RE: botched

[lipkowitz <lipkowitz...>]

Additionally, the organological (musical instrument) evidence is very
strong.  The major art music instrument for centuries in the west became the
lute only after contact with Islamic culture.  Even the name (lute) is a
corruption of the Arabic--al oud.  Instruments never arrive in a culture
free of context.  They bring traditions, norms, and practices with
them--consider cole slaw.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Judith R Cohen [SMTP:judithc (at) YorkU(dot)CA]
> Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2002 4:55 AM
> To:   World music from a Jewish slant
> Subject:      botched
> 
> Stuart, I think, suggested
> 
> > > Early Western, classical music might be thought of as a
> > >botched attempt to reproduce Islamic art music. 
> > >
> 
> and I now forget who asked:
> > Would you elaborate on this, please?
> 
> Well, I'll let him say what he meant but for me this suggests the
> ongoing "Arab-influence" controversy about medieval westen European
> music, and just how much it was influenced by Middle Eastern music of
> the time. In Spain (well, in the various kingdoms, caliphates etc which
> made up what is now Spain, and also Portugal), there is no doubt of
> Middle Eastern music influence, the presence of many Jewish and Muslim
> musicians, in art music (of the time), street music and everywhere in
> between; the elevated slave-status women who taught music to royalty, in
> the Muslim courts of Al-Andalus, etc etc. 
> But even there there is a lot of animated discussion (to be polite)
> about how strong the indigenous, pre-Arab conquest, musical cultures of
> the peninsula were (the Visigoths must have left SOME musical mark - but
> no one ever talks about Old Visigothic Traditions) and how much the
> Muslims were actually influenced by those indigenous traditions, how
> much give and take there was.
> But there were very accomplished musicians in western Europe, and also,
> those who went on the Crusades to the Middle East didn't just fly in in
> a few hours, fuming if they had to stay overnight in an airport. They
> spent months if not years travelling, and once there, didn't come right
> back; they stayed a long time, often hooked up with local women (and
> music), often brought back music, musical slaves, instruments....
> 
> Whatever the degree of mutual influence, which I can only assume was
> mixed, since "Arabic" and Jewish music as such were NOT written down, I
> don't think it the vast majority of cases it can be described as "a
> botched attempt..." .
> 
> But after all - they weren't relying on only transcriptions - they
> didn't have any! 
> SKM
> (the recent signature of severla mesages on this thread, "so-kick-me")
> Judith
> 

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