Bardia Hafizi | Istanbul Technical University (original) (raw)
Papers by Bardia Hafizi
![Research paper thumbnail of Review of Peydāyesh-e musiqi-ye mardom pasand dar irān: Ta’ammolī bar mafāhīm-e kelasīk, mardomī, mardom pasand [Emergence of Popular Music in Iran: a survey of concepts of classic, folk, popular] by Sasan Fatemi, Tehran: Mahoor, 2013. pp. 156. ISBN 978-964-8772-35-7](https://a.academia-assets.com/images/blank-paper.jpg)
](Academia letters, Apr 6, 2021
Analytical Approaches to World Music Journal, 2023
Most scholars recognize the Constitutional Revolution of 1905 as the birthday of modernity in Ira... more Most scholars recognize the Constitutional Revolution of 1905 as the birthday of modernity in Iran. However, musical modernity can be traced back to 1851 and the opening of the first modern school (dar ul-funun). Consequent socio-economic developments ushered in an era of change for music and musicians. Among these changes was the independence of performers from royal patronage, the elevation of artists’ status to an elite class, the rise of music intellectualism, and the re-establishment of the role of the composer.
Regarding instruments, the tombak (goblet drum) seems to have undergone the most significant transformation in Iranian music. In the past this instrument functioned as accompaniment, either in an ensemble or for self-accompanying singers. Based on early gramophone recordings from 1900, accompaniment techniques of tombak were quite limited, as performers either made repetitive use of an ostinato with slight variations, or imitated the melody. Moreover, we know from historical sources that tombak players were not considered serious musicians. In this era, musicians were not respected in society, other than the few that directly served the king. But even among musicians, tombak players had a lower status. Both these musical and social characteristics changed immensely in the modern era, which culminated in the reshaping of the tradition of rhythmic performance.
In this paper, I trace the journey rhythm and tombak took to enter the modern world. I begin by constructing a genealogy of Tehrani’s school of tombak from Tehrani himself to the earliest recorded tombak pedagogue, using primary historical sources. Afterwards, through transcription and analysis of a kamancheh and tombak duo, accompaniment techniques and rhythmic texture of this tradition post-Tehrani are analyzed. This historical comparison showcases how the rhythmic texture of pre-modern Iranian classical music evolved into the complex patterns and techniques characteristic of contemporary performance. Although previous studies have been conducted on both the tradition of rhythm and tombak in Iran, none have studied the patterns and techniques of tombak performance in fixed-meter rhythmic pieces.
Keywords: Tombak - Zarb - Zarbi - Ethnomusicology - Performance Studies - Rhythmic Analysis - World Music Analysis - Iranian Music - Persian Music - Radif - Dastgah - Tasnif
Historical ethnomusicology is a sub-discipline that was first proposed by Bruno Nettl in 1958 and... more Historical ethnomusicology is a sub-discipline that was first proposed by Bruno Nettl in 1958 and further established by Kay Kaufman Shelemay in 1980. Since then, new methodologies and paradigms have been developed-or appropriated from other disciplines-into the discipline. A milestone in the field was the publication of Theory and Method in Historical Ethnomusicology in 2014, edited by Jonathan McCollum and David G. Herbert. The aforementioned volume can be divided into two parts: "an assemblage of notes by the co-editors on almost anything they feel is connected to historical ethnomusicology" (Stock, 2016), and a number of case studies in historical
In this paper, I offer a review of three papers that deal with noha in Shi'a communities from dif... more In this paper, I offer a review of three papers that deal with noha in Shi'a communities from different perspectives, using different approaches in ethnomusicology. In culmination, the three papers make use of a wide range of methodologies from historical ethnomusicology to modernist studies and psychology, as well as others. I claim that a holistic understanding of noha is only possible by taking into account all these different perspectives and approaches.
In this paper, I go through 3 primary texts on Egyptian music. One is from the series Description... more In this paper, I go through 3 primary texts on Egyptian music. One is from the series Description de l'Egypte, from an unknown author. It was published in 1826 in Paris, reprinted in 1982 in Egypt. The other 2 were written in early 20th century by Mohammad Kāmel al-Khlu'i, a famous Egyptian musician. The topic of iqa' (rhythm) is pursued in these texts, with the aim of clarifying the rhythms that were performed in Egypt as part of the musiqi al-arabiya (classical Arab music) repertoire. The terminology used in all three texts are analyzed in order to clarify how rhythm was theoretically verbalized. The main sources referred to in each text are also mentioned, and where possible, a brief introduction of each is presented. Lastly, the rhythms are compared with the corresponding Turkish osuls (rhythms) to clarify their similarities and differences.
![Research paper thumbnail of Review of Peydāyesh-e musiqi-ye mardom pasand dar irān: Ta’ammolī bar mafāhīm-e kelasīk, mardomī, mardom pasand [Emergence of Popular Music in Iran: a survey of concepts of classic, folk, popular] by Sasan Fatemi, Tehran: Mahoor, 2013. pp. 156. ISBN 978-964-8772-35-7.](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/66195066/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Academia Letters, 2021
In the last 50 years a lot of effort has been put into decolonizing ethnomusicological works by a... more In the last 50 years a lot of effort has been put into decolonizing ethnomusicological works by aiming to negate the effects of ethnocentrism in analyzing and classifying the musics of the world. One of such endeavors is to empower and highlight local discourses, which not only offers a deeper understanding of cultures around the globe, but also offers international scholars a valid reference point to build and expand upon. These are the premises under which Emergence of Popular Music in Iran becomes an important source for scholars interested in the different types of music performed in Iranian societies.
Academia letters, Apr 6, 2021
Analytical Approaches to World Music Journal, 2023
Most scholars recognize the Constitutional Revolution of 1905 as the birthday of modernity in Ira... more Most scholars recognize the Constitutional Revolution of 1905 as the birthday of modernity in Iran. However, musical modernity can be traced back to 1851 and the opening of the first modern school (dar ul-funun). Consequent socio-economic developments ushered in an era of change for music and musicians. Among these changes was the independence of performers from royal patronage, the elevation of artists’ status to an elite class, the rise of music intellectualism, and the re-establishment of the role of the composer.
Regarding instruments, the tombak (goblet drum) seems to have undergone the most significant transformation in Iranian music. In the past this instrument functioned as accompaniment, either in an ensemble or for self-accompanying singers. Based on early gramophone recordings from 1900, accompaniment techniques of tombak were quite limited, as performers either made repetitive use of an ostinato with slight variations, or imitated the melody. Moreover, we know from historical sources that tombak players were not considered serious musicians. In this era, musicians were not respected in society, other than the few that directly served the king. But even among musicians, tombak players had a lower status. Both these musical and social characteristics changed immensely in the modern era, which culminated in the reshaping of the tradition of rhythmic performance.
In this paper, I trace the journey rhythm and tombak took to enter the modern world. I begin by constructing a genealogy of Tehrani’s school of tombak from Tehrani himself to the earliest recorded tombak pedagogue, using primary historical sources. Afterwards, through transcription and analysis of a kamancheh and tombak duo, accompaniment techniques and rhythmic texture of this tradition post-Tehrani are analyzed. This historical comparison showcases how the rhythmic texture of pre-modern Iranian classical music evolved into the complex patterns and techniques characteristic of contemporary performance. Although previous studies have been conducted on both the tradition of rhythm and tombak in Iran, none have studied the patterns and techniques of tombak performance in fixed-meter rhythmic pieces.
Keywords: Tombak - Zarb - Zarbi - Ethnomusicology - Performance Studies - Rhythmic Analysis - World Music Analysis - Iranian Music - Persian Music - Radif - Dastgah - Tasnif
Historical ethnomusicology is a sub-discipline that was first proposed by Bruno Nettl in 1958 and... more Historical ethnomusicology is a sub-discipline that was first proposed by Bruno Nettl in 1958 and further established by Kay Kaufman Shelemay in 1980. Since then, new methodologies and paradigms have been developed-or appropriated from other disciplines-into the discipline. A milestone in the field was the publication of Theory and Method in Historical Ethnomusicology in 2014, edited by Jonathan McCollum and David G. Herbert. The aforementioned volume can be divided into two parts: "an assemblage of notes by the co-editors on almost anything they feel is connected to historical ethnomusicology" (Stock, 2016), and a number of case studies in historical
In this paper, I offer a review of three papers that deal with noha in Shi'a communities from dif... more In this paper, I offer a review of three papers that deal with noha in Shi'a communities from different perspectives, using different approaches in ethnomusicology. In culmination, the three papers make use of a wide range of methodologies from historical ethnomusicology to modernist studies and psychology, as well as others. I claim that a holistic understanding of noha is only possible by taking into account all these different perspectives and approaches.
In this paper, I go through 3 primary texts on Egyptian music. One is from the series Description... more In this paper, I go through 3 primary texts on Egyptian music. One is from the series Description de l'Egypte, from an unknown author. It was published in 1826 in Paris, reprinted in 1982 in Egypt. The other 2 were written in early 20th century by Mohammad Kāmel al-Khlu'i, a famous Egyptian musician. The topic of iqa' (rhythm) is pursued in these texts, with the aim of clarifying the rhythms that were performed in Egypt as part of the musiqi al-arabiya (classical Arab music) repertoire. The terminology used in all three texts are analyzed in order to clarify how rhythm was theoretically verbalized. The main sources referred to in each text are also mentioned, and where possible, a brief introduction of each is presented. Lastly, the rhythms are compared with the corresponding Turkish osuls (rhythms) to clarify their similarities and differences.
Academia Letters, 2021
In the last 50 years a lot of effort has been put into decolonizing ethnomusicological works by a... more In the last 50 years a lot of effort has been put into decolonizing ethnomusicological works by aiming to negate the effects of ethnocentrism in analyzing and classifying the musics of the world. One of such endeavors is to empower and highlight local discourses, which not only offers a deeper understanding of cultures around the globe, but also offers international scholars a valid reference point to build and expand upon. These are the premises under which Emergence of Popular Music in Iran becomes an important source for scholars interested in the different types of music performed in Iranian societies.