Saturday, May 16, 2009
Updates_part 4 (Insights on Kurdish music)
HISTORY OF KURDISH MUSIC
Kurdish music exist in 4 different types of country: Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria. But I will only expand on Turkey, and Iraq, which I find pretty interesting.
KURDS OF TURKEY
For most of the 20th century, songs in Kurdish Language were banned in Turkey. Some singers sang in Turkish, while others violated the ban and were imprisoned or fled to various countries, especially Germany. In the 2000s the ban has been lifted.
Some of the foremost figures in Kurdish classical music of the past century from this part include Mihemed 'Arif Cizrawî (1912 - 1986), who is considered the greatest Kurdish classical composer and vocalist.
Mihemed 'Arif Cizrawî
CONTINUE
Şivan Perwer, the most famous Kurdish musician of all time, came from the Kurds of Turkey. He came to fame in 1972 during a Kurdish revolt in Iraqi Kurdistan, and became a superstar before fleeing to Germany in 1976. Şivan Perwer is a superb composer, vocalist and tembûr player. He concentrates mainly on political and nationalistic music - of which he is considered the founder in Kurdish music - as well as classical and folk music.
ŞIVAN PERWER
For many years, his songs were banned in Iraq, Syria,and Turkey because they are sung in Kurdish and often cite the oppression against the Kurdish people in the Middle East. He has composed music and sung many songs using the poetry of the late Kurdish poet, Cigerxwîn. Cigerxwîn was well-known for his poetry about the Kurdish struggle and also about Kurdish culture and history. At one time, Cigerxwîn referred to Şivan as "the Voice of his poetry". Kurdish songs (or dengbej) are considered by some to be one of the key elements in preserving the Kurdish culture and history.
Şivan Perwer is something that I could mention in my execution.
OK WAIT!!! I SUDDENLY HAVE SOMETHING IN MIND!!!
Pause the research. Ok now after looking at examples of Information design clip, I have a more clearer view on what I want for my final execution. I want to do something like an information design clip like this one below, and at the same time, I can combine it with video footages. I thought that a narrative wouldnt be a good idea. Or at least at this point of time where I will have difficulties getting locations and casting, filming would not be the ultimate choice. Thus, I have no choice but to stick to motion graphics. DAMN! OOOPZZZ...hehe
Updates_part 3 (Insights on Kurdish music)
Before we jumped into the different types of kurdish instruments, which is mostly the same as the whole middle eastern musical instruments, let me update more on the kurdish music culture.
MORE INFORMATION ON KURDISH MUSIC CULTURE
Traditionally, there are three types of Kurdish Classical performers - storytellers (çîrokbêj), minstrels (stranbêj) and bards (dengbêj). We have learnt about the interesting bards in the previous post, now, lets go into the minstrels.
MINSTRELS
A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories about distant places or about real or imaginary historical events. Though minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Minstrelsy fed into later traditions of traveling entertainers, which continued to be moderately strong into the early 20th century, and which has some continuity down to today's buskers or street musicians.
Some of the musical instruments they used include harps, fiddles, bagpipes, flutes, flageolets, citterns, and kettledrums.
Ahhh interesting!! Buskers actually originated from minstrels!
CONTINUE: HISTORY OF KURDISH MUSIC
Many songs are epic in nature, such as the popular Lawiks which are heroic ballads recounting the tales of Kurdish heroes such as Saladin. Saladin was a Kurdish Muslim who became the Sultan of Egypt and Syria. He led Muslim opposition to the European Crusaders in the Levant.
Kurdish Music has very ancient roots that go back to the Hurrian period of Kurdish history. A Hurrian tablet dating back to the 13th century B.C. was discovered in Ugaret; it contains in its upper portion the text of a Hurrian hymn. In the lower portion, it contains a series of numbers and technical terms that have been interpreted as a score rendering the tune to which the hymn would have been sung. This is then the earliest known musical score in history. ----> an interesting fact indeed!
to be continued later...
MORE INFORMATION ON KURDISH MUSIC CULTURE
Traditionally, there are three types of Kurdish Classical performers - storytellers (çîrokbêj), minstrels (stranbêj) and bards (dengbêj). We have learnt about the interesting bards in the previous post, now, lets go into the minstrels.
MINSTRELS
A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories about distant places or about real or imaginary historical events. Though minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Minstrelsy fed into later traditions of traveling entertainers, which continued to be moderately strong into the early 20th century, and which has some continuity down to today's buskers or street musicians.
Some of the musical instruments they used include harps, fiddles, bagpipes, flutes, flageolets, citterns, and kettledrums.
Ahhh interesting!! Buskers actually originated from minstrels!
CONTINUE: HISTORY OF KURDISH MUSIC
Many songs are epic in nature, such as the popular Lawiks which are heroic ballads recounting the tales of Kurdish heroes such as Saladin. Saladin was a Kurdish Muslim who became the Sultan of Egypt and Syria. He led Muslim opposition to the European Crusaders in the Levant.
Kurdish Music has very ancient roots that go back to the Hurrian period of Kurdish history. A Hurrian tablet dating back to the 13th century B.C. was discovered in Ugaret; it contains in its upper portion the text of a Hurrian hymn. In the lower portion, it contains a series of numbers and technical terms that have been interpreted as a score rendering the tune to which the hymn would have been sung. This is then the earliest known musical score in history. ----> an interesting fact indeed!
to be continued later...
Updates_part 2 (insights on Kurdish music)
THE NOMADIC INFLUENCES ON KURDISH MUSIC
The nomadic way of life had a profound effect on cultural life and especially on music. The songs of the nomad shepherds, the melodies sung in olden times on the occasion of festivities marking the departure for the ZOZAN (high mountains) or the return to the plains, or in the course of celebrations over the birth of lambs or the shearing of the wool, all of these still have an important place today in the repertoire of Kurdish music.
The bold ZOZAN is an ancient city located in Iran. Its listed as one of the world's heritage. I can't seem to find pictures of it.
Nomads are communities of people who moved from one place to another, rather than settling dowm on one location. Sad right
CONTINUE
The demarcation between the mountain culture (of nomad origin) and the sedentary culture of the plains is rather clear in the field of music. While the music of the mountain people makes use particularly of wind instruments, some of which, such as the dûdûk, have a special capacity for creating echo effects, in the instruments of the plains stringed instruments predominate and especially the tenbûr, a six-stringed lute.
INFORMATION ON DUDUK
Duduk is particularly one of the interesting instrument to me because its one of the earliest instrument made (around 1500 - 3000 years ago) and its still being practiced today! Duduk is a woodwind instrument originated from Armenia.
Earlier days, the duduk were made of bone or entirely cane. Till today, some duduks are still made of these as to preserved its origin form. SOOOO COOOOL!!! But most of it is exclusively made of wood with a large double reed. Armenian duduks are mainly made from aged apricot wood. The reed is made from one or two pieces of cane in a duck-bill type assembly. Unlike other double-reed instruments, the reed is quite wide, helping to give the duduk both its unique, mournful sound, as well as its remarkable breath requirements. The duduk player is called dudukahar (դուդուկահար) in Armenian.
Its sound is clean and pleasant.
Duduk (also called gemete)
Oh the duduk is famously used in the 2000 movie Gladiator. Below you can see a man playing the gladiator theme song using the duduk! Maybe I should contact him to steal his duduk from him!!
INFORMATION ON TEMBUR
Tembur is a fretted-string instrument. It is associated with the Ahl-e Haqq religion in Kurdish areas and in the Lorestān Province of Iran. It is currently the only musical instrument used in Ahl-e Haqq rituals, and practitioners venerate the tembûr as a sacred object.
The resonator is pear-shaped and made of either a single piece or multiple carvels of mulberry wood. The neck is made of walnut wood and has fourteen frets.
This is the best picture of a tembur I can find.
Lets take a look at how its being played.
Hmmmm, tembur is not an interesting instrument to be further studied and developed (based on information-wise). But it is one of the more popular insrtument used maybe because of the easy-listening sound and its cool and easy to play. Just like our guitar, whereby its one of the more popular instruments used because its easy to learn to play, but master it, HELL NO. Also, it does give an interested insights which is its linking with the Ahl-e Haqq religion.
AHL-E HAQQ RELIGION
AHL-E HAQQ means People Of Truth. They are members of a religion founded by Sultan Sahak in the late 14th century in western Iran.
There is a long history of this religion. Shall I research on it? I scan through the history of it and nothing interesting really caught my eye, and its a bit too philosophical.
The nomadic way of life had a profound effect on cultural life and especially on music. The songs of the nomad shepherds, the melodies sung in olden times on the occasion of festivities marking the departure for the ZOZAN (high mountains) or the return to the plains, or in the course of celebrations over the birth of lambs or the shearing of the wool, all of these still have an important place today in the repertoire of Kurdish music.
The bold ZOZAN is an ancient city located in Iran. Its listed as one of the world's heritage. I can't seem to find pictures of it.
Nomads are communities of people who moved from one place to another, rather than settling dowm on one location. Sad right
CONTINUE
The demarcation between the mountain culture (of nomad origin) and the sedentary culture of the plains is rather clear in the field of music. While the music of the mountain people makes use particularly of wind instruments, some of which, such as the dûdûk, have a special capacity for creating echo effects, in the instruments of the plains stringed instruments predominate and especially the tenbûr, a six-stringed lute.
INFORMATION ON DUDUK
Duduk is particularly one of the interesting instrument to me because its one of the earliest instrument made (around 1500 - 3000 years ago) and its still being practiced today! Duduk is a woodwind instrument originated from Armenia.
Earlier days, the duduk were made of bone or entirely cane. Till today, some duduks are still made of these as to preserved its origin form. SOOOO COOOOL!!! But most of it is exclusively made of wood with a large double reed. Armenian duduks are mainly made from aged apricot wood. The reed is made from one or two pieces of cane in a duck-bill type assembly. Unlike other double-reed instruments, the reed is quite wide, helping to give the duduk both its unique, mournful sound, as well as its remarkable breath requirements. The duduk player is called dudukahar (դուդուկահար) in Armenian.
Its sound is clean and pleasant.
Duduk (also called gemete)
Oh the duduk is famously used in the 2000 movie Gladiator. Below you can see a man playing the gladiator theme song using the duduk! Maybe I should contact him to steal his duduk from him!!
INFORMATION ON TEMBUR
Tembur is a fretted-string instrument. It is associated with the Ahl-e Haqq religion in Kurdish areas and in the Lorestān Province of Iran. It is currently the only musical instrument used in Ahl-e Haqq rituals, and practitioners venerate the tembûr as a sacred object.
The resonator is pear-shaped and made of either a single piece or multiple carvels of mulberry wood. The neck is made of walnut wood and has fourteen frets.
This is the best picture of a tembur I can find.
Lets take a look at how its being played.
Hmmmm, tembur is not an interesting instrument to be further studied and developed (based on information-wise). But it is one of the more popular insrtument used maybe because of the easy-listening sound and its cool and easy to play. Just like our guitar, whereby its one of the more popular instruments used because its easy to learn to play, but master it, HELL NO. Also, it does give an interested insights which is its linking with the Ahl-e Haqq religion.
AHL-E HAQQ RELIGION
AHL-E HAQQ means People Of Truth. They are members of a religion founded by Sultan Sahak in the late 14th century in western Iran.
There is a long history of this religion. Shall I research on it? I scan through the history of it and nothing interesting really caught my eye, and its a bit too philosophical.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Updates on research
I have alot of research to update here as I never been updating much for the past week. Ahhh All these research which I never presented. Like what Miss Tina said, I chose the wrong ones to present, leaving them clueless to what I was saying. I might be dividing it into parts to look more clean.
First, I took a look at Kurdish music (from the middle eastern music).
WHAT KURDISH MUSIC IS FOR:
From historical chronicles to lyric poetry and from epics to literary works, all are sung, everything is put to music in order to be better or more easily memorised and thus handed down to posterity.
Kurdish music is, then, principally folk music and "anonymous". The circumstances of its origins and development are, in fact, very diverse and difficult to establish with accuracy. originally purely vocal, a song was often composed by a woman wishing to express her feelings of sadness or, more rarely, of joy. It might also break forth in the course of the poetic contests the young men and women indulged in on their return along mountain paths or at other gatherings of young people: nocturnal meetings in the village square, New Year's celebrations, marriage ceremonies which might last from three days to three weeks. or, then again, a song might be created from the blow of tragic events.
The first 2 para are taken from http://www.institutkurde.org/en/kurdorama/music/
So, after all the songs have been composed and created, they were given to the BARDS (called dengbej) to popularize it. A little information about bards...Bards travel from village to village, encampment to encampment, to promote the songs. Bards are usually specialize in one type of musical instrument. Interesting...
BARDS
Transmitted orally from generation to generation, the song, as a general rule, retains quite faithfully its original words. But the melody is only a very supple frame, subject to constant modifications and to continuous renewal a renewal which helps to perfect the music and provides a guarantee of its perennial quality.
I think Bard is an interesting element which I can use for my short film/docu/info design or whatever which I still havent figure it out YET!! ARGH!!!
Kurdish have also had influences on the NOMAD and its way of life.
More info on kurdish music culture can be found in this website http://www.institutkurde.org/en/kurdorama/music/
First, I took a look at Kurdish music (from the middle eastern music).
WHAT KURDISH MUSIC IS FOR:
From historical chronicles to lyric poetry and from epics to literary works, all are sung, everything is put to music in order to be better or more easily memorised and thus handed down to posterity.
Kurdish music is, then, principally folk music and "anonymous". The circumstances of its origins and development are, in fact, very diverse and difficult to establish with accuracy. originally purely vocal, a song was often composed by a woman wishing to express her feelings of sadness or, more rarely, of joy. It might also break forth in the course of the poetic contests the young men and women indulged in on their return along mountain paths or at other gatherings of young people: nocturnal meetings in the village square, New Year's celebrations, marriage ceremonies which might last from three days to three weeks. or, then again, a song might be created from the blow of tragic events.
The first 2 para are taken from http://www.institutkurde.org/en/kurdorama/music/
So, after all the songs have been composed and created, they were given to the BARDS (called dengbej) to popularize it. A little information about bards...Bards travel from village to village, encampment to encampment, to promote the songs. Bards are usually specialize in one type of musical instrument. Interesting...
BARDS
Transmitted orally from generation to generation, the song, as a general rule, retains quite faithfully its original words. But the melody is only a very supple frame, subject to constant modifications and to continuous renewal a renewal which helps to perfect the music and provides a guarantee of its perennial quality.
I think Bard is an interesting element which I can use for my short film/docu/info design or whatever which I still havent figure it out YET!! ARGH!!!
Kurdish have also had influences on the NOMAD and its way of life.
More info on kurdish music culture can be found in this website http://www.institutkurde.org/en/kurdorama/music/
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Middle Eastern Music
These are a few different types of world music I found on YOUTUBE.
Amr Diab - Known as the King of Middle Eastern music
Ahh this is quite interesting. I just found this. Its a pop song witth a touch of middle eastern dance rythms.
Other instrumental middle eastern music can be found in this website!
http://www.reemcreations.com/culture/music/haramtahebbak.mid
Amr Diab - Known as the King of Middle Eastern music
Ahh this is quite interesting. I just found this. Its a pop song witth a touch of middle eastern dance rythms.
Other instrumental middle eastern music can be found in this website!
http://www.reemcreations.com/culture/music/haramtahebbak.mid
Short Film
Definition of a short film.
There are 2 definitions to a short film, one is by following the North American way, and the other, the European way.
The American stated that a short film generally refers to films between 20-40 minutes, whereas the European definition stated that a short film can be of a duration between 1-15 minutes, so long as it touches a minute. The North American also tend to focus more on character whereas the European focuses on visual drama and plot twist.
Short films often focus on difficult topics which longer, more commercial films usually avoid. Short films can be classified based on story line. There may be single, duo, triple, or multi-version modes in picturizing a short film. Short films can be made to test new technologies and techniques.
On conclusion, short film can be an experimental film (duh)....
There are 2 definitions to a short film, one is by following the North American way, and the other, the European way.
The American stated that a short film generally refers to films between 20-40 minutes, whereas the European definition stated that a short film can be of a duration between 1-15 minutes, so long as it touches a minute. The North American also tend to focus more on character whereas the European focuses on visual drama and plot twist.
Short films often focus on difficult topics which longer, more commercial films usually avoid. Short films can be classified based on story line. There may be single, duo, triple, or multi-version modes in picturizing a short film. Short films can be made to test new technologies and techniques.
On conclusion, short film can be an experimental film (duh)....
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Research
Firstly, I want to start of by saying that Im still hooked on to the cinematography book that Miss Tina had lent me! Perhaps I could experiment the screenwriter's techniques when I execute my project later on.
I researched on this term called SOCIOMUSICOLOGY. Its actually a broad topic which also includes ethnomusicology. However, sociomusicology focuses more on the musical behaviour and the role of music in the industry. It maintains a relatively less of an emphasis on ethnic and national identity, but a strong interest in observable behaviour and musical interactions within a society.
Ahhh now that is something for a start! Not bad eh. I'm also still reading up on the long history of the instrument Didgeridoo from northen Australia. Interesting to see how it evolves from a Eucalyptus tree into an instrument today.
Different kinds of Didgeridoo
Next, I took a look at Middle Eastern music, from Morocco to Afghanistan. Its influenced by the music from Greece and India. Some of the famous genre of music under Middle Eastern music is the Cypriot music (a type of Turkish Medieval music). the Kurdish music (also from Turkey), Arabesque music, Arabic pop/rap.
Characteristics of Middle Eastern and North African music include very complex rhythmic structures, generally tense vocal tone, and a homophonic texture.
Here are some of the arabic instruments:
http://www.maqamworld.com/instruments.html
There are just soooooooooo many interestingand wonderful things to read up under Middle Eastern music and it leads to all sorts of different styles of other Music. What I had in mind now while typing this is to study all this different kind of Middle Eastern genre, and then perhaps fuse them with a different set of cultural/ethnic music. Might work or not. Well, I still have the edutainment backup, right Miss Tina..?!
I researched on this term called SOCIOMUSICOLOGY. Its actually a broad topic which also includes ethnomusicology. However, sociomusicology focuses more on the musical behaviour and the role of music in the industry. It maintains a relatively less of an emphasis on ethnic and national identity, but a strong interest in observable behaviour and musical interactions within a society.
Ahhh now that is something for a start! Not bad eh. I'm also still reading up on the long history of the instrument Didgeridoo from northen Australia. Interesting to see how it evolves from a Eucalyptus tree into an instrument today.
Different kinds of Didgeridoo
Next, I took a look at Middle Eastern music, from Morocco to Afghanistan. Its influenced by the music from Greece and India. Some of the famous genre of music under Middle Eastern music is the Cypriot music (a type of Turkish Medieval music). the Kurdish music (also from Turkey), Arabesque music, Arabic pop/rap.
Characteristics of Middle Eastern and North African music include very complex rhythmic structures, generally tense vocal tone, and a homophonic texture.
Here are some of the arabic instruments:
http://www.maqamworld.com/instruments.html
There are just soooooooooo many interestingand wonderful things to read up under Middle Eastern music and it leads to all sorts of different styles of other Music. What I had in mind now while typing this is to study all this different kind of Middle Eastern genre, and then perhaps fuse them with a different set of cultural/ethnic music. Might work or not. Well, I still have the edutainment backup, right Miss Tina..?!
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