CENTRAL ASIA: Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan: former Soviet republic
Ethnic
majority group is Uzbeki -- Turkic speaking Muslims.
Capitol
city of Tashkent is one of the largest cities in central Asia
Soviet rule in
Central Asia:
Republics formed based on majority ethnic
groups:
Uzbekistan; Tajikistan; Kazakstan; Turkmenistan
Music and
cultural policy: music designed to serve the
state
Tashkent
State Music Conservatory
Founded to teach European classical
music to bring modernity to the region.
Also promotes an official Uzbek
music--a national "folk" music.
Creating a
national music:
Shash Maqam (six maqam)
Large repertoire of modal instrumental and vocal
pieces.
Similar to Persian classical music and other court
music in West Asia.
Roots in Sufi ecstatic music.
Once
patronized by the aristocracy, now patronized by the state as national music.
Conservatory created an
authoritative version of shash maqam.
Played by a large ensemble
(providing legitimacy to the music).
Improvisation and embellishment
eliminated; tempo slowed down.
CD selection 9. Maqam
Ensemble of Uzbekistan Radio - “Saraxbar-i Segah”
Reinvigorating
classical traditions in Uzbekistan:
Singer
Munajat Yulchieva rejects the national music;
Re-connects classical music to spirituality (Sufism)
CD selection 10. Munajat Yulchieva – “Bayati-Shiraz Talqinchasi”
Pop music in
Uzbekistan:
Singer
Yulduz Usmanova’s pop music commercializes folk songs from her youth.