The Music of Medieval Iran - An Introduction to Middle-Eastern Music Theory

This is an introductory overview of the most general aspects of Medieval Iranian music; it also serves as an insight into Middle-Eastern, Near-Eastern, and most historical Greek musical traditions as a whole, so even though the concepts here are described using a Medieval Iranian lens and terminology, they also apply broadly to much of the Arab world, the Turks, Greeks, etc, both their medieval music as well as much of the current music. Sources: The Modal System of pre-Dastgāh music, Arya Kabiri The Modal System of Arabian and Persian Music, 1250 - 1500: An interpretation of Contemporary Texts, Owen Wright Music Theory in the Safavid Era: The Taqsim-al-Nagāmat, Owen Wright Theory and Practice in the Music of the Islamic World: Essays in Honour of Owen Wright, multiple authors 00:00 Intro 04:06 The Road to the Middle-Ages 08:50 The Octave Division 15:35 The Maqām 24:00 The Dāng - Tetrachordal Conscience 30:17 The Notation System 40:40 Conclusion