Society for Ethnomusicology

Rhythmic Aspects of the vz in Persian Music

Author(s): Gen'ichi Tsuge
Source: Ethnomusicology, Vol. 14, No. 2 (May, 1970), pp. 205-227
Published by: University of Illinois Press on behalf of Society for Ethnomusicology
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/849797
Accessed: 01/06/2010 05:18

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at
http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless
you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you
may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use.

Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at
http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=illinois.

Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed
page of such transmission.

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of
content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms
of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Society for Ethnomusicology and University of Illinois Press are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve
and extend access to Ethnomusicology.

http://www.jstor.org
 RHYTHMICASPECTS OF THE AVAZ IN PERSIAN MUSIC

Gen'ichi Tsuge

ne of the most striking characteristicsof the Persianvocal style,l the

avaz, is its unique rhythmic texture of unmeasuredrubato. Unlike its
neighboring counterparts, such as the dldp in Indian music or the taqsim in
Arab and Turkish music (which primarilyserves to present a contrast to the
main body of the music based on a definite meter), the avaz is the basic style
and main body of Persianmusic. The measuredsections such as chahdrmezrdb,
kereshmeh,reng and zarbi may be considered ratherto offset the major part,
in the flexible rubato rhythm.
The rhythmic aspects of the avaz which, as we said before, form the
core of Persian music, have been almost entirely neglected. Of the few studies
concerning the dastgah ('the contemporary art music of Iran') that have so
far been written, most of these deal exclusively with scales, intervals, and
modal structures.Actually none of them goes further and treats the subject of
this unique rhythm, which seems to me essential to elucidate the character-
istics of Persianmusic.
If we look back on the history of Islamic music theory, we come across
the terms for rhythmic organizationsuch as iqd' (pl. iq'aat: 'rhythmicmode')
or usul ('principalrhythmic mode') described by Al-Kindi, Al-Farabi, Safi
al-Din, and others; thus, these rhythmic modes were apparently once used in
Persian music. In the contemporary practice, however, they are no longer
employed in Iran, though they have survivedin Arabic music still today. The
musical term "zarb" (derived from the Arabic darb;2pl. durnb) which means
'rhythm,' 'meter' or 'drum (accompaniment)'in contemporaryPersian, seems
to be the only remnant which suggests a remote link with medieval music
theory.
As is generally known, the theory of modal rhythm in medievalmusical
practice was originally derived from the Greek theory of metricalverse. Most
music theorists in Islamic history were prosodists at the same time. For ex-
ample, Al-Khalilibn Ahmad (d. 791), the author of one of the earliest books
on "rhythm," is the alleged inventor of the 'aruz, 'the science of Arabic
versification'(Farmer 1965:1).
The theory of rhythm (iqa') was, however, developed later independent-
ly of the prosody system and applied to the instrumentalrhythm of Islam to
be "retied to verse meters" (Sachs 1943:287).

205
206 TSUGE: RHYTHMIC ASPECTS OF THE AVAZ

It must be clearly understood that the avaz has nothing to do with the
iqa' system, but is connected rather directly with the Arabo=Persianversifica-
tion system, the 'aruz, which was once the basis of the iqa'. For, the avaz is
primarilythe music on which Persianclassicalverses are to be sung, and those
verses are essentially based upon the 'aruz system.
The present paper is a preliminarydiscussion of the rhythmic organiza-
tion of the avaz, the unique vocal style in the contemporaryart music of Iran.
Since "rhythm both organizes, and is itself organized by, all the elements
which create and shape musical processes"(Cooper & Meyer 1960:1), all these
elements of music must be taken into considerationin order to approachthis
multiform and troublesome problem. In this short paper we shall confine
ourselves only to the elements which can be observed in aural descriptive
transcriptions without enlisting the aid of electronic devices such as the
hyper-sensitivemelograph The main question is posed: what kind of rhythmic
organizationis avaz singingbased upon?

VERSIFICATIONPRINCIPLES

It is generally known that the most distinct rhythmic factor in the avaz
comes from the verses sung. "The poem gives rise to a recurrentrhythmic
structure in what initially appears to be a completely free performance"
(Zonis 1965:645).
Then, how does the poetic meter actually control the melodic move-
ment in the avaz? On the other hand, to what extent is the melody free from
the despotism of poetry?
First of all, let us acquaint ourselves with the nature of the Persian
languageand the rhythmic aspect of its versificationsystem.
Accordingto Persiangrammar,there are two types of vowels in terms of
length: a, i, and u are supposed to be "long" by nature;whereas, a, e, and o
are supposed to be "short." This distinction of length is importantin poetry,
and constitutes the basis of the classicalversificationsystem. Thus, this quan-
titative aspect of the vowels is still observed today in reciting poetry and in a
certain style of oratory. The long vowels, a, i, u and also the diphthongs ey
and ow, are theoretically considered to be twice as long as short ones, a, e,
and o, as in ancient Greek. In daily conversation,however, this difference of
duration is hardly perceived, and the quantitative distinction does not seem
more important than the qualitative one. In ordinary pronunciation "it is
principally by their timbre that these vowels are differentiated" (Lazard
1957:12).
Stress accent in modern Persian seems to be of much importance. The
position of stress in a word may change its meaning or nuance. However, at
 TSUGE: RHYTHMICASPECTSOF THE AVAZ 207

this point it will be sufficient for us to bear in mind that the primaryaccent
falls on the last syllable of a word.
These two phonetic aspects, the quantitative and qualitative, do effect
the two opposed versificationprinciplesin Persian:
1) the classical versification system based on the quantity of syllables
(the 'aruz), found in verses sung in the avaz.
2) the versification principle based on the number of syllables without
distinction of quantity (the taqti'-e dhangi or heji'i), found in verses for the
tasnif ('ballad' or 'a song type in fixed rhythm' accompaniedby the zarb or
drum).
However, we will not touch upon the latter principle, but concern our-
selves exclusively with the former, the 'aruz system.

'ARUZ

The prosody system by which classical Persian verses are scanned is

called 'elm-e 'aruz (derived from Arabic, meaning 'science of versification').
This was actually adopted by Persian prosodists from the Arabic system,
whose invention is attributed to Al-Khalilibn Ahmad, "one of the famous
scholars of the Al-Basraschool of Arabic philology,... the only great musical
theorist of his day" (Farmer 1929:126).
In short, the main points of scansions in Persian are as follows (Weil
1960, Platts 1911; Khanlari1959; Minovi:personalcommunication, 1965):
1) A long syllable is assumed to be equal to two shorts, as in ancient
Greek. The concept of syllable, however, is based on the peculiarities of
Arabic script.
2) One individual 'moving' consonant (harf-e motaharrak),-a con-
sonant with a vowel sign-corresponds to what is called a short syllable.
3) Two consonants of which the first is 'moving' and the second
'quiescent' (saken), correspond to what is called a long syllable. (Theoretical-
ly this combination is also recognizedas a long vowel).
4) There are four kinds of syllables in Persianverses as far as the meters
are concerned:
a) short (ba): a consonant + a short vowel
b) long (bas): a consonant + a short vowel + a consonant; or
(ba): a consonant + a long vowel
c) long [+ short] (bast): a consonant + a short vowel + two con-
sonants (except n as a nasal);or
(b_2s)ja consonant + a long vowel + a consonant (except n)
d) long + short (bast): a consonant + a long vowel + two consonants
(except n)
208 TSUGE: RHYTHMICASPECTSOF THE AVAZ

c) and d) fall in the rule called nim-fatheh ('semi-vocalization')and the

additional short, hypothetical vowel at the end is not actually pronounced,
but must always be counted unless it is situated at the end of a line, either a
mesrd' ('hemistich') or a beyt ('couplet').
5) There are certain arbitraryusages of the length of a syllable: for
example, monosyllabic words ending in -o (like to, do, and cho, and in -eh
(like keh and cheh; the ending h is silent), or words ending with the ezdfeh
can be treated as either short or long depending on their position in the
meter. The letter vav (the word for 'and') may be treated either as a short
vowel (o), or as a consonant followed by a short vowel (va), or as a long
vowel (u).
Every meter comes into being, either by repetition of one rhythmic
foot, or by the orderly combination of two feet, either in their originalform
or modified. The primary feet, accordingto Al-Khalilibn Ahmed, are eight in
number,and representedby Arabic mnemonic words as follows:
1. fa'ulon 2. fd'elon
v - v -

3. mafa'ilon 4. mostaf'elon
5. fa'eldton 6. mafd'alaton
-- v - -U -
V -w

7. motafd'elon 8. maf'ulto
w - V-
X, -_ w

The above-mentionedpoints of Persian prosody will be well illustrated

in the following scansion of a beyt from the Shdhndmeh of Ferdowsi
(d.ca.1020):
Kamarbay o barsdkht(o)mar jano) r
Beh
0-
zin -andar dvard(o)
v - -" v
shabrang(o)
v
rd
-
/ /
Translation(Warner1909:119):
Bizhan girt up his loins, armed for strife,
And put the saddle on his steed Shabrang.
This meter (bahr) is called Motaqdreb-emosamman-emahzuf ('apocopated
octameter motaqdreb'), consisting of eight feet (fa'ulon), two of which are
apocopated(fa'ul) at the end of each hemistich.

RELATIONSHIPOF POETICMETERTO NOTE VALUES

First of all, let us take an example from simple folk singingratherthan

the elaborate and artistic singing of the radif, expecting that it might reveal
the basic characteristicsmore clearly. This example Dobeyti ('distich') from
Khoraisn is a typical folk rendition in the avaz style. The first two couplets
and their scansion go as follows:
 TSUGE: RHYTHMICASPECTSOF THE AVAZ 209

Bahdrdmad
- -
bahdrdmad khoshamad
U V - - - V
'Ali ba zolfeqdrdmad khoshdmad
'Ali bd zolfeqdr Qanbarjalal dad
Emdm-e
- -
hasht-o
-
char amad
_-
khoshdmad
-
V _ w

Translation:

Springhas come, springhas come, welcome!

Ali has come with his jagged sword, welcome!
Ali glorified Ghambarwith his sword.
The twelve Imams have come, welcome!
The metric organization in these verses is very distinct; each hemistich
has eleven syllables; short and long syllables are organized in the following
sequence: maff'ilo'n maff'ilon maff'i. In the 'aruz, this meter is called Hazaj-e
mosaddas-e mahzuf ('apocopated hexameter hazaj'), consisting of six
"hazaj"-typefeet in a couplet.

Example 1: Dobeyti, as sung by Mirza 'Ali Qasemi of Semezqand, Khorasan; re-

corded at Radio Mashhad; transcribed by G. Tsuge3 (the first, second and third couplets
are illustrated in a comparative score).

Tempo rubato ( =ca. 72)

*+(i)'(^JjJ j. z : J'
Bo har A mad Ba h'ar A ma - ad, Khosha- ma

'A Ii Ba Zol , fe q&rr Qan ba - Tar Ja lal Da -

$Si~4f eL ~i , t? i
Be zon_Ney Ra Ke Ghom Da ra- - ad De le - Man-

I ar
v if ir I

.... 1...- (d)

ir_J si_S B,, .? 8

.- - - - - - - - - - - (d)
iL s _ L s (n)
'ffn
ytJ_^^BJ J I _ J J J B^Tn
- - -- - ?- - -(n)
210 TSUGE: RHYTHMIC ASPECTS OF THE AVAZ

I ,5 ,_ ^ (co.4sec./

n' A i E_ Zol fe qor A_ mod -- Khosha mod

nJ' d (ca.9 sec )
-

n' E ma me Hosh-_ to Clhr

A_ mad Khosha mad

11 1 l m
4(b]5: ; ; ' FRA J_A2JJJ;:2
RfR J )
n Bezon Ney Ra Ke Du re Man ze le_ Man

Let us examine the transcription:

1) Generally speaking, this singing adheresstrongly to the poetic meter.
2) The opening short syllables of each foot are faithfully observed in
the melody without exception. They are alloted either a fourth or a third of a
quarternote.
3) All the long syllables which follow are assigned larger note values
than that representing2/3 of a quarternote.
4) The last long syllables of each foot are given much largernote values
than those in the middle. This is particularlytrue about the last long syllables
of each hemistich which correspondto the end of the largerphrases.
5) The lengthening of the last long syllables of each hemistich and the
following rests seem to be ratherarbitrarilyprolonged.
6) Following the last foot of the first hemistich the tahrir ('a melis-
matic embellishment')appearsmore frequently.
7) The time duration of the last foot ( u--: 3 syllables) of each
hemistich is longer than that of the preceding two feet (v - -- ---: 8
syllables).
8) The third phrase begins with the surplussyllable of the second foot.
Now let us examine some examples from the classical avaz singing,
beginningwith an example which correspondsmore closely to poetic meter.
The present example Chahdr-bdgh is a famous gusheh in Hejdz, and is al-
ways sung with the versesof Hatef of Esfahan, an eighteenth-centurypoet.
Notwithstanding that this gusheh always sung in a rather free un-
is
measuredstyle, most notations of this melody appear in a strict triple meter
(3/4) (Vaziri 1933:131-32; 1936:153-54; 1937:139-40; Ma'aroufi 1963:
Avdz-e Dastdn-e 'Arab No. 17). The fact that this melody is far from the
established 3/4 meter was clearly demonstratedby AbolhasanSaba's notations
(Saba 1946:4-5; 1948:13; 1956:16). Taking the poetic meter as the rhythmic
basis, Saba insists that the rhythmic organizationof Chahdr-baghwas original-
 TSUGE: RHYTHMICASPECTSOF THE AVAZ 211

ly 7/4 (or 7/8 for the sake of comparison with 3/4). Neither Vaziri's nor
Saba's notation can illustrate adequately this subtle rhythm of, so to speak,
the half-singingand half-recitingverses, although Saba's seems more preferable
to me.
The first two couplets of the verses and their scansions are as follows:

Cheh shavad beh chehre-yezard-e man nazarize rdh-ekhoda koni

- _ w v w _
_
v
_
v
_
V
_ - w#
w w

Keh agar koni hameh dard-eman beh yeki kereshmehdavd koni

~ - -V - - $ - - v - -
V V V U v w

To kamdnkeshideh
_- -
o dar kamin keh zani beh tiram o man ghamin
v V - V - - V -
v v u
U UU

Hame-yeghamam bovad az hamin keh khodd nakardehkhatd koni

v - w - - j v V - -

Translation:
Would to heaven, you could see my shallow face,
Could you do that, all my pains would be healed by a single glance.
You draw the bow, and waiting in ambush to shoot me, and I am in sorrow.
I grieve that should you miss-heaven forbid-all would be lost.
As we have seen distinctly, these couplets are based on the meter Kdmel-e
mosamman-esalem, consisting of eight identical feet, motafa'elon. - ~-
uv '

Example 2: Chahar-bdgh from Avaz of Abu'Ata, as sung by Khatereh Parvaneh;

Folkways Records FW 8832, Classical Music of Iran, v. 2, side II, band one; transcribed
by G. Tsuge; shown in a comparative score with Vaziri's notation (Vaziri 1933:131).
Vdziri's:

in p=^j^J nB^ 4J .Lr

Voice Rubfto (J ca 60)

Cheh
w.
Shovd___
- BehChe
- h(e) -re-ye Zar
/ >/ -_Q
- de Man
-
v
Tar accompaniment T T T
bY pJ j j T yr v

Pb' 3 f r -^^ .*L.L-U4J-,_.M^...

(n) N za ri Ze Ra - - he Kho da Ko ni
-
+ T
TJO~~
-
J
T -
d'?+ #
212 TSUGE: RHYTHMIC ASPECTS OF THE AVAZ

, t__n
I4 .I J _ ,
_J. J

Keh A ga - r Ko ni Ha meh D - de Man

,P - L ~ . <Lm rj: J]J LIQ.hj _

BehYe ki Ke re- - sh me Do vo Ko ni

4b' TO1J rT, OTJ J~

II
Rubto ( J = ca.66) L L T L
T6r 4Ilo t _r

(J= 72) . r T T

( I-08 )

(: T108)T

T (J= 90)
_ T

( =ca. 60)
Voice --_

To Ka mn - Ka shi. de(v)oDar Ka min Va

T;
TAr J T
i
 TSUGE: RHYTHMIC ASPECTS OF THE AVAZ 213

LL

LP
4 > I ,
'7 Ja
-----
- - -
r.. Y - - -
_-
T T
b, fr J
L
VPLIJ f7$ 'Fp A ^L

Keh Za ni Beh Ti_ ro mo Mon Gha min

"T T

T T

b r ~ r
A
35 31

Homeh ye Gha mom. Bo va dAz__ min

0 T

LB B

Keh Kho dal Na kar - - deh Khata Ko ni

,rr L

Keh Kho d N kr - - deh Khat Ko ni

|flr7
f T T
214 TSUGE: RHYTHMICASPECTSOF THE AVAZ

Let us take a closer look at the transcription:

1) Here again, the poetic meter is quite faithfully observed;the three
short syllables in each foot are never prolongedbeyond a sixteenth note nor a
triplet-eighthnote. (In Vaziri's transcription, these short syllables are repre-
sented by two successiveeighth notes and a grace note, in 3/4 meter).
2) Each poetic foot is divided into two groups: the first anapestic,
containing three syllables (v , -); and the last iambic, two syllables (, -).
This division coincides with Vaziri'sbar lines.
3) A word may be split into two by the metrical groupingsas seen in
the following case (in the first line):
Beh chehre-yezard-e man is actually scanned as follows:
Behcheh reyezar
-
deman
v -/V v -
In such a case, there is a tendency to avoid prolonging and embellishingthe
long syllables so that their meaning can be clearly heard. (Compare the first
line of the transcriptionwith the second line). However,this is not always true.
Sometimes the phrasingis based entirely upon scansion regardlessof meaning.

We will now look at an example from a very artistic singingstyle of the

avaz. This piece of avaz under consideration, called Deylamdn, seems to be a
rather new gusheh in the radif, since such a gusheh can not be found in the
early radif-ha of Mirza Abdollah school. Deylaman, however, is seen in the
radif of Abolhasan Saba (Khatschi 1962:1-35; 73-88). Saba's transcriptionin
the western staff-notation appears in his radif for the violin and also for the
santur(Saba 1954:6; 1956:30).
Let us examine the relationship between the poetic meter and the
rhythmic flexibility in a transcriptionof Deylamdn made from Gholamhoseyn
Banan's celebrated singing, for he is largely responsible for the general popu-
larity of this avaz.
On the melody based on the dashti mode, three couplets from a ghazal
of Sa'di (1184-1292) are sung. The verses and their scansion go as follows:
Chondndar qeyd-e mehratpdy(e) bandam
- - - - - - - -
v

Keh gu 'i ahu-ye sar dar kamandam

- - U -
v v

Gahi bar dard-ebidarmdn

- - - begeryam
-
v
Gahi bar
-
hal-e
- V -
bisdmdn bekhandam
U
v _ _ _

Na
U
Majnun-am
- -
keh
-
del- barddram
- U -
az dust
-

Madeh
w gar 'aqeli
- v
bihudeh
- - w pandam
-n-

Translation:
Thus am I bound in love's fetters,
Like a stag snaredby the throat.
 TSUGE: RHYTHMIC ASPECTS OF THE AVAZ 215

Sometimes, in my hopeless affliction, I cry out in pain;

Sometimes, in my homeless state, I scorn my chains.
I am not Majnunwho had the strength to leave his love,
Do not plead againstme in vain, oh sage!
If you have understanding.
The poetic meter employed here is called Hazaj-e mosaddas-e mahzuf
('apocopatedhexameterhazaj).

Example 3: Deylamdn, as sung by Gholamhoseyn Banan; Royal Records (Iran),

RT-537, side II; transcribed by G. Tsuge; Abolhasan Saba's (prescriptive) transcription is
added for the sake of comparison (Saba 1954:6).

~
Sab2: Ip
I I AN- _1f
I
Tamrn
*" r%t '" ntn I h=- rn QOA_.-%Q
Voice V, L-..,P , M
B
I " P

y -w?
actul Chonn
8 pitch 8 "-

Srntrur

Dar Qey - - - - - _ - de

Iprrr < rrrrrrr:=r r

r
I r I

lDr eey de

.t_h_ ~~
 Y !

216 TSUGE: RHYTHMIC ASPECTS OF THE AVAZ

^? __r Y
.L (.h = ca. 102)
I -
I Cr ,
8 Ba n - dam

r -_

I I

KeGu- - F-L]
rpprr-r
A -- - Jrj- [
Ke mGu - d- A -.-. . . -
-i

Tr 'r
rrrrrrrf' I

' IIfrn
If yI
ri
ye Sar Oar

I kl(p[ii' V-'-tl I

In T
ibbo

K"
w
man
_-
- - darn
-_
?t - T P
r^f

sL~~~ _ ___^ 7 Tr*_

_ -Lr1-d
;;
stF ff EiL ;> _o
 TSUGE: RHYTHMIC ASPECTS OF THE AVAZ 217

5i

r- r r r
MC
I; r r-'t 67

r-
ij'lfT^ffl-ft? r
I rit. - r at - t em po
-d ar- man Bge r - - - yom

8fl
^TGahi i Hai-
Barj e -
Bi
(.fJ=c126) _-f LLi J2012

- daB m sr - . - - - daam

' -
t1 s

I? rr' ri-t atep-o

rTT^rrrr^p

4
218 TSUGE: RHYTHMIC ASPECTS OF THE AVAZ

?A1K.V viF----F- FCT I

i~ , r Jr . . !
'I L

Barda - ramAz Dust

II
NW L ww

, , r
I
No Maj - nu nam. Ke Del
5./ T
T

B- fr : . r

Z (d rr) >J. I r

Bar - da - ramAz Dust

__ _~ - _'_T'~
F L-- 3j ;t
]~~~ i * - 10- CtJ
 I

TSUGE: RHYTHMIC ASPECTS OF THE AVAZ 219

I ! I
I"^V 191-mft fr r r' r F-f r
r *
( '" r _,- _ , I

I ( =:c.J02-108) ---B
- oc l.- Q e
. Lc
Qf ef^ p
! r rrrI.
r _ . . _ ?
ModehGorA -qe- i
B
T T T
_m

' __r-"-
cr_-_
I.v~Nr
(= -ca. 96) accel. a tempo

^ trJr m - r
Bi - hu - de Pan - dam

^r-6 f rgp^r'"-^^I

( h= ca.90)

8 Madeh Gar A - - qe-li

.L TT

~.
FvrI ~

Bi hu de Pan - -- -dam.

T
4'T U~3SSrJ T Ai
220 TSUGE: RHYTHMICASPECTSOF THE AVAZ

The following three comments about this transcriptionshould be borne

in mind:
1) The short syllables at the beginning of each foot are again confined
to a short sixteenth note. The long syllables which follow are held as long as
desired, especially the final long syllable which is prolonged extraordinarily.
For instance, in the first phrase(= the first poetic foot: Chondndar qey-) the
long syllable for qey- is held as long as eight-2/3 beats; in the second foot (-de
mehrat pay) the last syllablepay is held longerthan eleven beats with elaborate
tahrir('melismaticornamentations').
2) There is a distinct tendency to squeeze syllables close together at the
beginning of a phrase.Then, the rest of the musical phraseis filled with florid
embellishmentson a single long syllable. For example, in the second couplet,
the first-five syllables of each hemistich (Gahi bar dard-e... /Gahi bar
h_l-e...) are squeezed into short notes, and the sixth syllable is sustained
almost four times as long as the time durationfor the first-fivesyllables.
3) In connection with 2), we should point out another tendency: the
length of a syllable is not always reflected distinctly in the melody, when
syllables are put together closely at the beginning of a phrase. If we look at
the second and third couplets, we will see that the first three syllables of each
hemistich (Gahi bar.../Gahi bar... / Na Majnun...-not in the repeti-
tion-/ Madeh gar...- not in the repetition-) are alloted short notes of
equal value.

IAMBICPATTERN

If we compare several transcriptionsof the avaz, the similarity of their

initial phrase patterns is striking. On the whole, each of these patterns begins
with a shorter note value (or values) and then sustains a longer value. It may
be called an "iambic pattern."
This, of course, is largely a result of the poetic meter employed. How-
ever, at the same time this iambic pattern characterizesthe avaz melody, and
often appearseven when there is no restrictionby a poetic meter. There is, then,
a tendency for the poetic meters, which begin with an "iamb," to be most
favored in Persian verses, such as the hazaj type meters (mafc'ilon), or the
motaqdreb (fa'ulon) as in Shdhndmehand Sdqindmeh(which are preferably
sung), or the mojtass type (mafd'elonfa'eldton: the rhythm of kereshmeh).To
back up this statement, we can point out that the greaterpart of Persianfolk
verses, including lullabies, are sung in the meter of Dobeyti, that is, as we
have already seen, the hazaj meter (Khaleqi 1944:11-12).
Moreover, the aspect of stress accent in Persian words should not be
overlooked. In Persian, it is the last syllable that, as a rule, is accentuated.
Since most Persian words do not have more than three syllables (Khanlari
1959:130), the basic meter most likely falls in the iambic pattern.
 TSUGE: RHYTHMICASPECTSOF THE AVAZ 221

Then, what initial patterns are possible in other types of meter which do
not begin with an iamb? As examples of these types, if we examine the kamel
meter (motafa'elon...) used in Chahdr-bdgh, and the ramal meter
(fa'elaton...) found in the masnavi, it will be revealed that the basic rhyth-
mic pattern remains the same. The anapest pattern in the kdmel meter can be
interpreted as a combination of an extra short syllable and an iamb
( , + w- ). The trochee in the ramal meter may be interpreted as a long
syllable plus an iamb ( - + w - ).
Thus, the iambic pattern-which is inseparableby nature-safely could
be said to be the core of most of the poetic meters in Persian, and conse-
quently of the avaz rhythmic texture.4 It functions as the accent of each
phrase.

PHRASING

Generally speaking, phrasing in the avaz corresponds exactly to the

poetic feet in the meter employed. If we look at one of our examples,
Dobeyti, the first hemistich is sung in two phrases: the first two feet
(maf'ilon maf'ilon) in the opening phrase, the third foot (mafd'il) in the
second phrase with a tahrir, a long melismatic ornamentation. Each foot
coincides with the melodic subdivision in a phrase (with the exception that
the surplus syllable of the second foot is pronounced at the beginningof the
following phrase).
The second example, Chahdr-bdgh, is slightly different from the previous
one in terms of the relationship existing between the poetic meter and the
musical phrasing. Since the meter is a fairly long cycle consisting of four
five-syllable feet, (e.g., motafa'elon four times in a hemistich), each large
phrase comprises two poetic feet. Thus a beyt ("couplet") is sung in four
large phrases. However, if we look at each phrase more closely, we will find
that it is sub-dividedinto four parts based upon a half foot, which in turn is
divided into two components, an anapest (motafa) and an iamb ('elon). This
sub-divisionof a phrase coincides with Vaziri'sbar-linein 3/4 meter. It should
not be overlooked that each long syllable is more or less freely prolongedand
bears occasional tahrir.
In Deylamtn, one phrase is sung to a single foot in the first couplet.
However, in the second couplet, which is sung more passionately, a whole
hemistich is devoted to a large phrasethat may be divided into two phrasesin
the middle of the second foot (Gahi bar dard-e bi- / -darmn begeryam). In
the third couplet also, two phrases are sung in a hemistich, and three feet are
divided into two as in the second couplet.
From the above observation, it is obvious that there is only one iambic
pattern in each (small) phrase unit, as illustrated:
222 TSUGE: RHYTHMIC ASPECTS OF THE AVAZ

Example4.

Dobeyti: - -- / - - - / w - //

Chahar-bagh: ,j / //

Deylamdn: -- / - / /
== ==
==----
U - - - / V- w-

Thus, it seems to me that the iambic pattern is indispensableto the

formation of a phrase. The pattern itself constitutes the accent of a phrase
which lacks an established pulsation. Either the long syllables which follow
the accent, or the short syllable which precedes the accent, may be considered
neutral since, in terms of length they may be treated rather arbitrarily.The
squeezing together of a number of syllables at the beginning of a phrase,we
we have seen in Deylaman, may be interpreted as a kind of neutralization
before the main accent of a phrase. Once an iambic phrase pattern is estab-
lished, the melody tends to form by itself the iambic pattern within a long
syllable, even when a phrase happens to begin on a long syllable (see
Deylamdn).

TAHRIR

A particularkind of glottal vibration called tahrir is considered one of

the most significant characteristicsof the avaz. This unique vocal technique is
said to be indispensablefor an avaz singer(Caronand Safvate 1966:160).
In connection with the rhythmic aspect, the tahrir seems to play an
important part in a phrase of the avaz, not merely to embellish the melodic
line, but also to conclude a phrase. This function of the tahrirremindsus that
of the melismasin the oiwake type of Japanesefolk songs (Koizumi 1962:No.
11, 27-34; 1967:24-34). The whole energy which has sustainedthe melody is
actually discharged in the tahrir. Thus, the tahrir seems to be one of the
essential elements which form a recurrent pattern in the avaz texture and
causes us to feel a rhythmic organization "not by beat but by phrase or
sentence."
It is obvious from our observationthat each phraseis usually completed
with a tahrir. A tahrir may occur on a long syllable next to (or shortly
before) the last (see Chahdr-bdgh).In this case the last syllable(s) is sung
ratherfaintly, since the sustainingenergy has alreadybeen discharged.
 TSUGE: RHYTHMICASPECTSOF THE AVAZ 223

A larger tahrir,which is usually located right after the second hemistich,

must have the same function, in the sense of enlargement, to complete a
whole gusheh. A gusheh is supposed to consist of four distinct parts:
1. Dardmad('introduction')
2. She'r('poem')---Kereshmehin the fixed rhythm (6/8 + 3/4) is often
introduced here. As a general rule, a couplet is sung in each gusheh.
3. Tahrir('melisma': demonstrationof vocal technique)
4. Forud ('cadence')
This is the basic and widely-accepted structure (or form) or a gusheh. This
scheme seems to me an enlargementof the essential recurrentelements within
a phrase, and provides a larger foundation of rhythmic organization in the
avaz.

SUMMARY

1) The rhythmic organization of the avaz is based primarilyupon the

poetic meter of the 'aruz system, which is a recurringcycle of short and long
syllables.
2) The primal unit of recurringelements of the unmeasuredtexture is a
phrase. The accent of the phrase is the inseparablepair of a short and long
syllable.
3) Generally speaking, a phrase unit coincides with a foot of the poetic
meter, which has usually one iambic pattern (= the accent).
4) In most cases this iambic pattern is found at the very beginningof a
phrase.
5) When certain numbers of syllables precede the accent, they are treat-
ed ratheras neutral syllables in terms of duration.
6) From points 4) and 5), it is clear that words are usually articulated
at the beginning of a phrase. Then, the following long syllable(s) may be
prolongedas far as the sustainingenergy is left.
7) At the end of a phrase, the tahrirtechnique is preferablyemployed;
this must constitute one of the recurringelements of a phrase.
8) To venture some tentative oversimplificaitons,the following diagrams
will illustratethe rhythmic structureof the avaz as discussedabove:
: "short" / : "long"
a) the smallestunit of a phrase: (simple)
accent
V- - ( )
Articulation Prolongation Tahrir
of words
224 TSUGE: RHYTHMIC ASPECTS OF THE AVAZ

b) largerphrase:(compound)
accent
iaEn V -
'T-< j 1- .
Articulation Prolongation Tahrir
of words

c) the structureof a gusheh: (towards the form of the avaz)

Dardmad - She'r - Tahrir - Forud
('introduction') ('poem') ('melisma') ('cadence')
'
oaon[,- l- - I
Wesleyan University
Middletown, Connecticut

This paper is a revised version of one that was read at the Fourteenth Annual
Meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology,held at the Universityof Michigan,Ann
Arbor,November14-16, 1969.
The principle of transliterationof the Persian words into Latin alphabet used
here is to reflect the actual sounds of the standardPersianlanguageof today, and at
the same time to retain the Persianorthographyin Arabic script as much as possible
without introducing the special symbols. In regard to some Arabic terms and proper
names,the conventionaltranscriptionsystem is observed.
I am indebted to Tehran Universitywhich enabled me to study in Iran, 1963-66.
It would be difficult to mention here all the teachersand friendswho helped me to learn
the Persianlanguageand music there. My sincerethanksgo to all of them.

FOOTNOTES
1. The adjective "Persian"is used here and in the title to specify the music based
upon the modern Persian language and developed primarilyby the Persian speaking
people in Iran.
2. The Qarbwas a composition in which two rhythmic modes were used simul-
taneously (Farmer 1957:452). In the 'aruztheory, however, this term is used to name
the last foot of a beyt.
3. The notationalsymbols used specificallyin the transcriptions:

tr : a pitch slightlyhigherthan notated

?l : a pitch slightly lower than notated

? : "Longa"-a time slightly longer than notated

f : ?"Breve"-a time slightly shorterthan notated

: an uncertainpitch, or barelyheard
 TSUGE: RHYTHMIC ASPECTS OF THE AVAZ 225

: an indeterminatepitch; in the neighborhoodof where "x" is written. (p: a

half note of it.)

I\ V'I : tones of non-musicalquality, or out of the staff range

fr>. : a gracenote servingto inflect an essentialmelodic note

f : a dynamicallyweak tone; or an incidentalsoundingof sympatheticstrings

' P: a slidingentranceto, or exit from a note
vr

aglide
r-r ?
r : a wide vibratovibratedabove the note

f : a wide vibratovibratedbelow the note

a note slightly delayedin utteranceon the pulse

r : a note slightly precedingthe other part in utterance

: an "uppermordent"-likegracenote

r : a "lower mordent"-likegracenote

Symbols borrowedfrom the Persianmusicalnotation:

: koron"-a loweringof the tone to a point between naturaland flat

: "sori"-a sharpeningof the tone to a point between naturaland sharp

tF '. "takieh"-(lit. 'leaning') an ornamentbetween more than two notes which is

! r r characteristicof the tahrir technique in the avaz. This is not merely a grace
note, but also a special kind of vocal production. The takieh is appliedto
the instrumentalmusic.
I s r r rI r
- I r l r I is to be playedas follows:

T
r : "riz"-a tremoloon the tdr,the setar and the santur

T
: a riz with an initial accented tone: thus,
r.
226 TSUGE: RHYTHMIC ASPECTS OF THE AVAZ

T T
is to be played as follows: _E [ _F of.P PP

4. Gotthold Weil's hypothesis concerning Al-Khalil's circles in the 'aruz interests

me particularly in this connection. Hypothesizing the real purpose of Al-Khalil who
arranged the principal sixteen poetic meters into five circles, Weil says:
"The rhythmical core of all feet and meters (excluding the few in circle 4) is
formed by sequence of a short and a long syllable ( -)- namely, iamb-which is
inseparable in its sequence and unchangeable in its quantity, and where the long syllable
always carries the stress" (Weil 1960:675).
Weil's idea concerning the iamb of rising rhythm as the core of Arabic verse meter
seems to me valid also in Persian versification and the avaz.

REFERENCES CITED

Caron, Nelly and Dariouche Safvate

1966 Iran-les traditions musicales. Paris: Buchet/Chastel.
Cooper, Grosvenor W. and Leonard B. Meyer
1960 The Rhythmic Structure of Music. Chicago & London: The University of
Chicago Press.
Farmer, Henry George
1929 A History of Arabian Music to the XIIIth Century. London: Luzac & Co., Ltd.
1957 "The Music of Islam," in Egon Wellesz, ed., Ancient and Oriental Music (Lon-
don: Oxford University Press), pp. 421-77. (The New Oxford History of Music,
vol. I).
1965 The Sources of Arabian Music. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
Khaleqi, Ruhollah and Lotfollah Mobassheri
1944 Ahangha-ye Mahalli, vol. I. Tehran: Entesharat-e Edareh-ye Musiqi.
Khanlari, Parviz N.
1959 Vazn-e She'r-e Farsi. Tehran: Entesharat-e Daneshgth-e Tehran.
Khatschi, Khatschi
1962 Der Dastgah-Studien zur neuen persischen Musik. Regensburg: Gustav Bosse
Verlag.
Koizumi, Fumio
1962 "Nippon no Rizumu/7," The Ongaku Geijutsu, 20(11):24-34.
1967 "Rhythm in Japanese Folk Music," in Japanese National Committee of the
International Music Council, ed., The Japanese Music. Tokyo, pp. 14-34.
Lazard, Gilbert
1957 Grammaire du Persan contemporain. Paris: Librairie C. Klincksieck.
Ma'aroufi, Moussa and Mehdi Barkechli
1963 Radif-e Musiqi-e Iran (La musique traditionnelle de l'Iran). Tehran:
Entesharat-e Honarha-ye Ziba-ye Keshvar.
Platts, John T. and George S. A. Ranking
1911 A Grammar of the Persian Language. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Saba, Abolhasan
1946 "Tafahhos dar atraf va piramun-e panj-zarb va haft-zarb," in Chang, Tir 1325,
pp. 4-5.
1948 Dowreh-ye Dowom-e Violon. Tehran, 2nd ed.
 TSUGE: RHYTHMIC ASPECTS OF THE AVAZ 227

1954 Dowreh-ye Avval-e Violon. Tehran, 4th ed.

1956 Dowreh-ye Dovom-e Santur. Tehran.
Sachs, Curt
1943 The Rise of Music in the Ancient World East and West. New York: W. W.
Norton & Co., Inc.
Vaziri, Alinaqi
1933 Dastur-e Violon, vol. I. Tehran.
1936 Dastur-e Jadid-e Tar. Tehran.
1937 Dastur-e Violon, vols. I & II. Tehran.
Warner, Arthur G. and Edmond Warner
1909 The Shanaima of Firdausi', vol. IV. Lendon: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co.,
Ltd.
Well, Gotthold
1960 "'Arfd," in H. A. R. Gibb and others, eds., The Encyclopaedia of Islam, New
edition (Leiden: E. J. Brill), vol. I, pp. 667-77.
Zonis, Ella
1965 "Contemporary Art Music in Persia," The Musical Quarterly, 51(4):636-48.