Rami Chahin

Towards a Spectral Microtonal Composition: A Bridge Between Arabic and Western Music


The music of the Arabic world and the music of the Western world are different because they are the outcomes of different cultures on different continents. Throughout history, bridges have been established to link the creation of mu-sic of both cultures. Exchanges in musical composition have been set in mo-tion by both sides, reflecting an interchange of elements from east and west. Elements of the music of the Babylonians, the Phoenicians, and the Egyptians, can be traced to the music of the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and the Islamic era. Intertextuality arising from the mutual exchange in musical theo-ries has enabled the appearance of new international tuning systems.
In this book the theory of composing Spectral Microtonal Music and other examples of my own compositions based on this theory are expounded. This work is presented as musicological research illustrated by related compositions. I will first consider the historical background of Arabic and Western music and then will demonstrate how, according to this theory, some essential features of Western spectral music of the twentieth century can be combined with the specific microtonality of traditional and new Arabic music, thus forming a new transcultural link between two important cultures.

Format · Buch

ISBN ·   978-3-95983-092-8 (Paperback) | 978-3-95983-093-5 (Hardcover)

URN · urn:nbn:de:101:1-2017120521959

Publikationsort · Schott Campus, Mainz 2017

Zitation · Rami Chahin: Towards a Spectral Microtonal Composition: A Bridge Between Arabic and Western Music, Mainz 2017 [Schott Campus, urn:nbn:de:101:1-2017120521959].