Music in the World of Islam: A Socio-cultural Study

Synopsis

This volume describes the outstanding musical events that occurred in the Islamic world over a time span lasting from the 5th century to the present day. It does this against the background of major historical and political events and explains the influences of these on Islam's musical history. The book covers pre-Islamic music, the rise of Islam and the science of music. It describes local styles and examines the tendency towards reform and modernization that started in the 19th century. It also deals with basic theoretical, formal, and technical issues such as scales, modes and rhythms, forms and genres, dance and folk music.