1. 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
2. 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
4. 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).
5. 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
7. 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.
8. 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
9. 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.
10. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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
15. 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
16. 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
17. 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
18. 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
20. 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.
21. 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.
22. 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.
23. 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.
24. 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.
25. 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.
