Keyan Emami, Music on the Borderland: Remembering and Chronicling the 1979 Revolutions’ Shadow on Iranian Music (Toronto: Asemana Books, 2024), 120 pages. 9781738285556. $30.
Keyan Emami’s book Music on the Borderland: Remembering and Chronicling the 1979 Revolutions’ Shadow on Iranian Music, condensed from his doctoral research at the University of Toronto, presents a compelling fusion of academic inquiry and personal narrative. Published in 2024 by Asemana Books, this work offers a poignant exploration of the impact of the 1979 Iranian Revolution on the country’s musical landscape. Emami’s dual role as both researcher and participant allows for a unique autoethnographic perspective, enriching the historical and cultural analysis with intimate reflections and lived experiences. He employs a qualitative methodology, drawing on interviews from various documentary films, as well as published scholarly and journalistic accounts, integrating autoethnographic elements.[1] His research is grounded in the stories of music professionals during the last half-a-century, all of whom share a middle-class, Iranian-born background. This approach allows Emami to illuminate the nuanced ways in which Iran’s sociopolitical climate has shaped individual behaviors and artistic expressions. The inclusion of his own memories and life events further clarifies and contextualizes the research, bridging the gap between personal experience and scholarly analysis.
The book’s structure mirrors a musical composition, featuring a prelude, an overture, various thematic sections, a coda, postlude, and an epilogue. This creative format not only reflects the subject matter but also enhances the reader’s engagement with the narrative. Each chapter begins with a poem that encapsulates its thematic focus, adding a lyrical dimension that underscores the emotional and cultural resonance of the content. The “Prelude,” framed as a letter to Emami’s late father, sets a deeply personal tone, emphasizing storytelling as a means of healing and remembrance. The first part of the book, titled “Macro Perspectives,” then delves into the broader historical and political context of post-revolutionary Iran. Emami chronicles the immediate aftermath of the 1979 revolution, during which the regime banned music from public media, except for revolutionary songs and marches. As he argues, state-sponsored choirs performed these anthems, often adapted from Latin American partisan melodies, as tools of ideological reinforcement. The establishment of a government-backed institution to scrutinize musical activities triggered a perilous era for musicians, who faced censorship, confiscation of recordings, and restrictions on instrument transportation.
As the author explains, underground efforts to preserve and distribute music persisted despite such obstacles. Musicians recorded at home, duplicated cassettes, and sold them secretly, defying the government’s prohibitions and navigating the borderland between repression and expression. The disillusionment of many artists, who had initially supported the revolution’s ideals, led to widespread unemployment and emigration, while the regime reduced music that once flourished to a shadow of its former vitality. Emami also examines the rise of “art-washing,” censorship, exploitation, and demagoguery. He demonstrates that authorities exploited music for self-serving purposes, declaring it forbidden unless appointed officials approved it. The book demonstrates that these officials restructured institutions such as the Tehran Conservatory of Music along gender lines, and media outlets used musicians’ compositions without compensation. Hard-liners viewed music as aristocratic or deviant, exerting pressure on artists and fostering a climate of fear and depression. Ambiguous statements from prominent clerics occasionally relaxed restrictions, but the centralized control bred corruption and favoritism.
The second part, “Micro Perspectives,” focuses on Emami’s personal journey through post-revolutionary Iran. His narrative encompasses educational and professional experiences, memories of air raids on Tehran, and the clandestine rise of private music instruction. Emami began learning music at the age of eight with a respectful and honorable teacher who left a lasting impression. He recounts the brutal murder of a music-loving neighbor by regime guards, highlighting the dangers that those who embraced art encountered. As the book tells us, Emami’s musical development, nonetheless, encompassed eclectic styles, genres, and traditions. His early performances, conducted under restrictive conditions, characterized the beginning of a resilient artistic path. The difficulties he and his family faced in pursuing education, art, career underscore the broader societal constraints. But Emami persevered, earning a master’s degree in composition in Tehran before moving to Canada, where he completed his doctoral studies, working as an accomplished composer and instructor.
Finally, the “Postlude” revisits the personal dimension, with Emami re-addressing his late father and paying tribute to the values of art, education, humanism, and empathy that he cherished. Throughout the book, references to influential bands and poets, such as Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, and Rumi, enrich the narrative and reflect the author’s diverse inspirations. The book also includes an appendix, featuring documents, letters, and images of broken records that serve as tangible evidence of the revolution’s impact on Iranian music. A comprehensive glossary, furthermore, defines Farsi (Persian) terms used throughout the text, aiding readers unfamiliar with the language and enhancing accessibility.
Emami’s work stands out for its innovative structure and emotional depth. The integration of a personal story with historical analysis offers a multifaceted, informative, moving perspective. His qualitative methodology and use of autoethnography provide valuable insights into the lived experiences of Iranian musicians, while the poetic elements and musical framing enhance the analytical text. The book’s reliance on documentary sources primarily reflects the experiences of middle-class, urban musicians. Future research could expand to include rural or working-class artists, offering an even more comprehensive view of Iran’s musical landscape. While the personal narrative adds depth, as one might think, it may also introduce subjectivity that requires careful interpretation. It is yet worth mentioning that, to my experience, countless musicians and citizens would attest to Emami’s individual adventure, because they encountered similar challenges. Music on the Borderland offers a remarkable contribution to the fields of music research, cultural studies, and Middle Eastern history. It captures the complexities of artistic expression under political repression. Emami’s journey, marked by resilience and creativity, serves as a testament to the enduring power of music and memory. I would suggest this book to all musicians, scholars, and anyone else interested in the intersection of art and politics in contemporary Iran and beyond.
Navid Bargrizan
East Carolina University
Bibliography
Breyley, G. J. and Sasan Fatemi. Iranian Music and Popular Entertainment from Motrebi to Losanjelesi and beyond. Routledge, 2016.
Emami, Keyan. Music on the Borderland: Remembering and Chronicling the 1979 Revolutions’ Shadow on Iranian Music. Asemana, 2024.
Yousefzadeh, Ameneh. “The Situation of Music in Iran since the Revolution: The Role of Official Organization.” British Journal of Ethnomusicology 9(2), 35–61.
[1] See, for example, G. J. Breyley and Sasan Fatemi, Iranian Music and Popular Entertainment from Motrebi to Losanjelesi and beyond (Routledge, 2016); or Ameneh Yousefzadeh, “The Situation of Music in Iran since the Revolution: The Role of Official Organization,” British Journal of Ethnomusicology 9(2), 35–61.