Kitāb Adab al-ghināʾ

The Book For The Completion of Musical Knowledge

Series: 

The Book for the Completion of Musical Knowledge is one of two unique treatises coming down to us from the 11th century; the other is Encompasser of the Arts of Ibn al- Ṭaḥḥān al-Mūsīqī. Both are written by practicing musicians and composers, and as such provide, a most welcome musical practices supplement to the tenth-century legacy of music theory and literature, namely, the works of al-Fārābī and al-Iṣfahānī. In composition, al-Kātib provides useful details regarding the process to set a poem to music; in education, he advises students on how to choose a good teacher; in performance, he advises students about to breathe properly and how to ornament vocal and instrumental music.
Copyright Year:
2025
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21 Nov 2024
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Front Matter
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[Introduction] [fols. 12–20; Kh. 15–18; Sh. 35–40; ZY 109–110]
Chapter 1 Ṭarab [fols. 20–25; Kh. 19–21; Sh. 41–44; ZY 110–111]
Chapter 2 On the Virtues of Melodies [fols. 26–33; Kh. 22–24; Sh. 44–49; ZY 111–112]
Chapter 3 The Meanings of Melodies [fols. 33–38; Kh. 25–26; Sh. 50–53; ZY 113]
Chapter 4 The Effects of Melodies [fols. 38–42; Kh. 27–28; Sh. 54–56; ZY 114]
Chapter 5 The Superiority of Older Singing [fols. 42–46; Kh. 29–30; Sh. 57–59; ZY 114]
Chapter 6 The Superiority of Older Poetry [fols. 46–47; Kh. 31; Sh. 59–60; ZY 115]
Chapter 7 The Superiority of Music [fols. 47–53; Kh. 32–34; Sh. 61–65; ZY 115–116]
Chapter 8 The Characteristics of Melodies [fols. 53–58; Kh. 35–37; Sh. 65–68; ZY 116–117]
Chapter 9 The Resemblance between the Soul, the Melodies, and the Celestial Sphere [fols. 58–64; Kh. 38–40; Sh. 69–74; ZY 117–119]
Chapter 10 The State of the Notes [fols. 64–66; Kh. 41; Sh. 74–75; ZY 119]
Chapter 11 [The Causes or Mechanics of] Sound Production (Taṣwīt) [fols. 66–72; Kh. 42–44; Sh. 76–78; ZY 119–120]
Chapter 12 [The Meaning of the] Word Music [fols. 72–77; Kh. 45–47; Sh. 79–82; ZY 120–121]
Chapter 13 The Delimitations of the Notes [fols. 77–85; Kh. 48–53; Sh. 82–88; ZY 121–123]
Chapter 14 The Divisions of the Frets of the Pandore [fols. 85–86; Kh. 54; Sh. 89–91; ZY 123]
Chapter 15 Melodic Modes (Ajnās al-nagham) [fols. 86–88; Kh. 55–58; Sh. 91–93; ZY 123–124]
Chapter 16 The Fundamentals of Melodies [fols. 88–96; Kh. 59–62; Sh. 93–99; ZY 123–124]
Chapter 17 Voiced Letters [fols. 96–101; Kh. 63–65; Sh. 99–102; ZY 125–126]
Chapter 18 Planning and Determining [Where and How Much to Breathe] [fols. 101–103; Kh. 66; Sh. 103–104; ZY 126]
Chapter 19 The Poetic Meters [fols. 103–110; Kh. 67–70; Sh. 104–111; ZY 126–128]
Chapter 20 The Structure of the Melody [fols. 110–118; Kh. 71–74; Sh. 111–116; ZY 128–129]
Chapter 21 The Qualification of Melodies [fols. 118–121; Kh. 75–76; Sh. 116–119; ZY 129–130]
Chapter 22 Composing Melodies That Suit the Poems [fols. 122–123; Kh. 77; Sh. 119–120; ZY 130]
Chapter 23 Specific Places in Melodies [to Beautify with Specific Techniques] [fols. 123–139; Kh. 78–84; Sh. 121–131]
Chapter 24 Specific Places in the Playing of Instruments [to Beautify with Specific Techniques] [fols. 138–143; Kh. 85–87; Sh. 131–134; ZY 134]
Chapter 25 What It Is Preferable to Highlight in Melodies [fols. 143–146; Kh. 88–89; Sh. 135–136; ZY 135]
Chapter 26 What It Is Preferable to Hide in Melodies [fols. 146–147; Kh. 90; Sh. 137–138; ZY 135]
Chapter 27 Opening Songs [fols. 149; Kh. 91; Sh. 138; ZY 135]
Chapter 28 Rhythms and Rhythmic Modes [fols. 149–160; Kh. 92–103; Sh. 139–148; ZY 136–137]
Chapter 29 Being in Rhythm [fols. 161–164; Kh. 104–105; Sh. 149–151; ZY 139]
Chapter 30 The Theft of Melodies (al-Sariqāt) [fols. 164–169; Kh. 106–108; Sh. 151–154; ZY 139–140]
Chapter 31 The Strings [fols. 169–175; Kh. 109–111; Sh. 155–159; ZY 140–141]
Chapter 32 The Names of the Melodic and Rhythmic Modes (Ṭarāʾiq) [fols. 175–184; Kh. 112–117; Sh. 159–165; ZY 141–143, 138]
Chapter 33 The Qualities of the Singer [fols. 184–191; Kh. 118–121; Sh. 165–170; ZY 143–144]
Chapter 34 Good Qualities [to Have While Singing] [fols. 191–194; Kh. 122–123; Sh. 171–173; ZY 144–145]
Chapter 35 The Qualities of the Throats [fols. 195–197; Kh. 124–125; Sh. 174–175; ZY 145]
Chapter 36 The Arrangement of Singing [fols. 197–202; Kh. 126–128; Sh. 175–179; ZY 145–146]
Chapter 37 Praise and Requests for Repetitions [fols. 202–207; Kh. 129–130; Sh. 179–182; ZY 146–147]
Chapter 38 Testing [fols. 207–211; Kh. 131–132; Sh. 182–184; ZY 147]
Chapter 39 Things That Are Beneficial to the Throats [fols. 211–213; Kh. 133; Sh. 185–186; ZY 148]
Chapter 40 The Dimensions of Instruments, Arrangements of Frets, and Choice of Strings [fols. 213–217; Kh. 134–135; Sh. 186–190; ZY 148]
Chapter 41 Music Education [fols. 217–221; Kh. 136–137; Sh. 191–193; ZY 149]
Chapter 42 Addenda [fols. 221–235; Kh. 138–143; Sh. 193–204; ZY 150–153]
Chapter 43 The Sources (al-Irshād) [fols. 235–240; Kh. 144–146; Sh. 204–208; ZY 153–154]
Back Matter
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George Dimitri Sawa, Ph.D. (1983), University of Toronto, independent scholar in Arabic music theory, performance and literature. He taught medieval, modern and sacred music at the University of Toronto and York and published nine books and over seventy articles.
Preface
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
[Short Descriptive] List of All the Chapters of the Manuscript Called the Completion of Musical Knowledge (Kamāl Adab al-ghināʾ)

Introduction

1 Ṭarab

2 On the Virtues of Melodies

3 The Meanings of Melodies

4 The Effects of Melodies

5 The Superiority of Older Singing

6 The Superiority of Older Poetry

7 The Superiority of Music

8 The Characteristics of Melodies

9 The Resemblance between the Soul, the Melodies, and the Celestial Sphere

10 The State of the Notes

11 [The Causes or Mechanics of] Sound Production (Taṣwīt)

12 [The Meaning of the] Word Music

13 The Delimitations of the Notes

14 The Divisions of the Frets of the Pandore

15 Melodic Modes (Ajnās al-nagham)

16 The Fundamentals of Melodies

17 Voiced Letters

18 Planning and Determining [Where and How Much to Breathe]

19 The Poetic Meters

20 The Structure of the Melody

21 The Qualification of Melodies

22 Composing Melodies that Suit the Poems

23 Specific Places in Melodies [to Beautify with Specific Techniques]

24 Specific Places in the Playing of Instruments [to Beautify with Specific Techniques]

25 What It Is Preferable to Highlight in Melodies

26 What It Is Preferable to Hide in Melodies

27 Opening Songs

28 Rhythms and Rhythmic Modes

29 Being in Rhythm

30 The Theft of Melodies (al-Sariqāt)

31 The Strings

32 The Names of the Melodic and Rhythmic Modes (Ṭarāʾiq)

33 The Qualities of the Singer

34 Good Qualities [to Have While Singing]

35 The Qualities of the Throats

36 The Arrangement of Singing

37 Praise and Requests for Repetitions

38 Testing

39 Things that Are Beneficial to the Throats

40 The Dimensions of Instruments, Arrangements of Frets, and Choice of Strings

41 Music Education

42 Addenda

43 The Sources (al-Irshād)

Glossary
Charts
Bibliography
Index of People and Places
Index of Terms and Subjects
This book will be of interest to musicologists, ethnomusicologists, cultural and Arabic historians, academic libraries, undergraduate and graduate students, music teachers and students
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