The Spirit of Sounds: The Unique Art of Ostad Elahi (1895-1974)Associated University Presse, 2003 - 204 pages An unrivaled master of the sacred art of tanbour, an ancient Kurdish lute with an unusually captivating sonority, Ostad Elahi considered his music above all as a means of delving within, discovering truths, and reaching the stage of divine love. |
Table des matières
Introduction | 13 |
The Mystic and Master | 21 |
His Ascendents and the Spiritual Terrain | 22 |
The Vocation of Haj Nemat | 24 |
Education | 26 |
A Child Prodigy | 28 |
Twelve Years of Asceticism | 29 |
A Miraculous Event | 30 |
Spirit Voices and the Celestial Double | 111 |
The Power of Music | 113 |
Effects on Other Beings | 116 |
The Neutralization of Fire | 117 |
Power and Control of the Effect | 120 |
Effects on the Psyche and the Soul | 121 |
Accounts by Artists and Connoisseurs | 122 |
Accounts by Students | 123 |
Music as a Way of Contemplation | 31 |
Initial Hardships | 32 |
In Tehran | 34 |
The Persian Musicians | 35 |
The Turnaround | 36 |
The Renouncement of Renunciation | 37 |
A Compelled Career | 39 |
From One City to Another | 40 |
The Opening | 42 |
The Essence of Religion | 43 |
The Recognition of Masters | 44 |
Departure | 45 |
Chronology | 47 |
The Transfiguration of a Tradition | 50 |
The Elaboration of the Repertoire | 52 |
The Technical Contribution | 54 |
Polyphonic Openings | 55 |
Rhythmic Fluidity | 56 |
Ornamentation | 57 |
Transcendence of Gesture and Instrumental Technique | 58 |
Gesture and Attitude as a Reflection of the Soul | 59 |
Esthetic Aspects | 61 |
A Spiritual Esthetic | 65 |
Tension and Letting Go | 66 |
Invention and Transformation | 70 |
The Structure of Improvisation and the Rhythm | 71 |
Ornamentation and Density | 73 |
Singing and Voice | 75 |
The Spirit of a Tradition The Functions and Purpose of the Art of Music | 78 |
The Needs of the Soul | 79 |
Language of Affects | 80 |
Hal | 83 |
Connection and Revelation | 85 |
How to Listen How to Practice | 86 |
SelfEffacement and Love | 88 |
Esthetic Feeling and Spiritual Receptivity | 89 |
Interiorization | 91 |
The Place of Esthetic Discourse and the Question of Beauty | 92 |
Terrestrial Music and Celestial Music Esthetics and Metaphysics | 95 |
The Substance | 96 |
The Masters Touch | 97 |
Melodic Arrangements | 98 |
The Introductory Motifs as the Cornerstone of the Edifice | 99 |
The Keystone | 100 |
Music as the Interface between Two Worlds | 101 |
Mundus Imaginalis or the Interworld | 103 |
Multiplication and The Gathering | 104 |
Corpuscular Esthetic | 108 |
Souls and Invisible Participants | 109 |
Commentary | 126 |
Sensory Inebriation | 127 |
The Inner Workings of the Effect | 129 |
Towards a Systematic Approach | 130 |
The Context and the Listener | 131 |
The Emotional and Therapeutic Effect | 132 |
The Effect of Intention | 134 |
Interpretation | 135 |
The Effect on the Soul | 136 |
The Principle of Proximity | 137 |
Physical Proximity | 138 |
Affective Ties and Faith | 139 |
Mental Preparation | 141 |
The Legacy of Ostad Elahi | 144 |
Ostads Tanbour Lesson | 146 |
Active Impregnation | 147 |
The Workings of Memory | 148 |
Merit and Favor | 149 |
The Repertoire | 151 |
Basic Typology | 152 |
The Recordings | 153 |
Whats Past is Past | 154 |
The Second Life of a Work | 155 |
The Advantages of the Compact Disc | 156 |
The Ritual and Religious Framework | 157 |
Religious Authorities and the Mystics | 159 |
Music and Devotional Practices | 163 |
The Spiritual Gatherings Jam | 165 |
The Role of Music and the Course of a Traditional Session of Zekr | 166 |
Ostads Music in a RealLife Setting | 167 |
The Tanbour Its Technique and Its Musical System | 169 |
The Place of the Tanbour in the Mystical Culture of the Ahle Haqq | 170 |
History and Organology of the Tanbour | 171 |
The Sides of the Tanbour and Its Manufacturing Process | 174 |
The Tanbours of Gahvare | 177 |
Ostads Instruments | 178 |
Elements of the Musical System | 179 |
Rhythms | 181 |
Some Specifics of the Tanbour and Ostad Elahis Playing Style | 183 |
Ostads Technique | 184 |
Other Instruments | 186 |
An Inventory of the Pieces | 187 |
The Organization of the Repertoire | 193 |
A Guide to Comprehension | 195 |
Critique of the Concept of Belief | 197 |
Hagiology Not Hagiography | 200 |
Glossary of Technical Terms | |
Expressions et termes fréquents
according Ahl-e Haqq airs ancient artistic aspect Azerbaijan Bâbâ believe body bour celestial compact discs constitute context culture dance dastgâh dervishes dimension discourse divine dotâr Eastern effect esthetic experience expression fact faith Farangi feeling fingers forms framework gathering Gnostics Haj Ne'mat hâl hand heart impression improvisations instrument intention interpretation Iran Iranian Jeyhounabad Khân Khâni Khorasan Kurdish Kurds listeners Lorestan lute manifests maqâm master Maurice Béjart melodies milieu modal motifs musician Musique mystic never notes ol-Haqq original ornaments Ostad Elahi Ostad's music Paris participants particular Persian music pieces play the tanbour practice question radif recordings religious remarks repertoire rhythm rhythmic ritual sacred music Sahari Samâ Sangin sense setâr Seyyed Shâh Sheykh Amiri sing sometimes songs sonority soul sounding board spiritual spiritual music strings style Sufi symbolic târ Tarz Tarz-e technical technique Tehran tion touch tradition transcendent words zekr