Klasik
Encyclopedia
The classical music of Afghanistan
is called klasik, which includes both instrumental (rāga
s, naghmehs) and vocal forms (ghazal
s). Many ustad, or professional musicians, are descended from India
n artists who emigrated to the royal court in Kabul
in the 1860s upon the invitation of Amir Sher Ali Khan.
These north Indian musicians use Hindustani
terminology and structures. Afghan ragas, in contrast to Indian ones, tend to be more focused on rhythm, and are usually played with the tabla
, imported from India, or the native zerbaghali
, daireh or dohol
, all percussive instruments
.
An important characteristic of the Afghan ghazal is that, unlike the Indian talas
and raga
s it is based on, Afghan ghazal features the "repetitive use of fast instrumental sections interpolated between units of text", an element derived from Pashtun music.
Afghan ghazal is viewed a "light-classical" form of Indian music
, which uses Persian texts consisting of a series of rhyming couplet
s, many written by spiritual poets like Bedil, Sa'adi
and Hafez.
Music of Afghanistan
The music of Afghanistan has existed for a long time, but since the late 1970s the country has been involved in constant wars and people were less concerned about music...
is called klasik, which includes both instrumental (rāga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
s, naghmehs) and vocal forms (ghazal
Ghazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
s). Many ustad, or professional musicians, are descended from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n artists who emigrated to the royal court in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
in the 1860s upon the invitation of Amir Sher Ali Khan.
These north Indian musicians use Hindustani
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
terminology and structures. Afghan ragas, in contrast to Indian ones, tend to be more focused on rhythm, and are usually played with the tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
, imported from India, or the native zerbaghali
Zerbaghali
The zerbaghali is a goblet-shaped hand drum that is played in the folk music of Afghanistan.-Origin:The shape of the zerbghali is derived from Persian forms. In contrast with the Persian tumbak, which has a wooden body, the zerbghali is made of clay throughout Afghanistan...
, daireh or dohol
Dohol
A dohol is a large cylindrical drum with two skin heads. It is generally struck on one side with a wooden stick bowed at the end, and with a large thin stick on the other side, though it is also played by the bare hands. It is the principal accompaniment for the sorna...
, all percussive instruments
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
.
An important characteristic of the Afghan ghazal is that, unlike the Indian talas
Tala (music)
Tāla, Taal or Tal is the term used in Indian classical music for the rhythmic pattern of any composition and for the entire subject of rhythm, roughly corresponding to metre in Western music, though closer conceptual equivalents are to be found in other Asian classical systems such as the notion...
and raga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
s it is based on, Afghan ghazal features the "repetitive use of fast instrumental sections interpolated between units of text", an element derived from Pashtun music.
Afghan ghazal is viewed a "light-classical" form of Indian music
Music of India
The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular, pop, classical music and R&B. India's classical music tradition, including Carnatic and Hindustani music, has a history spanning millennia and developed over several eras. It remains fundamental to the lives of Indians today as...
, which uses Persian texts consisting of a series of rhyming couplet
Couplet
A couplet is a pair of lines of meter in poetry. It usually consists of two lines that rhyme and have the same meter.While traditionally couplets rhyme, not all do. A poem may use white space to mark out couplets if they do not rhyme. Couplets with a meter of iambic pentameter are called heroic...
s, many written by spiritual poets like Bedil, Sa'adi
Saadi (poet)
Abū-Muḥammad Muṣliḥ al-Dīn bin Abdallāh Shīrāzī better known by his pen-name as Saʿdī or, simply, Saadi, was one of the major Persian poets of the medieval period. He is not only famous in Persian-speaking countries, but he has also been quoted in western sources...
and Hafez.