Mansour Zalzal
Manṣūr Zalzal al-Ḍārib (منصور زلزل; died after 842 CE) or simply Zalzal, was an Iranian musician during the early Abbasid period. The renowned musician Ishaq al-Mawsili was his student; he declared Zalzal to be the most outstanding lutenist of his time. He contributed musical scales that were later named after him: the Mansouri scale, Arabic, المقياس المنصوري.
Mansour Zalzal
- Name
- Mansour Zalzal منصور زلزل
- Birth Name
- Mansour
- Died
- after 842
- Place of death
- Abbasid Caliphate
- Occupation
- Musician
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Manṣūr Zalzal al-Ḍārib (منصور زلزل; died after 842 CE) or simply Zalzal, was an Iranian musician during the early Abbasid period. The renowned musician Ishaq al-Mawsili was his student; he declared Zalzal to be the most outstanding lutenist of his time. He contributed musical scales that were later named after him: the Mansouri scale, Arabic, المقياس المنصوري.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Mansour Zalzal. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q3574702 · wikipedia · Mansour Zalzal
In this article
Biography
Biography
He introduced positions (intervals) within scales on the fretboard of an oud (neutral 3rd frets, between major 3rd frets and minor third frets), called wusta-zalzal. Mansour is credited by the Encyclopedia of Islam with making improvements on the design of the barbat lute, which was then called the ūd shabbūt.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Mansour Zalzal منصور زلزل • Genre — Arab music, Zalzal • Birth Name — Mansour • Alias — Zalzal • Died — after 842 • Place of death — Abbasid Caliphate • Years Active — 830s – 842 • Occupation — Musician
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 19 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Music memorabilia
42,438 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- ManryūPerson
- Måns ZelmerlöwPerson
- MansourPerson
- Mansour SeckPerson
- Manticore RecordsOrganisation
- MantovaniPerson
- Manu ChaoPerson
- Manu CornetPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Mansour Zalzal?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.