The Art of Persian Music/Lesson from Master Dariush Safvat/Book and Cd - Hardcover

During, Jean; Mirabdolbaghi, Zia

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0934211221 ISBN 13: 9780934211222

Publisher: Mage Pub, 1991

Synopsis

The Art of Persian Music uses a multimedia, multifaceted approach to introduce the music and culture of Iran through its art. Persian music is as fine, subtle, and beautiful as a Persian carpet, and yet for the most part it has remained unknown in the West. It has unique aesthetic qualities quite different from Western music. It is monophonic, undramatic, and mostly solo, with rich modal variety and melodic subtlety--an intimate music of the spirit most appreciated by the initiated. This book provides the keys and definitions essential for understanding Persian music: its history, instruments, repertory, organization, rhythms, and modes (or dastaghs). Through quotes and anecdotes by and about masters past and present, the reader can grasp the ethos, spirit, and philosophy of Persian music. Filled with exquisite illustrations of instruments and musicians from museums around the world, as well poetry and calligraphy, this volume will introduce the enthusiast both to the whole aesthetic of Persian art and the art of Persian music.

Although it is based on the most recent scholarship, this book is intended for the general audience. All details superfluous to the general reader have been intentionally omitted. But The Art of Persian Music is not just a compilation from past sources--it is full of new ideas and insights that illuminate the state of contemporary Persian music and reward both the layman and the specialist. Anthology of Persian Music, the 72 minute compact disc which comes with the book gives the reader and listener a taste of some musical styles, both rare and remarkable.

About this title

About the Author

Jean During is an Iranologist, musicologist, and researcher at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris. His many books and articles on the music and culture of Iran and the Near East have given him an international reputation and made him one of the foremost scholars in the field. He has been playing Persian music for over 25 years.

Reviews

This innovative introduction to the music and culture of Iran combines text, illustrations, and a sampler disk in a single package. Important terms, instruments, repertories, and personalities are cataloged and thoroughly explained, making it accessible to anyone interested. The high price tag is the only drawback. However, the distressing increase in oversimplified, popular accounts of Middle Eastern culture makes this serious study all the more valuable. For large music collections.
- Mark Annichiarico, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Mage Pub
• Publication date: 1991
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0934211221
• ISBN 13: 9780934211222
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 280