Polyphony in Iranian Music (VI)

Written by Dr. M. Taghi Massoudieh (1927-1998)
Originally published in Honarhaye Ziba (Fine Arts) 3, 1998, 95-104.

Translated by Mahboube Khalvati

Torqeh (Transcription No. 8)

Transcription No.8

Torqeh or jal is the same bird (Bimaculated lark) and is the name of a muqam which is well-known in Torbate Jam and those areas. Jal muqam is called Torqeh in Esfarayen and Bojnourd. This muqam which was used to be played by Bakhshis/Bagşies (dutar-players) in the past is seldom performed today. Torqeh muqam describes how torqeh flies in the sky. Torqeh soars so high in the sky that cannot be seen; however, it then flies back to earth but flies again to the sky. This variety of Torqeh flight is described in the music.

The famous Zanbil Baf Bakhshi performed Torqeh muqam (Transcription No.8).

Torqeh music is comprised of several repetitions of a cliché melodic figure. This figure is moved in different tonal music ambiences. Simultaneously with this movement, the drone also changes.

Movement of parallel drone or relocation of the melodic figure in different tonal ambiences forms the parallel coincidence of two voices. Torqeh muqam, due to metric-rhythmic symmetry has motorized mobility. Constant repetition of a cliché melodic figure on the one hand and metric-rhythmic symmetry, on the other hand, describes the monotony of torqeh’s flight[i].

This polyphonic instrumental form is also very popular in Turkmen music. Here only one example of it, Kach Falak is introduced.

 

Kach Falak (Transcription No. 9)

Transcription No.9

The melody in Kach Falak muqam, as explained in its title, narrates the sorrow of the doomed destiny and is, therefore, performed in “Ghorogh Lar” muqam.

In Turkmen music, muqams which have a sorrowful content or condition are performed in this dastgah[ii]. Kach Falak muqam (Transcription No.9) is performed by Temedera– dutar is called Temedera in Turkmen music.

 

The beginning figure (Transcription No. 9, a staff 1) appears in the piece as the linking part (inter-mode) in the form of melodic figures. Types of periods of staff 2 (b) either have determined metre or free metre; or have a determined metre at the beginning and a free metre at the end. Almost these entire types end with a concise cliché figure (staffs 3, 4, 7 8, 11-15). In Kach Falak (Transcription No. 9) like in Farangi Rezagholi (Transcription No.7), the second accompanying voice constantly follows the melody’s movement and forms the parallel sequence of two voices.

 

Additionally, we encounter another form of polyphony in Turkmen music, i.e. sequence or change of dual-combination of voices. Sequence or change of dual-combination of voices is usually performed at the beginning of the piece and is generally based on the change of drone. This change is not definitely based on any chord or harmonic sequence. Another popular polyphonic form in Turkmen music is ostinato. Usually, the figure which emerges as ostinato is introduced as an individual at the beginning[iii].

Polyphonic forms in Iranian music which were studied here were based on a selection of most prominent pieces of Iranian music. These forms are also observed in many Iranian avaz and instrumental pieces. Obviously, the study of more audio sources can lead to conclusions on the existence of other polyphonic forms with regard to polyphonic music in Iran.



[i] Massoudieh, M. Taghi; Der Begriff des maqam in der persischen Volksmusic: “Von der Vielfalt  musikalischer Kultur. Festschrift  für Josef Kuckertz”. Anif/Salzburg 1992, S. 311-334.

[ii] As mentioned by Tajvardi Peykar.

[iii] Massoudieh, M. Taghi. Turkmen Music (research in progress).

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Interview with Farhad Poupel (II)

Fantasia on One Note was my first professional work for piano, which had its world premiere by the great pianist Peter Jablonski in Sweden, and it has been performed by various pianists in the UK, Germany, France, and the Czech Republic. The recording of this work has also been broadcast on the Dutch public radio, NPR Radio 4.

Interview with Farhad Poupel (I)

Born in Isfahan, Iran, and based in the UK, Farhad Poupel’s music has been performed and will be performed in numerous prestigious concert halls and festivals throughout the world including Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan; La Roque-d’Anthéron Piano Festival, La Roque-d’Anthéron, France; Biarritz Festival, Biarritz, France; Stoller Hall, Manchester, UK; Janacek academy of music and performing art, Brno, Czech Republic; Karlskrona International Piano Festival, Karlskrona, Sweden; by distinguished artists such as Kotaro Fukuma, Peter Jablonski, Daniel Grimwood, Margaret Fingerhut, Catherine Carby, Kristýna Znamenáčková,Jeffrey Biegel, Jean-Francois Bouvery and orchestras such as Windsor Symphony Orchestra or broadcasted on the NPR Radio 4, Netherland. The following is an interview with him on the ocaasion of the premier of the Legend of Bijan and Manijeh.

From Past Days…

A few steps on the “Road to Bach”

The world of music has unparalleled respect for Bach. Bach is considered the spiritual father of classical music; Bach’s great position is due not only to his great achievements in the fields of harmony, counterpoint, and compositional sciences but also to his respect for and adherence to the artistic principles of classical music. In the history of classical music, it is recorded that Bach walked about fifty kilometers to listen to the music played by the great German organist Dieterich Buxtehude, and this is the path that every idealistic classical music student should walk.

Parviz Meshkatian’s Heart Beat for People (II)

As such, the young Meshkatian reached the position of a great maestro in the Iranian music. Up until 1997, Meshkatian remained prolific and composed many pieces which were characterized by progressiveness while drawing on the music of the past Iranian musicians. In some of Meshkatian’s works, one can trace the influence of maestros such as Faramarz Payvar; however, this influence is so balanced that one can neither say that Meshkatian is a progressive and deconstructionist composer nor does he use cliché forms in his compositions.

The Structure of Kurdistan Daf (III)

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Quality Decline in Regional Music Festivals

Regional music festivals are organized to, firstly, introduce the music of different regions and, secondly, to support its performers. Regional music festivals are held in large cities for various reasons, including the availability of financial and executive facilities and the presence of an audience. However, the organization of these festivals has always been one of the challenging issues of ethnomusicology. The reason is that the presence of regional music performers in large cities places them in a context other than the context they would normally perform in their homes; consequently this change in situation leads to changes in the quality of their performance.

Payam Taghadossi: Talented Iranian-Austrian Cellist

Payam Taghadossi (born in 1989) started his musical education at the age of 4 years with Monika Scherbaum in Bregenz (Austria). At the Conservatory Feldkirch he joined the class of Imke Frank and Martin Merker. Later he studied in Zurich (Switzerland) with Thomas Grossenbacher and Christian Proske, where he 2011 graduated as a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance. Two years later as the student of Rafael Rosenfeld he received his Master of Arts in Music Performance diploma and later graduated as a Master of Arts in spezialized Music Performance in 2016 from the Hochschule für Musik Basel FHNW.

Iranian Fallacies – Composition and Arrangement

In the tradition of classical music, it is generally tried to use the same technical terms related to music in all countries. Even in the cultures in which native terms exist to refer to musical terms, usually the better known universal terms are employed.

The Structure of Kurdistan Daf (II)

With its simple physical structure and captivating sound, the Daf never belonged to a particular culture or location, and every nation had different usages for this instrument considering their dominant customs and traditions.

Developments in Iranian Music Since Qajar Era (III)

Developments in Composing

Along with developments in the Iranian instruments, composition of the Iranian pieces developed as well. As a matter of fact, the developments of the two, mutually affected each other. In other words, instrumental developments led to developments in composition and vice versa.

Iranian Fallacies – Global Performance

One of the most important criteria for measuring the quality of a piece of classical music is number of times the piece has been performance by different ensembles and orchestras in different eras. This belief has become so pervasive in some societies, such as Iranian society, that it is considered the only criterion for measuring the quality of a piece of classical music.

Women Musicians in Large Iranian Orchestras

It is more than a century now that the sociologists consider the presence of women in different social domains as a benchmark for a society’s progress. They analyze the presence of women in society by the means of available statistics. Unfortunately, as with regard to the Iranian society, statistics related to women’s engagement, has not been available to the researchers, if they existed at all.