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?