Journal of Fine Arts: Performing Arts and Music
Year:2014 | Volume:19 | Issue:1|Papers Count:7

In addition to endorsing the historical significance of ‘mystic music’, a survey of the spiritual and moral bearings on music, exemplifies the major differences that exists on views about music, between Islamic mysticism and other forms of spirituality. Mystic music, as viewed in Islam, is a consequence of ethical revelations made on music through literature. The close interaction with literary mysticism is thus the fundamental milieu for the development of mystic music. In light of the fact that mystic music is a consequence of the sublime transcendence associated with mysticism, its outcome could resonate the mystical esteem and morale not so frequently practiced by the layman. As a result, mystic music cultivates a sense of spiritual union which fosters the establishment of ‘musical mysticism’. This article aims to explain how the foundations of mysticism influence form and content in music. Intrinsically, music does not have any effect other than exciting emotions. Its tone is merely repeating human emotions, causing passivity in the human soul and the excitement of emotions in others. The perception of music, like all the other branches of art, is dominated by human subjectivity. This means that the structure and content of music is directly aligned to the cultural conceptions, emotions, thoughts, and attitudes of its creator. Taking into consideration the works and research findings of other scholars and theoreticians in the field of music, philosophy, and mystics, this article has made an attempt to substantiate the reciprocal relationship between the content of music and the sensations practiced by its creator. An important common parameter between music and mysticism is seen in their language of expression in which virtue, feeling, inspiration, and inner emotions are all expressed in the context of ’union and separation’ the metaphor for the passion of the soul which exists in every language. Mystical perceptions and the resulting feelings of the human soul can influence both the form and content of music on two principles. Primarily, because music is a volitional action it can be a source of hemicellulose knowledge. Secondly, the need for a congruity between cause and effect encourages one to perceive that music, being an effect of the human soul, must search its congruence in its cause. Mystical perceptions and the resulting feelings in human soul can influence both the form and content of music based on two principles. First is the origin of music which is in volitional human actions; Second is the need for congruity between cause and effect. The mystical music has caused some kind of orientation towards mysticism that may be called “musical mysticism”. In this brief article – which is extracted from the author’s dissertation entitled “Explanation of Philosophical and Theological Foundations of Music”, it has been tried to explain how mysticism foundations influence the form and content of music.

most Islamic philosophers consider music as one of the four elements of mathematics, which is linked to Aristotle’s quadrivium: arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. However, in the statements addressed by philosophers, we cannot see many discussions on the nature of music as perceived by humans and the way it may improve the life of man on earth. At the same time, Sufists and mystics mainly focus on how music improves the soul of man more than any other issue. Based on theosophical view, music has something in connecting God and His creations, while in philosophical view it is mainly a subject which can be studied like other mathematical issues. Adding to an overview of traditional statements on music, this article particularly interested on investigating how contemporary Iranian youngsters look at old philosophical and theosophical way of treating music. To peruse this object, a filed study conducted in which 400 music students from three regions of Iran including Tehran, Isfahan and Gilan participated. The average age of subjects were 21 and were nearly half girls and half boys. A survey including 5 questions which addressed the main traditional philosophical and theosophical issues toward music provided and the subjects expressed their views on them. Results of this study revealed that some 72% of the subjects believe that music is relatively comparable to the order of cosmos. The results also showed that some 15% of the subjects think that such comparisons are nonsense, which is a relatively considerable percentage among the Iranian musicians. On the other hand, the results showed half of the participants agreed and half disagreed with the mystical belief based on which human is considered as an instrument in the hand of God. The study also showed that there is still a strong belief that music is a medium for communication between man and his creator. Only 16% believed that music is a result of physical vibration and is incapable of delivering any message from God. A huge percentage of participants (62%) believed that music has a higher status than visual arts in theosophical activities (the idea came from Ibn Arabi’s theosophical view). Relating different traditional tunes to the certain time and places (Oqāt-e Taghannī) nearly some 60% believed that such an idea could still hold in force, even though some updates have to put on ancient treatises. The overall findings of this study showed that young Iranian musicians have different beliefs on a variety of issues and one cannot generalize whether they totally believe in the old philosophical and theosophical views toward music. For instance, while the majority of subjects do not believe that they “act as an instrument in the hand of God”, a considerable percentage of them believe “God can communicate with human through music.” The study also revealed that there is a diverse ideology on every single philosophical or theosophical issue among the young Iranian musicians in various places of the country. In other words, the society is very colorful in ideas and beliefs.

This Study shows that how each composer creates a colorful choral folksong picture, gives an individual interpretation and a new life to a folk melody, and also makes an independent musical work. The present article studies the choral arrangement of the Iranian folk songs as a creative musical genre of the modern Iranian music. The importance of this genre involves in several challenges which make the arrangement a complex occupation. Hence, the job engages not only with finding sounds accordance with folk song- harmonization-but also relates to diverse usage of all musical means such as harmony, rhythm, polyphony, musical texture and formal structure. Iranian music in the early twentieth century was faced with important challenges. On the one hand, it was necessary to collect and preserve national music, and on the other hand, to have a proper treatment with the above mentioned issues which at last led the course to the development of a professional music making trend. Analyzing the features of Iranian traditional monophonic songs has not inclusively given account here but it is worth mentioning that microtones in Iranian Muqams (modes) has caused a wide range of musical intervals that can enhance the musical language. This does not mean to make use of all these intervals in harmonic set, which may cause some limitations on choosing polyphonic patterns. Once needed, the composer prudentially applied tempered model of folk songs in choral arrangements. The present study, which is a new survey of the field is based on analyzing the selected works of Iranian composers in A capella choral arrangement genre: Ruben Grigoriān (Damkol, Korashim), Sergey Aghājāniān (Massom massom, To bio), Samin Baghcheban (Ah dilbar), Mohammad Taghi Masoudieh (Khurde kija) and Hamid Askari (Gole gandom). The related analyzing comes about in relation to the form, structure, polyphony and word. Roben Grigorian (1915-1991), with his tonal inclination influenced by the classical harmony can be considered as the founder of the choral arrangement of the Iranian folk songs. Sergey Aghājāniān (1929-2006), with his developed tonal attitude affected by Komitas, has created affluent arrangements. Samin Baghcheban’s (1925 – 2008) understanding of the choir and its performing capacity has led him to create unique works, worth to mention for current research. The arrangements of Mohammad Taghi Masoudieh (1927-1988), gain their significance from his status as an ethnomusicologist. As a composer, Hamid Askari (b.1969) has always been engaged with the arrangement of Iranian folk songs. Regarding to the recent attempts done by Iranian composers, he has found it worthy to bring an example of his arrangement which sheds light on the subject. The scientific review of the choral arrangements attributed to different composers enables us to trace the evolution of the genre in the light of stylistic striving and artistic-aesthetical problems of the national music school. The article’s conclusions highlight the significance of the Iranian folk song arrangements for choir, as a musical genre, for the development of the polyphonic pattern, modal harmony and rhythm, new structural and phonic techniques which in general have enriched Iranian music.

In this article, according to the 5 transcriptions of Iranian vocal masters, we try to observe some of various functions of tahrir in Iranian classical music with comparative - analytic method and Schenkerian analysis. The reason for using Schenkerian analysis is to interpret the underlying structure of tahrirs by showing hierarchical relationships among tones, and also drawing the graphs of reduce analysis as the fundamental lines of tahrirs. Tahrir is the main ornament in Persian singing and instrumental music. In summary, tahrir is a falsetto break or cracking of the voice in the form of the grace note above, and between the notes of, the melody line. According to the research, the tahrir is not only an ordinary ornament, but rather it must be known as a Structural function in Iranian classical music. These transcriptions are selected from the early segment of dastgâh-e châhârgâh. Generally, dastgâh is one of the twelve multi-modal cycles in Iranian classical music, and also early segment of each classically named darâmad. These transcriptions are from the records of Seyyed Ahmad khân, Soleimân Amirqâsemi, Abolhasan Eqbâl Âzar, Rezâqoli Mirzâ Zelli and Abdollâh Davâmi. In this study we will explain the mechanism of tahrir based on melodic progression (seyr). The melodic progression is one of the complicated characteristics of eastern mode that refers to the how the combination of the tones and progression the melody. Indeed, the how motion of tones in tahrir-s is dependent of the seyr. In this article we will use 3 terms for explained the mechanism of tahrir-s into the texture of gushe-s (The dastgâh is composed of many melodic segments with various lengths which are called gushe): tahrir-sentence, tahrir-phrase and tahrir-motive. The tahrir-sentence is a musical sentence that is only based on tahrir. The tahrir-phrase is intermediate concept that is between the tahrir-sentence and tahrir-motive. The tahrir-motive is fundamental component of a tahrir-sentence; in other words, the tahrir-motives articulate and fractionate a tahrir-sentence. Virtually, each tahrir-sentence is composed of a number of tahrir-phrase and tahrir-phrase is composed of a number of tahrir-motive. Apart from following the logic of movement and stillness, the method of separation the tahrir-motives, sometimes follow the rising and falling melody and sometimes follow the pause on the important tones of the mode (such as the shâhed note that is the center around which the melody evolves and rest note on which the melodic segments comes to rest) and sometimes follow the pause similar to staccato. Based on study of transcriptions and analysis charts, we will try to indicate that the gushe-s how to get in shape by the tahrir-s. Hereupon, this investigation can be helped us to perceive the mechanism of gushe-s. Some functions and influences of tahrir that can be enumerated are: to move from one tone to the other tone; to modulate and also to return to the primary mode and concluding the sentence, phrase or gushe which is called forud in dastgâhi music as well as development and expansion of a tone or a specific modal cell.

The clown is a special character which has arisen from the depth of folkloric culture, and beside his similarities in many cultures, he has some specific characteristics that distinguish him from one culture to another. The popularity of the Clown has established him as a lasting and powerful social pattern. He cleverly coordinates himself to current social conditions and maintains his place in folkloric culture constantly. The complete recognition of clown requires genealogical and taxonomical studies. In genealogical studies, the state of clown formation will be studied in diachronic and synchronic methods and in taxonomical studies various kinds of clowns will be recognized in a variety of places and times. In this research, the genealogy of Iranian traditional clown has been considered. Clown has an important role in the Iranian traditional humorous theater that has a clownish central character who moves the play forward. The Buyer character in Baghāl-Bāzi, Siāh (black) in Siāh-Bāzi and Mobārak in Kheime-Shab-Bāzi are the most important Iranian traditional theatre clowns. These traditional clowns are placed in the middle point of the two phases of the history of clowns in Iranian theatre: one from the beginning to the established and well known traditional types and one from there to clown-like characters in contemporary theatre. In researching the first phase, we aim to find out what character samples in society have brought about the clown as an effective character whose powerful shadow has never left the Iranian dramatic arts. It seems that the clown, based on “the other” as the main feature of clown, in the traditional humorous theatre has been the continuation of specific character groups. It is realized that these descends can be separated on the basis of ritual, social and historical views. The scapegoat is considered as a ritual descend of clown, and also, the minstrel, gypsy and trickster are his social descends and court jester and public fool represent his historical descends. These characteristics can be seen in the Buyer, Siāh and Mobārak. The scapegoat is our starting point which is an ancient pattern for “the other” and which is related to the clown. The specific example of Iranian scapegoat is Mire-Norouzi that runs a joyful carnival. But the definite descends are social and historical ones, whose qualities can be clearly seen in the Iranian traditional theatre clown. The minstrels who are called Gusān and go back to Sassanid dynasty, Gypsies who settled in Iran ages ago with their beliefs and manners, and tricksters that are known as Ayyārān and their tales in folkloric literature have been very popular, alongside court jesters and public fools play important roles in generating the Iranian traditional clowns. Features such as singing and improvisation from Gusāns, rebellion and marginalization from gypsies, and trickery and cross dressing from Ayyārān, awareness and frankness from court jesters and public fools are depicted in the clowns. This genealogy research finds the clown to be a deep and multi-layer dramatic character and provides a suitable base for further studies in the Iranian contemporary theatre.

cinema as a social environment provide a basis and special situation in which people can gather together, experience a different relationship and can find a new thinking or behavorial approach via watching movies. By going to cinema, people, in addition to utilizing their leisure time effectively, gradually shape their attitudes and behaviors based on what they have seen and heard. This understanding evokes the individuals to change their life styles and interact with others in a kind of free dialogues. In this way, cinema is an effective tool which influences our lives and on the other hand it can be affected by social, economic and marketing factors in a society. In this regard, Cinema industry due to its ability to cultivate a culture and as an obstacle against cultural attack is of so much importance. Cinema demand is under the impact of numerous factors. It is price elastic and positively related to income. Television plays a substitute role for movies and the relation between cinema and video consumption is ambiguous and sometimes a number of variables that are related to movies quality exert a positive or negative influence on cinema attendance. On the other hand, cultural factors and specially marketing factors can affect cinema demand considerably. For example, when the availability of cinema houses (proximity of cinema place to audiences), quality of films (such as using sophisticated technologies of filmmaking, employing famous actors/ actresses and so on) and the advertising costs become relevant factors, the number of cinema attendants may go higher as well. Unfortunately, this industry in Iran despite its potential capabilities was not successful in recent years so that most of investors believe investing in this industry is not rational and cannot be fruitful. Regarding this issue and in order to study the causes of customers’ avoidance of cinema, 470 individuals from Rasht city were selected. To test the validity, face validity approach was used while for testing the reliability of questionnaires two approaches including cronbach’s alpha (81 percent) and split half approach (72 percent) were applied. These tests have confirmed the validity and reliability statistical findings that show the main causes of cinema avoidance would be categorized into 7 factors including many variables such as unavailability of cinemas, the lack of good facilities, weak scenarios, the low quality of role playing of actors and actresses, bad advertising, and illegal broadcasting of films, high price of thickets, downloading movies by internet at home and so on. Based on other analytical tests, respondents are divided into three clusters. First cluster members believe that an unknown director or producer is the reason of cinema avoidance while the members of second cluster argue that the high price of tickets is the main cause. Furthermore, third cluster as the biggest cluster takes this view that the unsuitability of cinema facilities and equipment could be effective. The study suggest that by equipping Iranian cinemas with advanced technologies of showing movies, making films based on socially relevant scenarios, employing well known stars and decrease the price of tickets, cinema industry may be successful bringing the audiences to the movie theatres.

In a very general classification, films can be divided into three groups including fiction, nonfiction (i.e. documentary, experimental….) and animation. Animation, as one major member of the three is a hybrid medium and art form which employs the expressive elements of other arts; that is it hybridizes and utilizes elements of dramatic arts (mainly cinema) and fine arts (painting, graphic design, etc.). Thus it may be said that to study these ‘structural elements’ and utilizing them in an appropriate manner in TV animation production would mediate the ideal effect and message to the viewer. It is possible to group animation productions into three major groups of short experimental animation, feature-length and TV animation. Nowadays, TV animation production comprises the majority of the animation produced in the world since the massive number of TV channels throughout the globe has made such kind of animation highly demanded and marketed. In a very general outlook, it may be said that most TV animations as cheap and fast products have shared properties such as flat perspective, simple color pallets, and simple forms in designing characters as well as limited animation which is mostly mass produced with low budgets. The structural elements of the three different categories of animation mentioned before, while sharing many factors, are different and diverse dependent on the specificities of each medium. Each, have different properties in terms of their scripts, formal structures and so on; visual elements (such as color, form, texture and...) and also other determining factors (such as composition, lighting and so forth), aural elements (such as music, dialogue, and sound effects) and the animation script properties differ dependent on the type of medium as well as the target audience. This research is based on a hypothesis that ignoring the mentioned ‘structural elements’ as well as not considering the differences, properties and functions of the diverse range of animations would result in the production of weak and inefficient works which will eventually fail to communicate with the target audience or the intended message. Based on structural theories, it is possible to uncover the ‘message’ and significations of a work by creating practical relationships among its structural elements. Thus it is possible to consider a film and its narrative as a ‘structure’ or in other words, a specific way to synthesize the building blocks to create a coherent whole. In this research, the theories of Bordwell and Thompson, Esslin, Furniss and others who have proposed theoretical models to study and deconstruct structural elements of a dramatic text based on the concept of mise-en-scene are used to create a new method with consideration of novel relations to come to a comprehensive model by which to analyze animation texts, especially to examine the structural elements of TV animation productions. To reach such a model, the structural elements are divided into the structural/expressive elements specific to animation, dramatic text (screenplay), visual design, sound design, and structural elements of editing, and the properties of each will be studied in depth in the paper.