Music of the Middle East MUSI 3721Y University of Lethbridge, Calgary Campus John Anderson.

Music of the Middle EastMUSI 3721YUniversity of Lethbridge, Calgary CampusJohn Anderson

Chanting or Singing of the Holy Koran

• In formal situations is always sung

• Always in Arabic• Non-metric• No instrumental

accompaniment• The more a performance

is like the Koran’s actual sound, structure and social context, the more acceptable, and less likely considered “music” (musiqi)

Chahar Mezrab in Mahour (Excerpt) from IranFaromarz Payvar, Santour

• Steady meter• Rhythmic predictability• Repeated patterns• Energetic intro on bass

strings establishes regular beat

Illustrations of Major Maqams

• Includes a number of the most important Arabic maqams

• Telling them apart is not easy for the uninitiated listener

• Rast sounds slightly out of tune to Western ears

• Hijazkar sounds sad and exotic to Westerners

• Saba sounds compressed• Sika sounds ambiguous• Nahawand comparable

to a Western minor scale

Examples of Metric, Non-Metric and Mixed Meters in Music

• Free rhythm• Iranian Radif of Nour-Ali Boroumand (except)

• Sections with regular beat, but no overall meter• Arabic Taqsim Nahwawand

• Some metric structure• Arabic Ya Zalmni (except)

• Repeated rhythmic patterns• Iranian Improvisation on Daramad of Chahargah (0:00-

0:27)• Regular, driving rhythm• Iranian Chahar Mezrab in Mahour (excerpt)

Taqsim in the Mawam of Nahawand

• Begins in the lower range

• Moderate tempo• Gradually moves higher• Moves down to a

characteristic closing• Pauses• Two brief notes used to

transition• Some musical gestures

repeated from opening• But as a whole pitched

higher• Moves more rapidly• Jumps between high and

low notes more quickly

Six Excerpts of ImprovisationBased on the Daramad of Chahargah

• Santour• Strong kreeshmeh rhythm• Appears three times in a row• Deliberate tempo• Dramatic pause

• Kamacheh• Metric• Begins slow, lyrical

• Violin• Non-metric• Low-pitched• Deliberated• Lots of rubato (robbing the time) and ornamentation• Pizzicato (lightly plucked notes)

Six Excerpts of ImprovisationBased on the Daramad of Chahargah

• Violin• Non-metric• Similar to previous improv• Double stops at 2:15 and 2:20

• Setar• Metric• Chahar, mezrab style• Changeable mood• Moves to slow, lyrical style• Changes to rapid Chahar mezrab

• Setar• Kereshmeh rhythm at 4:00 and 4:12• Strong rhythms emphasized

Ya zalimni (excerpt)

• Sung by Umm Kulthum• Gained prominence

after WWII• Contradicted Islamic

ambivalence toward music in general and women in particular

• Orchestral accompaniment

• Voice paralleled by string section

• Flute and Middle Eastern percussion

• Fades in on first verse• Informal call and

response between singer and audience

Discussion Questions

• On a sliding scale, as between khandan and musiqi, where can we place different types of North American music, from church hymns to punk rock?

• What are some similarities between Middle Eastern and Indian music improvisation?

• What are the differences between Middle Eastern and Indian ensemble textures?

Discussion Questions

• What are similarities and differences between Middle Eastern chordophones and chordophones found elsewhere throughout the world?

• How can Middle Eastern music improvisation be compared to jazz or blues?

• What is the commonality of beliefs between Christianity, Hinduism and Islam, concerning the origin of their vocal and instrumental music?