Full Description
The present volume consists of translated anecdotes, on musicological and socio-cultural topics, from al-Iṣbahānī's Kitāb al-Aghānī al-Kabīr (The Grand Book of Songs) with annotations and commentaries. It deals with musical rhythmic and melodic modes, technical terms and treatises; music instruments; composition techniques and processes; education and oral/written transmissions; vocal and instrumental performances and their aesthetics; solo and ensemble music; change and its inevitability; musical and textual improvisations; ṭarab and the acute emotions of joy or grief; medieval dances; social status. Though extracts from The Grand Book of Songs have been translated in European languages since 1816, this work presents a much larger and more comprehensive scope that will benefit musicologists, medievalist and Middle Eastern scholars as well as the general reader.
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Editorial Notes
Introduction: Abū l-Faraj al-Iṣfahānī and His Book of Songs
1 Theory
The Modes
A The Eight Rhythmic Modes
B The Eight Melodic Modes
C The Three Passages on Rhythmic and Melodic Modes in the Book of Songs
D Jins and Ṭarīqa
E Rare Songs Containing Eight or Ten Notes
F Early Singing: Ḥudāʾ, Naṣb, and Rukbān
G Technical Terms
H Theoretical Treatises, Anecdotes, Biographies, Song Collections, Authorship, Modes
2 Instruments
A Aerophones: Mizmār, Nāy, and Surnāy
B Idiophones: ʿAṣāt, Dawāt, Jaras, Juljul, Khashaba, Miqraʿa, Nāqūs, Qaḍīb, Qarbūs, Raḥl, Ṣaffāqa, Ṣanj
C Membranophones: ʿArṭaba, Duff, Murabbaʿ, Ṭabl
D Chordophones: Barbaṭ, Kankala, Miʿzafa, Mizhar, Ṣanj, Ṭunbūr, ʿūd
E Storage and Workshop for Instrument Making
F Improvised Instruments
3 Composition
A The Use of Music to Embellish and Spread Poetry
B The Origins of Arabic Music
C Technique and Process of Composition
D Dreams and Jinns as Sources for Compositions
E Contrafacta
F Style and the Imitation of Style
G Composition: Talent Versus Intellect, Head Versus Heart
H Specialization
I Analysis
J Authorship
K Poems, Composers, and Modes
L The Number of Lines of Poems Set to Music
M Choosing and Altering the Order of the Verses and Mixing Poems
N Names of Melodies
O Output
P Quality Versus Quantity
Q Poems Conducive to Be Set to Music
R The Best Composers and Compositions
S Comparisons
T Weak Compositions
U Women's Compositions and Softness
V Folklore Songs: Sailors, Masons, and Water Carriers
W Monopolies on Poems
4 Education and Transmission
A General Education
B Pedigree
C Music Education
D The Important Role of Women as Teachers, Transmitters, and Memorizers
E Memory Loss
F Learning and Repetitions, Slow Learners and Fast Learners
G Problems of Difficulty and Transmission
H Prevention of Transmission and Stinginess
I Good and Bad Transmitters
J Unconventional Transmissions
K Miscellaneous
5 Performance
A Singers and Songstresses
B To Sing: Qāla, Qaraʾa, Ḥaddatha
C Voice Production
D Beautiful Voice
E Powerful Voice
F Poor Voices
G Stratagem for Poor Voices
H Excellence in Performance
I Poor Performance and Weaknesses
J Postures
K Difficult Songs
L Comparisons
M The Limitations of Descriptions
O Size of Repertoire
P Lute Playing in the Persian Style
Q Lute Virtuosity
R Inheriting a Family Business
S Performance Order
T The Composition of the Majlis and Its Effect on Performance
U Songs without Words
6 Solos, Accompaniment, and Ensemble Music
A Murtajil: A Cappella
B Instrumental Solos
C Unaccompanied Duet Singing
D Unison Ensemble Singing
E Unison Ensemble Singing with Lute Accompaniment
F A Soloist and Her Chorus
G Hand Clapping, Castanets, and Dancing
H Tambourines
I Ṭabl
J Lute
K Ṭunbūr
L Voice and Nāy
M Murtajil and Irtijāl
7 Musical Stability and Change
A On the Inevitability of Change
B Change Is Permissible
C Change Is Frowned Upon
D Wine and Its Positive and Negative Effects on Singing
E The Truth about the Singer Mālik Not Composing but Altering and Beautifying the Songs of Others
F Change as a Tool to Embarrass an Enemy
8 Musical and Textual Improvisations
9 Ṭarab and the Effects of Singing on People and Animals
A Preliminary Definitions
B Physical Effects on People and Animals
C Emotional Effects
D Effects on the Imagination
E Therapeutic Effects
F Ṭarab and Effects of Music: Miscellaneous Topics
10 Dance
A Zafn and Raqṣ
B Early Arabic Music and Dance According to Ibn Khaldūn
C Dastband and Īlāʾ
D Kurraj
E Raqṣ and the Completion of Musical Arts
F The Required Qualities of Dancers According to the Oration of an Anonymous Singer/Boon Companion of the Caliph Al-Muʿtamid, as Reported in the Meadows of Gold of Al-Masʿūdī
11 Physiognomy, Attire, Character, Social Status, and Permissibility of Music
A The Importance of a Beautiful Face, Body, and Attire
B Character and Knowledge
C Slaves, Freed Slaves, Mawlās, and Freeman
D Is It a Sin to Sing?
E It Is Not a Sin to Sing If the Singer Is Pious and Endowed with Good Character, or If the Songs Are Not Erotic
F The Contradictory and Ambiguous Roles of Noblemen, Theologians, and Administrators Toward Music and Musicians
G The Shame of Being an Instrumentalist
H Words of Wisdom in Support of Music
Arabic English Glossary
Bibliography
Index of People and Places
Index of Terms and Subjects
Charts
