanding the work only through the score can be difficult, especially because it is written for three Kamanchehs, I decided to share two recordings of the first and third movements. These test recordings were performed and layered using a single Kamancheh. While they do not include all the details of the score, they provide a clear sense of the musical ideas and overall direction of the piece.