The art of āvāz and Mohammad Reza Shajarian : foundations and contexts / Rob Simms and Amir Koushkani.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Simms, Rob, 1962- author.

Koushkani, Amir, 1968- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Shadjariân, Mohammad Rezâ.

Singing--Iran--History and criticism.

Singing.

Songs, Persian--Iran.

Songs, Persian.

Iran.

Music--Iran--History and criticism.

Music.

Physical Description:

xv, 309 pages : illustrations, music ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham ; Boulder ; New York ; Toronto ; Plymouth, UK : Lexington Books, [2012]

Summary:

The Art of Avaz and Mohammad Reza Shajarian: Foundations and Contexts, by Rob Simms and Amir Koushkani, examines the traditional art of singing classical Persian poetry, as represented by its greatest living exponent. This in-depth study surveys the social and historical context of the twentieth-century tradition of avaz and places Shajarian's early career-from a child prodigy of Qur'an recitation in Mashhad, to his rise to national prominence in the 1970s-within this complex culture.

As a globetrotting celebrity renowned for singing medieval poetry with impeccable technique and radiant inspiration, Shajarian's life and work provide a compelling case study for larger issues of reconciling tradition and modernity, as well as the crucial role of the individual in maintaining and renovating traditional art forms. Avaz is discussed in the broader context of Iranian narrative performance traditions: performers retell well-known scripts in a way appropriate to the audience and the present occasion, spinning the tale to convey a personal message. Shajarian's career also exemplifies the huge changes Iranian musical culture underwent in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally, the study includes a detailed examination of the materials and creative processes of Shajarian's artistic craft. The Art of Avaz and Mohammad Reza Shajarian is an impressively detailed study of the music, life, and environment of the most influential musician in Iranian classical music of the past three decades. Book jacket.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Before Coming In (Pishdaramad)

Introduction 1

Iham: Multiple Meaning, Uncertainty and Complexity 7

Narratives and Their Performance 13

The Occasion, Connectedness, and Appropriateness 17

Avaz and Tasnif 25

Histories of Avaz and Sung Poetry 27

Individuals and Groups 31

Musical Tradition 39

Chapter 2 Mashhad Roots

Shajarian's Early Musical Formation and Activities 61

Tradition and Its Guardians 64

Traditional Narratives, Performance Genres and Performers 66

Performing Truth: Truth-Telling and Authority 83

Affekt 91

Sufism and Music 103

Chapter 3 To Tehran

Innovators and Modernizers of the Early-Twentieth Century 121

Women in Persian Music and Avaz 123

Transmission, Patronage, Mediation, and Institutionalization 126

Shajarian's Professional Activities in the 1970s 160

Chapter 4 Performing Avaz

Poetry, Music, and Their Combination 168

Vocal Technique 174

Materials 181

Processes 197

Layers 217

Gesture and Dramatic Implications 257

Forud/Bridge 260.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780739172117

0739172115

OCLC:

758392622