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Instructor Class Description

Time Schedule:

Munir Nurettin Beken
MUSIC 512
Seattle Campus

Seminar in Ethnomusicology

Deals with advanced theoretical and methodological problems in ethnomusicology, and with the relationship of ethnomusicology to allied disciplines. Prerequisite: graduate

Class description

Melodic Modal Systems of the Middle East and Central Asia. Recent decades have witnessed a significant body of research on the topic of melodic modal systems. These studies cover many musical traditions over a vast geographic region, from Morocco to Chinese Turkestan. This seminar will regard mode as a compositional tool on a continuum between tuning systems and large cyclic forms. This paradigm will give us the opportunity to incorporate distinct musical styles and theoretical systems into our discussions. First, we will discuss maqam as a melodic modal entity in Turkish, Arab, Persian, and Central Asian contexts. And second, we will broaden our investigation into the cyclic formats like mugam, nuba, fasil, onikimaqam, shashmaqam, etc., and look at the relationships between different levels of the pitch-form continuum.

Student learning goals

General method of instruction

Recommended preparation

Class assignments and grading


The information above is intended to be helpful in choosing courses. Because the instructor may further develop his/her plans for this course, its characteristics are subject to change without notice. In most cases, the official course syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class.
Last Update by Rebekah G. Mcgee
Date: 11/27/2001