|
Iranzo y Herrero, Agustín
(b Allaga, bap. 28 Aug 1748; d Alicante, 27 Sept 1804). Spanish composer. He was a choirboy at the Pilar cathedral of Zaragoza, where he studied under Bernardo Miralles. In 1768 he applied, unsuccessfully, for the post of maestro de capilla at Las Descalzas Reales, in Madrid; in 1773 he was appointed maestro de capilla of the collegiate church of Alicante, a post he retained until his death. Over 100 of his religious works, including masses, motets, Lamentations and villancicos, are extant (in Alicante Cathedral). Although his theoretical works (including Defensa del arte de la música, Murcia, 1802, and numerous articles) show him to be violently opposed to Eximeno’s innovations, in his compositions he boldly abandoned the secular Italianate style of the 18th century in favour of a more severe style for his religious music, with carefully wrought forms and much harmonic interest. His music continued to be sung long after his death.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
B. Saldoni: Diccionario biográfico-bibliográfico de efemérides de músicos españoles, ii (Madrid, 1880/R), 222ff
F. Pedrell: P. Antonio Eximeno (Madrid, 1920), 60–61
J. de D. Aguilar Gómez: Historia de la música en la provincia de Alicante (Alicante, 1970, 2/1983), 43–4
F.J. León Tello: La teoría española de la música en los siglos XVII y XVIII (Madrid, 1974), 648
J. Flores Fuente: ‘Augustín Iranzo, un aragonés en el Alicante del siglo XVIII’, Nassarre, vii/2 (1991), 33–72
A. Palencia Soliveres: Música sacra y música profana en Alicante: la capilla de música de San Nicolás (siglos XVI–XVIII) (Alicante, 1996)
JOSÉ LÓPEZ-CALO
Iraq, Republic of
(Arab. Jumhouriya al ‘Iraqia).
Modern Iraq covers the region of ancient Mesopotamia between two great rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates. With its first royal cities, discovery of writing and advanced overall culture, this country gave birth to the oldest cradle of civilization. Situated at the north-eastern end of the Arab world, Iraq, with an area of 438,317 km2, is an important meeting-place of the various cultures of the Middle East (Persian, Turkish and others).
The country has rich agricultural plains, mountains, deserts and marshes, with cities and towns built along the rivers. The population has recently grown from about 11 million (1975) to some 23·11 million (2000 estimate). Arab Muslims form the majority (75%). Kurds form the second most important ethnic group, and there are also Turkmens (mainly around Kirkuk), Gypsies (kawlīyya) and blacks (in the South). 95% of the population is Muslim (Sunni and Shi‘a sects and some heterodox groups). There are Christians of the Chaldean, Nestorian and Armenian churches. Other religious groups are the Yezidis and the Sabaeens (known as Christians of St John). A very ancient Jewish community existed until 1950.
I. Geographical and historical background
II. Art music and related traditions
III. Vernacular traditions.
IV. Modern developments
SCHEHERAZADE QASSIM HASSAN
Iraq
I. Geographical and historical background
From a socio-cultural and musical point of view, Iraq can be divided into four main geographical regions (fig.1). The central plains of ancient Mesopotamia lie at its core. The lower basin of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates stretches from Baghdad to the marshes of the south-east, with their cities Nasiriyah (on the Euphrates) and Amarah (on the Tigris). The marsh region is inhabited by Shi‘a Muslims and Sabaeens.
The mountainous north borders on other Arabic-Turkish and Persian cultures. This region houses important minority ethnic communites and sects: the Sorani (eastern) and Bahdinan (western) Kurds, and Turkmens. It is the home of the ancient Syriac Christian Church and of the Muslim sect and Yezidi other minor sects such as the Shabak and Sarlia.
The desert region comprises three-fifths of Iraq, divided between al-jazīra (north-west) and al-bādiya (south). Bedouin inhabitants are nomadic (Shammār and ‘Iniza tribes) and semi-settled, the latter occupying areas adjoining the fertile plain. On the upper Euphrates, the ancient towns of Anah, Rawah and Hit represent a blend of Bedouin culture with pastoral and rural sedentary town populations of tribal origin.
Finally, the extreme south-eastern region, where the two rivers unite to form the Shatt al-Arab, is influenced by the Gulf and traditions from the Arabian peninsula. It is populated by Arab rural people and city dwellers and by people of African origin. Basra is the major city, and Zubayr is a small town.
The music of Iraq has been documented from very early epochs. Archaeological excavations have uncovered information about music of the Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian periods (5th to 1st millennium bce). At the royal cemetery of Ur, three examples of the first lyres of human civilization were found, dating to c2600 bce. Silver flutes, a great number of multi-shaped terracotta rattles, bronze bells, cymbals and clappers made of bronze and shell were also found. Hundreds of reliefs, plaques, murals, stelae, cylinder seals, vases and statues show Mesopotamian musicians playing a wide variety of musical instruments. Scholars have also deciphered cuneiform texts dealing with many aspects of musical theory and practice.
The other important historical period for music was under Abbasid rule (750–1258), when Iraq was the centre of an Islamic multi-ethnic empire and the meeting-point of cultures from Greece, the Middle East and other parts of Asia. Its influence stretched westwards to North Africa and Spain. The first important Arabo-Islamic musicological treatises derive from the Abbasid period, and most significant scholars lived, wrote or studied in Baghdad: al-Kindī (d c874), al-Munajjim (d 912), al-Fārābī (d 950), al-Isfahānī (897–967) and safī al-Din (d 1294).
The catastrophic collapse of Baghdad under the Mongol onslaught shattered its elaborate cultural life and marked the beginning of successive periods of foreign domination by Turkmen tribes, Persians and Ottomans. Musical erudition regressed to such a point that concrete evidence of musical life is scarce, although traces of Turkish and Persian influence are evident in the urban secular classical repertory. (See also Arab music, §I.)
The secular music traditions, instruments and dances of all Iraqis derive from Arab, Kurdish and Turkmen cultures. To a lesser degree, in the extreme south, they may belong to traditions of the Arabian Gulf. Each region of Iraq has its own specific musical features with regard to the secular and sacred functions of music, instruments, dances, and the role of the musician. At the same time, there are characteristics common to the whole of Iraq. Vocal expression is dominant in all Iraqi music, and improvisational free-rhythmic singing and metric songs (including dance-songs) play important roles. The boundaries between art and folk, secular and religious music are not clearly delineated, and interrelations, mutual influences and overlapping repertories are common.
Iraq
Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: |
