Kamancheh: Iranian Instrument

The instrument is used in different countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran, it is also can be noticed in the Kurdish music.

However, in the year 2017, the art of crafting and playing with Kamancheh was inscribed as the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists of Iran.

The word "Kamancheh" stands for "little bow" where Kaman means bow, and -cheh, displays diminutive. The instrument which resembles a violin is played by drawing a bow across the strings in rural and urban parts of Iran.

It is believed that the instrument had only two strings as it was originated. But later it was developed during the Qajar dynasty, and the third-string had been added to it.

During the Safavid and Qajar dynasties, Kamancheh was very popular and used in every celebration. In addition, it was displayed in paintings with celebration and war themes.

In the paintings of Chehel Sotoun Palace in Isfahan, Kamancheh players were displayed as musicians of the royal court. In the other image, a banquet scene of Shah Abbas II was depicted in honor of Nader Mohammad Khan. In addition to a woman playing the instrument in another painting wall at Hasht Behesh Palace in Isfahan.

Some of the most famous Iranian musicians who play Kamanche are Mehdi Bagheri, Ali-Asghar Bahari, Saeed Farajpouri, Kayhan Kalhor, Ardeshir Kamkar, and Sohrab Pournazeri.

Among all of these musicians, Kayhan Kalhor is a world-recognized Iranian musician who had been nominated for Grammy.