Shurangiz
| Category | Strings (plucked long-necked lute) |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Iran |
| Classification | Persian musical instrument |
| Wikipedia | en.wikipedia.org |
| Wikidata | Q7505340 |
Overview
The shurangiz is a plucked long-necked lute used in Persian classical music. It is a modern instrument by the standards of the Iranian tradition — designed in the twentieth century rather than inherited from medieval Persian organology — and was conceived to broaden the tonal palette available to setar and tar players. Its body is small and lute-shaped, its neck long and slim, and its strings produce a bright, sustained sound suited to ornamentation in the modal system of Persian music.
Origin & History
The instrument is associated with the Iranian luthier Hossein Mohit, who developed it in the second half of the twentieth century to fill what he and several performers considered a missing register in the existing lute family. It draws design ideas from the setar and the tar but uses a smaller body and a different stringing arrangement; its name combines the Persian words shur and angiz, suggesting “rousing” or “stirring.”
How It’s Played
The shurangiz is plucked with the index fingernail, in the technique used for the setar, and is held across the lap or against the body with the neck angled upward. The fingerboard carries movable gut frets that can be adjusted to the microtonal intervals of the Persian dastgah system. The instrument is used both as a solo voice and within ensembles of Persian classical music.
Cultural Significance
The shurangiz occupies a small but recognised place in the contemporary Persian instrumentarium, alongside other twentieth-century additions intended to extend the expressive range of the tradition. It has been adopted by a number of soloists in Iran and the diaspora and appears occasionally on recordings of new compositions and modal improvisation.
Related Instruments
- Setar – closest stylistic cousin
- Shashtar – another modern Iranian long-necked lute
- Sorahi – related Iranian plucked instrument
- Cura – Turkish saz-family relative
- Bulbul Tarang – contrasting fretted-key cousin
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the shurangiz a traditional Iranian instrument?
It is a modern instrument designed in the twentieth century, drawing on traditional Persian lute design.
Who designed it?
The Iranian luthier Hossein Mohit is credited with the design.
How is it tuned?
Movable gut frets allow it to be set to the microtonal intervals of the Persian dastgah modal system.
