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Henry Cowell and Classical Iranian Music

Henry Cowell and Classical Iranian Music. By: Meghan Truax. Iran. Population 69,515,000 Capital Tehran; 7,352,000 Language Persian, Turkic, Kurdish, various local dialects Area 1,648,000 square kilometers (636,296 square miles) Religion Shiite and Sunni Muslim Region

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Henry Cowell and Classical Iranian Music

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  1. Henry Cowell and Classical Iranian Music By: Meghan Truax

  2. Iran Population69,515,000 CapitalTehran; 7,352,000 LanguagePersian, Turkic, Kurdish, various local dialects Area1,648,000 square kilometers(636,296 square miles) ReligionShiite and Sunni Muslim Region Mountains and deserts

  3. Islam • 98% of the population is Muslim which is evident in culture and music • Basics of Islam: • Founded by Muhammad in 622 CE • Views based on the Qur’an • 6 main beliefs which include belief in a single, invisible God as well as angels and the divine scriptures • Viewed as a lifestyle or faith rather then a religion

  4. Musical Origins • Music derived from the combination of ancient Iranian and Persian origins • Musicians generally respected in ancient times • Barbad-inventor of the lute and the beginnings of the maqam system • System of 7 modes, 30 derivations, and 360 melodies based on the calendar • Similar to western Church modes-see next • Originally two types of music: The persian Classical Tradition and the dastgah

  5. Iranian Classical Music • Today has diversified into many styles including pop • Classically utilizes unique key signatures based on a 24 note scale with 50 cents between tones • Uses the Radif, a collection of short, memorized melodies called gusheh in seven modes or dastgah • Instruments may include the tombak, the ney, the tar, and a western violin that may be tuned according to the gusheh

  6. Tar • Played with bras embedded in beeswax • Central Asian origin • Ney • Reed Flute • 3 Octave Range • Main wind instrument • Tombak • Goblet Drum • Also known as Donbak or Dombak • May be played with metal rings on fingers • Solos may last 10 minutes

  7. Iranian Music and other cultures • Belongs to a group of musical cultures derived from the maqam system • Datsgah in Iran • Maqam in Arabian and Sephardic Jewish music • Mugham in Iranian Azeribaijani (ethnic group of northern Iran) • Makam in Turkey

  8. Henry Cowell • Born in 1897 in Menlo Park California • Began playing the violin at the age of five • Received little formal education, but began to compose in his teens • Attended the U of C Berkley as a protégé under Charles Seeger • Experimented with tonalities and non-western rhythms, developed techniques of string piano and tone clusters • Was the leader in avant-garde composition in the 20s and 30s • Was arrested on a “morals” charge in 1936 and was imprisoned for 4 years • Paroled in 1940 and pardoned in 1942, when his music became more conservative though he remained progressive • Traveled to many places, including a 3 month visit to Iran where he was the guest of Radio Tehran • Died in 1965 after a series of illness

  9. Homage to Iran by Henry Cowell • Composed after his visit, meant to convey the essence of the area • Did not attempt to stay true to Iranian music • 4 parts • Part 1-Adante Rubato • Tombak and Violin-traditional Iranian Instruments • Both instruments played in a westernized manner • Long tones in the violin with some nonwestern embellishments • Duple time in the rhythm section

  10. Dozarbi & SehzarbiBy HosseinTehrani Shootshtari By Siavosh Zendegani • Similar driving rhythmic patterns and tempo • Different techniques used • Rings • Different feel of time • Free form vs western duple • Same instrument, different style • Short rhythms and wavering notes versus long clear melodic notes

  11. Works Cited Information http://www.classical-music-review.org/reviews/ToTheEast.html http://www.naxosdirect.com/title/8559193/ http://www.amazon.com/Cowell-Homage-Pieces-Casual-Developments/dp/B000QQUOYK http://www.world-beats.com/store/ http://www.duke.edu/~azomorod/tombak.jpg http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/countries/country_iran.html https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Henry_Cowell http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/141260/Henry-Cowell http://www.vi-co.org/pdf/Persian_study-guide_composers-musicians.pdf http://www.irvl.net/iran-music/

  12. Pictures http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page.basic/album/content.album/faryad/en_US http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page.basic/country/content.country/iran_344 http://images.absoluteastronomy.com/images/encyclopediaimages/h/he/henry_cowell_playing_string_piano.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mehmooni2.jpg http://www.mideastweb.org/culture/ney.jpg http://www.schirmer.com/default.aspx?TabId=2419&State_2872=2&ComposerId_2872=297 http://www.amazon.com/Dozarbi-Sehzarbi-Tonbak/dp/B001Q1MQ72 http://www.barbadmusic.com/Persian%20Traditional.htm

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