The Dimension of Music in Islamic and Jewish Culture / Edition 1

by Amnon Shiloah

Overview

Though we can no longer hear how it sounded, the written sources that remain provide much information on the music of the medieval Islamic and Jewish worlds, on how it was regarded and on the importance that was attached to it. Amnon Shiloah has been a pioneer in the exploration of these sources, and the present volume brings together some of the results. The opening studies examine, with annotated translations, several key works expounding the meaning of music and its power, in terms of its ethical and therapeutic effects and properties. The following articles focus on scientific writings about music and on the transmission of musical knowledge, while the final section approaches the subject from the angle of religion, noting how the power attributed to music occasioned the distrust of many religious figures, who feared its capacity to deprave and debase its audience. Bien que nous ne puissions plus de nos jours l’entendre, les sources écrites qui ont survécu apportent énormément d’information sur la musique des mondes juifs et islamiques, sur l’importance qui y était attachée et sur son rôle. Le professeur Shiloah est un des pionniers en terme d’exploration de ces sources et le présent volume rassemble un certain nombre des résultats de ses recherches. Les premières études, accompagnées de traductions annotées, font l’examen de plusieurs travaux importants, exposant la signification de la musique et sa puissance de par ses effets et ses propriétés morales et thérapeutiques. Les articles suivants se concentrent sur les écrits scientifiques au sujet de la musique et sur la propagation de la connaissance musicale. La dernière section aborde le sujet á partir de l’aspect de la religion, soulignant combien le pouvoir attribué á la musique entraînait une certaine méfiance de la part d’un certain nombre de religieux, qui craignaient son aptitude á avilir et dépraver ceux qui l’ecoutaient.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780860783527
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/22/1993
Series:	Variorum Collected Studies
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.88(w) x 9.62(h) x (d)

About the Author

Amnon Shiloah, Professor of Musicology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Editorial Reviews

’...[an] estimable and most welcome collection.’ Bulletin for the School of Oriental and African Studies

From the Publisher

For students of Arabic and Jewish music and culture or of medieval musical thought and theory, presents 15 previously published articles (five in French) on the symbolic and metaphorical interpretation of music, the transmission of musical knowledge, and ideological attitudes towards music. Among the highlights are ideas on the origin of music, the Arabic modes and their relation to medicine, pre-Islamic music, and orthodox Jewish and Kabbalistic opinions on the religious benefits of music. Retains the original pagination. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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