mus 11 quiz #4

A. Historical and Religious Context:

  • The lectures establish a broad historical timeline for India, spanning from ancient civilizations (3000 BCE) to the present day, including the Vedic age, Indo-Islamic assimilation, the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughal Empire, European colonialism, independence, and globalization.

  • Several religions originating or practiced in India are highlighted: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam (including Sufism), and Sikhism.

  • Bhakti, a Hindu devotional movement, originated in South India and gave rise to the devotional song type Bhajan. Sufism draws on the Hindu devotional movement of bakhti and the devotional song type bhajan.

B. Qawwali:

  • Qawwali is described as a Sufi devotional music tradition.

  • Key elements include vocal call and response and the use of instruments like the harmonium, sarangi, tabla, and dholak.

  • The aim is for listeners to encounter the divine through a mystical experience through music. The setting is originally for saint “death day” celebrations but is now evolving.

  • The lecture references Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan as a prominent figure in Qawwali music.

C. Classical Music: Hindustani and Karnatak:

  • Two major classical music traditions are introduced: Hindustani (North India and Pakistan) and Karnatak (South India).

  • Similarities: Both share core elements like raga (melodic system) and tala (rhythmic framework), belong to larger sangita traditions, prioritize singing, connect instrumental traditions to vocal ones, share related instruments, and utilize the guru/sisya (teacher/student) transmission model.

  • Differences:Hindustani music has greater influence from Islamic cultures (Mughal Empire) and more international exposure. A common instrumental trio is the sitar, tambura, and tabla.

  • Karnatak music has less Islamic influence and elevates singing relative to instrumental music. A common instrumental trio is the vina, tambura, and mrdangam.

  • Raga: Described as a complete melodic system with "an identifying set of pitches, a unique repertoire of melodic ornaments and melodic motives, a system of rules and procedures, a repertoire of set (precomposed) compositions, and a host of extramusical associations" (Bakan 137).

  • Tala: The rhythmic framework of a raga performance, especially the metrical cycle used. Examples include Tintal (16-beat tala) and Jhaptal (10-beat tala).

D. Bollywood and Filmīgīt:

  • Bollywood refers to Hindi-language filmmaking, while Kollywood and Tollywood represent Tamil and Telugu cinema, respectively.

  • Filmīgīt (film songs) have a life outside of cinema, are marketed independently, and were "India’s first mass-produced, mass-marketed music." The songs "express the screen character’s emotion through his or her voice."

  • Playback singers like Lata Mangeshkar and composers like A.R. Rahman are key figures. A.R. Rahman's films, Roja (1992), Rangeela (1995), Guru (2007), and Slumdog Millionaire (2008), are mentioned.

E. Bhangra:

  • Bhangra is characterized by the Dholak beat and originates as Punjabi folk music and festival dance.

  • It transformed through Punjabi immigrants in Britain, serving as a "connection to home," "marker of identity," and "tool to build solidarity."

  • Bhangra was discovered by the British media in the mid-1980s and has experienced a "Bhangrafication of Bollywood" since the mid-90s.

  • In the US, Bhangra remixes and college bhangra troops become tied to "Desi - South Asian immigrant youth identity."

II. Egyptian Music:

A. Regional Context:

  • The lecture identifies three key regions and languages: Iran (Farsi/Persian using the Dastgah modal system), Turkey (Turkish using the Makam modal system), and the Mashriq (Eastern Arab world/Arabic using the Maqam modal system).

  • Instruments associated with each region are listed, including the Ney, Tombak, and Santur (Iran); the Ney and Kanun (Turkey); and the Nay, Tabla/Darbuka, and Qanun (Mashriq).

B. Egyptian Nationalism and Music:

  • Key features of Egyptian nationalism include localism, Pan-Arabism, and Islamism.

  • The lecture argues that media stars in Egypt became symbols of national identity and cultural heritage.

  • The lecture quotes Bakan (303-304): "The modern film star, the nationalist symbol, and the icon of Egyptian cultural heritage were all rolled together into one in the figure of the Egyptian media star. In an emerging nation heir to a great ancient civilization but subject for many centuries to foreign subjugation, the ‘new’ traditions that emerged with Egyptian mass media entertainment effectively moved to the core of what Egyptian people conceived of as their own cultural heritage."

C. Maqam System:

  • The Maqam is a modal system used in the Mashriq.

  • Maqam Nahawand is given as an example, with its notes (C - D - Eb - G) and semi-tone intervals (4 - 2 - 4).

D. Egyptian Musical Ensembles and Traditions:

  • Takht Ensemble: Includes instruments like the 'Ud, Qanun, Nay, Violin, and Riqq.

  • Ṣaʻīdī Mizmār: A Mizmar ensemble from Upper (southern) Egypt, especially used in weddings and accompanied by male stick dancing.

E. Egyptian Women's Dance:

  • Three types of Egyptian women's dance are identified: Raqs Baladi, Raqs Sharqi (belly dance), and Ghawazi (professional, public women dancers from hereditary families).

  • The Ayyub or zar rhythm is associated with belly dance.

F. 20th Century Egyptian Musical Superstars:

  • Sayed Darwish (1892-1923): Developed an Egyptian national music idiom, balancing Asil (authentic/traditional) and Hadith (new/modern).

  • Muhammad Abd al-Wahhab (1900-1991): Considered a major modernist and developed the firqa musiqyya for film soundtracks. Composed "Zeina" in Maqam Hijaz.

  • Umm Kulthūm (1900?-1975): Arguably the most famous Arab singer of the 20th century.

  • Badia Masabni (1892-1974): A dancer, innovator, and producer of staged shows.

  • Samia Gamal (1924-1994): A film dance star and Raqs Sharqi innovator.

  • Farida Fahmy (1940- ) and the Reda Troupe: National symbols representing fallahin (peasant) culture through staged folk dance.

G. Music of the Arab Spring:

  • The lecture briefly touches on the music associated with the Arab Spring in Egypt's Tahrir Square.

This briefing document provides a structured overview of the key concepts and figures discussed in the lectures. Further research and listening examples would be needed to fully understand the intricacies of these musical traditions.