Iranian (and Middle Eastern) Music

1. Iranian (and Middle Eastern) Music By Imaan Taghavi

2. Middle Eastern Music • The music of the Middle East and North Africa spans across a vast region, from Morocco to Afghanistan, and its influences can be felt even further afield. Middle Eastern music influenced (and has been influenced by) the music of Greece and India, as well as Central Asia, Spain, the Caucasus and the Balkans, as in chalga. The various nations of the region include the Arabic-speaking countries of the Middle East and North Africa, the Persian tradition of Iran, the Greek traditions of Cypriot music, the music of Turkey, traditional Assyrian music, various Jewish traditions from Israel, the Kurdish music, Berbers of North Africa, and the Coptic Christians in Egypt all maintain their own traditions. • Throughout the region, religion has been a common factor in uniting peoples of different languages, cultures and nations. The predominance of Islam allowed a great deal of Arabic influence to spread through the region rapidly from the 7th century onward. The Arabic scale is strongly melodic, based around various maqam or modes (also known as makam in Turkish music). This is similar to the dastgah of Persian music. While this originates with classical music, the modal system has filtered down into folk, liturgical and even popular music filtering through Western interaction. Unlike much western music, Arabic music includes quarter tones halfway between notes, often through the use of stringed instruments (like the oud) or the human voice. Further distinguishing characteristics of Middle Eastern and North African music include very complex rhythmic structures, generally tense vocal tone, and a homophonic texture. • Often, more traditional Middle Eastern music can last from one to three hours in length, building up to anxiously waited for, and much applauded climaxes, or atrab, deriving from the Arabic term tarraba.

3. Iranian Music History • Archeological evidence reveals musical instruments that were used in Iran during the Elamite era around 800BCE. Not much is known about traditional Persian music in the ancient world, especially about the music of the Achaemenid Empire. Alexander the Great is said to have witnessed many melodies and instruments upon his invasion, and music played an important role in religious affairs. Music played an important role in the courts of Sassanid kings in the much later Sassanid Empire. Of this period, we know the names of various court musicians like Barbad and the types of various instruments that were used like harps, lutes, flutes, bagpipes and others. Under Sassanid rule, modal music was developed by a highly significant court musician, Barbad, called the khosravani. While today's classical music tradition in Iran bares the same names of some of the modes of that era it is impossible to know if they sound the same because there is no evidence of musical notation from the Sassanid period. Today's traditional Persian music began to develop during the period of Mongol rule in Iran and the creation of today's formal, classical music tradition is directly linked to the music systems of the Safavid Dynasty. Under the later Qajar Dynasty, the classical system was restructured into its present form.

4. Iranian Musical Modes • Iranian classical music relies on improvisation and composition and is based on a series of modal scales and tunes which must be memorized. • Modes and scales are called “Dastgah”. • Represent Seasons and certain emotions. • Dastgahs are actually very similar to each other and to our own scales with minor differences and possibilities. • QUARTER TONES!!!

5. Major Instruments • Instruments used in Persian classical music include the bowed spike-fiddlekamancheh, the goblet drumtombak, the end-blown fluteney, the frame drumdaf, the long-necked lutestar, setar, tanbur, dotar, and the dulcimersantur. The ordinaryviolinis also used, with an alternative tuning preferred by Persian musicians. Harps, "chang[s]," were a very important part of music up until the middle of the Safavid Empire. They were probably replaced because of tuning problems or replaced by the qanun (zither)and later the piano which was introduced by the West during the Safavid Dynasty of Iran.

6. More Musical Instruments • Many, if not most, of these instruments originated in Iran. Perhaps the most loved string instrument is thetar. Tar players are regurlarly chosen to function as the primary string instrument in a performance. Thesetaris also loved for its delicacy and is the favorite among Mystic musicians. Some instruments like the sorna, neyanban, dohol, naghareh, and others, are not used in the classical repertoire but are used in Iranian Folk music. The ghazhak (ghaychak), a type of fiddle, is being re-introduced to the Classical field after many years of exclusion. The instruments used in the Classical field are also used in Iranian Folk Music.

7. More Instrments

8. Vocalists • The classical music is vocal based. The vocalist plays a crucial role: she or he decides what mood to express and which dastgah relates to that mood. In many cases, the vocalist is also responsible for choosing the poems to be sung. If the performance requires a singer, the singer is accompanied by at least one wind or string instrument, and at least one type ofpercussion. There could be an ensemble of instruments, though the primary vocalist must maintain hers or his role. In some[[taṣnīf]]songs, the musicians may accompany the singer by singing along several verses. Traditionally, music is performed while seated on finely decorated cushions and rugs. Candles are sometimes lit. The group of musicians and the vocalist decide on which dastgahs to perform, depending on the mood of a certain time or situation.

10. Musical Elements Information • Melody: Very melodic • Harmony: Very little as there is hardly any chord structure. Drone is HIGHLY emphasized however. • Form: Usually very long with a section repeated with a lot of primes. • Rhythm: Explain rhythm and syncopation of percussion instruments • Texture: more homophonic where everyone is playing some variation of the melody • Style: Durrr! Iranian Traditional • Mood: depending on the dastgah it could be dark and minor sounding, happy and major sounding, or somewhere in between. • Musical notation has no pitch base but all instrments are tuned relative to each other. Explain Play setar first. Show musical notation. Then show vids. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JShTduztlw&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43Rni7Gxwd0

11. Iranian “Popular” Music • Very Pop and Western like. • Almost always upbeat and makes you want to dance in a rave. • Rock music is slowly being incorporated but is still rather fresh territory and the dance feel is always existant. • Almost non-existant: metal, jazz, screamo, blues, or country. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtRLxdniGl4&feature=related