Week 20 islam and asia 2013

Music in North Africa and Middle East : Islam

n  Music in Islam n  Temperament and Tuning systems n  All systems based on melody and rhythm

without considerations of harmony in the Western manner

n  All are `classical’ systems – some very ancient – with an articulated theory and practice.

n  All have some system of pedagogy – some have a notational and have a conserved repertory. Play Fariboz

Common elements

n  Theory based on melody/scales that articulate a tonal system that is different to that of the West.

n  Common instrument types – zither, lute, small pitched drums

n  Simple reed instruments – shawms, etc n  Long period of study and a master/student

relationship n  Small ensembles or individual musicians n  All have folk musics that are distinct from their

classical tradition - that usually has its origin in some sort of past court society

Munrow on reeds

Books on the Subject

n  William P. Malm, Music Cultures of the Pacific, The Near East, and Asia (New Jersey, 1977)

n  Hormoz Farhat, The Dastgah Concept in Persian Music (Cambridge, 1990)

n  T.C Lai and Robert Mok, Jade Flute – The Story of Chinese Music (Hongkong, 1981)

Elizabeth May, ed. Music of Many Cultures (1989).

Music in Islam

n  Most conspicuous cultural feature of West Asia and North Africa. Islam covers a sixth of world population.

n  Greater numbers live in Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Nigeria and North Africa than in the West Asia heartland.

n  West Asia home of Islam – and includes, Iran, Iraq, Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan and countries of former Soviet Union (Turkmenistan,Uzbekistan, Armenia, etc).

n  Includes all that the west calls – the Middle East, plus much more.

n  Includes the area known as the Maqam World

Islamic World

History of Islam n  Pre-Islam area of Persian Empire, Hindu, Eastern

Christian, etc all fell to Islam. n  Muhammad received revelations from God via

Archangel Gabriel in 610 in Mecca. Claimed to be not starting a new religion - but bringing to Arab peoples the religion of the One God. A continuation of Jewish and Christian beliefs.

n  Then under his grandsons a huge explosion of empire building took place as it expanded in all directions.

n  Inherited cultural systems of Persia, Rome and Greek Byzantium.

n  Insured the spread of Arabic language and culture.

Islamic History n  Split into Shia (partisians of Ali) and Sunni muslims. n  Umayyad dynasty moved centres of power to Damascus, and

under to Abbasids to Bagdad. n  Turks arrive - Seljuks were Asiastic and intolerant. n  Mongols and Ottomans – tested Islamic unity – Mongol empire

short lived – in their wake came the Ottomans – created huge empire and overran Constantinople in 1433. Only stopped from taking over Europe in 17th century.

n  Ottoman empire declined in 19th century and ended with 1st WW. Then Britain stepped in.

n  Since then Islam politically split – and has suffered from political interference from the West – first British and then American

Cultural and Artistic Traditions n  Great diversity but elements of unity throughout. n  5 Duties (Quaran, Pray 5 times a day, give alms, fast in

Ramadan, go to Mecca). n  Shari’a traditions restrictive, Sunnis less so – but Sufi

traditions of mysticism and observance through poetry, dance, music and trance – recognised and traditionally tolerated – though not under fundamentalist regimes.

n  Islamic cantillation observed even in most restrictive areas. Heard throughout Islamic world.

n  Also status of poet musicians in most Islamic societies. n  Gender restrictions in music apply in all Islamic countries

to a greater or lesser extent.

Sufi traditions

n  Most islamic traditions give respect to sufi poets and thinkers of the past.

n  Music (especially classical Islamic music) is often associated with sufi traditions.

n  The central theme is love of good – but it is mystical and poetic – may involve trance and dance – and music.

Sufi Music

Classical Styles - Persian

n  Persian the oldest going back to pre-Islamic periods. But very strong in great Sufi periods of 13th –15th centuries with poets like Rumi, Hafez, etc. Maintains its own language (Farsi)

n  Theory system based on Dashgars – largely improvised and from a knowledge of the Radif.

n  Instruments – tar, setar, santur (play), nay, qanun, kamanche, tombac and voice.

Forms of heterophony

n  Forms of heterophony universal. Deeply felt and emotional music – serious and high art. Listen to Dashgah Charhargh played on the Tar

Tar

Classical Styles - Arabic

n  Maqam theory – developed in medieval period (9th-11th centuries) by Arabic musical theorists who were aware of Greek musical theories.

n  Idea of a suite of movements nawba – beginning with improvisatory prelude (which outlines the maquam) moving to more rhythmic movements.

n  More popular traditions in the West (Andalus) which go back to Ziryab. More orthodox and serious in East.

n  Instruments – ud, qanun, nay, darabukka

Classical Styles - Turkey

n  Turks are different race with a different language.

n  Different modes (makamlar), 24 divisions of the scale.

n  Janissary bands music preserved in notation from 17th century.

n  Ottoman period secular traditions influenced sacred. Mevlevi and Konya. Sufi traditions underpine.

n  Instruments – Ud, tambur (long necked lutes), rabab, pairs of kettle drums. Play Taksim on Ud

Other Areas – Afghanistan and Pakistan

n  Amalgam of traditions from India and Persia. n  Instruments – fiddle, rubab, tabla in Afganistan.

Indian instruments in Pakistan. n  Elements of Hindustani music and Sufi ideas. n  Contast between high-minded ideas of musician/

poet of Persian tradition; and of barbar class of hereditary musicians in Pakistan.

n  Problems with cultural positioning of music as an acceptable art always present.

n  All music was banned by the Taliban. n  Play Rubab music played by John Bailey

Afganistan n  Music before Taliban Occupation n  Discover the source of censorship and when it started n  The extent of the ban and its justification

9/11 The beginning of the end for Taliban occupation in Afghanistan

First reported instances of censorship n  Refugee camps in Pakistan and Iran n  Reasons n  given were to maintain a continual state of mourning for the soldiers

killed in past battles n  The core of the Taliban ideology for censorship lie in the way these

camps were run.

How the ban was imposed n  Musical instruments, TV’s, Videos and any representation of

animate beings were publicly destroyed. n  Anyone caught defying the ban was punished.

Taliban rules regarding music

n  Prevent music publicly, n  shops, hotels, vehicles n  anyone listening to music should be punished n  dancing and singing at weddings forbidden, if

caught the head of the family would be punished.

At its most severe

n  Victims were draped in the innards of cassette and video tapes,

n  they would then be paraded around the streets as a deterrent to others

n  before being shot and hung from a tree.

Further afield

n  Other Islamic countries (Nigeria, Tanzania, Indonesia, Malaysia,etc.) where Islam is the state religion or where it is strongly felt, are also influenced by Muslim ideas on music.

n  Many such countries also use traditional Islamic instruments (spiked fiddle, lutes, etc).

n  With all such countries the place of music in life may well be prescribed, and have to conform to a greater or lesser extent to the orthodox view.

Popular Traditions

n  In all Islamic countries there are local popular traditions that survive and are tolerated – quite apart from art music traditions. E.g. Egypt

n  Play Oud kalthoum n  All countries are affected by Western Popular Music.

Some react with defensively, others incorporated elements (amplification is almost universally welcomed), but all are affected.