The Dastgah Concept in Persian Music

Hormoz Farhat (Author)

9780521542067, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 8 July 2004

216 pages
24.6 x 18.9 x 1.2 cm, 0.4 kg

The tradition of Persian art music embodies twelve modal systems, known as dastgahs. Each dastgah represents a complex of skeletal melodic models on the basis of which a performer produces extemporised pieces. The dastgahs revolve around unspecified central nuclear melodies which the individual musician comes to know through experience and absorption. It is a personal and elusive tradition of great subtlety and depth. Through extensive research, including interviews with leading musicians and recording over one hundred hours of music, Hormoz Farhat has unravelled the art of the dastgah. In his study Professor Farhat analyses the intervallic structure, melodic patterns, modulations, and improvisations within each dastgah, and examines the composed pieces which have become a part of the classical repertoire in recent times.

Preface
Transliterations
Opening statement
1. A brief historical perspective
2. Intervals and scales in contemporary Persian music
3. Musical concepts and terminology
4. Dastgah-e Sur
5. Dastgah-e Abuata
6. Dastgah-e Dasti
7. Dastgah-e Bayat Tork
8. Dastgah-e Afsari
9. Dastgah-e Segah
10. Dastgah-e Cahargah
11. Dastgah-e Homayun
12. Dastgah-e Bayat-e Esfahan
13. Dastgah-e Nava
14. Dastgah-e Mahur
15. Dastgah-e Rast (Rast-Panjgah)
16. Vagrant Guses
17. Compositional forms
Closing statement
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Appendix.

Subject Areas: Folk & traditional music [AVGH]