Professional Documents
Culture Documents
INEDIT
Maison des Cultures du Monde
Asie centrale
MUSIQUE DES OUÏGOURS
Traditions d’Ili et de Kachgar
Central Asia
MUSIC OF THE UIGHURS
Traditions of Ili and Kashgar
W 260113 INEDIT/Maison des Cultures du Monde • 101, Bd Raspail 75006 Paris France • tél. 01 45 44 72 30 • fax 01 45 44 76 60 • www.mcm.asso.fr
1. Muqâm Rokhsari : muqâm bashi ..........................4’22”
2. Chants de Kachgar / Kashgar songs ..................10’14”
3. Muqâm Chargâh : muqâm bashi ..........................5’13”
4. Muqâm Oshshâq : dâstân & marghul ..................6’00”
5. Onikki Muqâm : marghul 1, 2, 3 ..........................6’57”
6. Kocha nakhshesi.....................................................10’54”
7. Dostlarim âmân ........................................................4’27”
8. Yâru ............................................................................5’17”
9. Chants d’Ili / Ili songs...........................................15’23”
Cette production a été réalisée dans le cadre du sixième Festival de l'Imaginaire (février-avril 2002).
Elle a bénéficié du concours de l'Aga Khan Music Initiative in Central Asia, un programme de l'Aga Khan
Trust for Culture.
INEDIT est une marque déposée de la Maison des Cultures du Monde (direction, Chérif Khaznadar).
Asie centrale
MUSIQUE DES OUÏGOURS
Traditions d’Ili et de Kachgar
Muqâm Nakhshe
Dans la région de l'Ili, d’où sont originaires L'idée de grouper les pièces en suites est liée
tous les musiciens réunis sur ce disque, en à la culture des grandes villes et à la présence
plus des formes locales, se retrouvent des d'un pouvoir central. Ainsi dans chaque cité
éléments de répertoire des autres régions. À d'Asie Centrale s'est élaboré un répertoire de
Ili ainsi qu'à Kucha le Onikki Muqâm se joue ce type : à Khiva, Boukhara-Samarkande,
sous une forme abrégée. Dans la version Qoqand, Kachgar-Yarken. Dans les villes de
kachgarienne, chaque muqâm comporte seconde importance, on se contente d'orga-
trois sections en plus de l'ouverture non niser les chansons en petites suites : celles
mesurée (muqâm bashi) : d'Ili en sont un exemple.
1. Chong naghme, lit. “Grands chants”, com- Le genre typique de la région d'Ili est un cor-
portant de nombreuses pièces vocales et instru- pus de douze suites (nakhshe, lit. “tableau”),
mentales aux rythmes variés, lourdes et com- appelées Ili nakhshesi. D’origine purement
plexes au début, puis de plus en plus légères. locale, elles sont sans rapport avec le sys-
2. Dâstân naghme, lit. “Airs narratifs”. Il s'agit tème du Muqâm :
de chants et de pièces instrumentales (mar- – elles sont plus courtes, (entre 15 et 30
ghul) se déroulant sur trois formes rythmiques minutes), avec 5 à 12 parties, parfois
successives : à 4 temps, à 7 ou 9 temps, et à 3 ouvertes par un prélude non-mesuré ;
–5–
– elles portent différents noms littéraires sans En effet les Ouïgours sont réputés pour être
rapport avec la théorie moyen-orientale, tels de grands amateurs de musique et de danse.
que Laylun, Kichik Laylun, Tchong Laylun, Leur culture favorise toutes les occasions de
Khân Laylun, Gul Laylun, Qâdir, Mastun hey- pratiquer ces arts, notamment dans les
rân, Gulzâr ey, Ulânmâ I et II, etc. ; grands fêtes privées toy, réunissant des cen-
– elles se déroulent sur des rythmes simples taines de personnes à l'occasion d'un
à 2 ou 4 temps. mariage ou d'une circoncision, ou dans des
Seul point commun avec les Muqâm : leur mashrap, des réunions plus restreintes où la
organisation commençant par un chant non musique alterne avec différentes phases d'un
mesuré, et le lien entre les différentes chan- banquet. Contrairement à d’autres cultures
sons qui composent la suite. Chaque chan- voisines, les femmes ont une place impor-
son reprend un motif de la précédente en tante dans la vie musicale, et beaucoup
faisant une sorte de boucle, comme dans les d’entre elles savent accompagner leur chan-
marghul du Onikki Muqâm. son au grand luth dutâr, au petit luth rawap
Ces suites ne sont pas destinées à la danse ou au moins au tambourin dap.
mais à l’écoute attentive, notamment dans
les réunions mashrap, c’est pourquoi leurs Quelques traits de la musique ouïgoure
mélodies sont plus élaborées que celles des Le paysage modal ouïgour porte la marque
suites de chansons et d'airs à danser appe- des différents peuples qui ont finit par consti-
lées sanam. Ce genre se retrouve dans toute tuer l’identité ouïgoure : d’abord les Indo-ira-
ville ouïgoure de quelque importance. On niens, les Tokhariens, puis les proto-Turcs,
en dénombre également douze, selon une enfin les Ouïgours proprement dits, auxquels
symbolique de la totalité chère à la culture se sont joints d'autres ethnies turciques.
ouïgoure, correspondant aux principales Les mélodies, surtout dans le Onikki Muqâm
villes du Xinjiang. Le sanam d'Ili est l'un modulent fréquemment non seulement à
d'eux. Comme tous les autres, il consiste en l’intérieur du système heptatonique
une courte suite au tempo s’accélérant pro- (gammes diatoniques, rappelant la musique
gressivement. européenne médiévale), mais encore d’un
En plus de ces répertoires, il existe dans système à l’autre, c’est à dire mélangeant des
chaque région, et notamment à Kachgar et intonations disons moyen-orientales avec
Ili, un très grand nombre de chansons des éléments pentatoniques qui évoquent
anciennes ou récentes qui, quoique relative- l'Asie orientale. Il ne s’agit aucunement d’in-
ment complexes sont davantage à la portée fluence chinoise, mais d’éléments propres
des amateurs que le Nakhshe et les Muqâm. aux cultures d’Asie centrale.
–6–
D'une façon générale le style de la vallée de Muqâm peuvent s'y adjoindre la viole ghijak,
l'Ili contraste avec celui du sud-est par ses éventuellement le luth rawap, le chang (cym-
rythmes plus simples, ses intonations plus balum) et la flûte traversière, à l’instar des
pentatoniques et son instrumentarium plus formations kachgariennes. Il est intéressant
restreint. À Kachgar au contraire, les modes de souligner que la percussion n'apparaît
sont souvent proches de ceux de l'Inde, de jamais dans les ensembles de la tradition d'Ili,
l'Ouzbékistan ou de l'Afghanistan et les sauf pour les suites de danse sanam.
rythmes, plus variés et souvent complexes.
Dans le style ancien (non sinisé), certaines Les instruments
mélodies de Muqâm évoquent l’Inde ou le Le dutâr (dont le nom signifie “deux
Cachemire. cordes”) est un luth à long manche large-
Les mélodies évoluent à grandes enjambées, ment répandu, sous des formes différentes,
comme dans les systèmes pentatoniques, de depuis le Kurdistan jusqu'au Xinjiang.
façon à couvrir rapidement plus d’une Chaque peuple en a adapté la technique, les
octave, ce qui constitue un des traits dis- proportions et la sonorité selon ses besoins.
tinctifs avec le style ouzbek-tadjik classique, En Asie centrale il est toujours monté de
lequel présente néanmoins des affinités avec cordes en soie accordées en quinte, quarte
celui des Ouïgours (instrumentarium, ou à l'unisson, tandis qu'au Turkménistan et
langue, modes, formes musicales, danse, au Khorasan les cordes sont en métal depuis
etc.). À Ili les rythmes sont couramment en environ un demi-siècle. Le dutâr ouïgour est
4 temps, parfois divisé 3 + 3 + 2, tandis que le plus grand des instruments de cette
les 5, 6, 7 et 9 temps sont courants dans le famille, la longueur de corde vibrante attei-
Onikki Muqâm, ainsi que des mesures com- gnant 105 cm. Il est entièrement fait de bois
plexes de 12 ou 13 temps. Dans les mesures de mûrier finement décoré d'incrustations
impaires, les Ouïgours introduisent un d'os et de corne. On le joue dans la musique
groove subtil qui neutralise la pulsation et populaire, pour l'accompagnement des
s'accommode mal avec l’accompagnement chansons, aussi bien que dans le Muqâm, en
d’instruments de percussion. particulier dans l'école de Khotan. Comme
De fait, le dutâr à lui seul suffit à marquer le tous les luths ouïgours, ses frettes donnent
rythme, avec tous les monnayages, variations une échelle chromatique. Sous une forme
et dédoublements souhaitables. Dans la tradi- légèrement moins grande, il est également
tion d'Ili, la configuration idéale et suffisante répandu en Ouzbékistan et au Tadjikistan.
est le chant, le dutâr et le tanbur, un autre luth Le luth à long manche tanbur appartient
à très long manche. Pour les chansons et le également à cette aire. La forme ouïgoure est
–7–
plus longue que les spécimens ouzbek, tad- sphère tronquée recouverte d’une peau de
jik ou kashmiri, la corde vibrante atteignant chèvre ou de poisson. Dans la forme récem-
125 cm et couvrant deux octaves et demi. ment répandue en Chine Populaire, le parche-
Les cinq cordes métalliques sont accordées min est tendu à l'intérieur de la caisse de réso-
sol-sol, do (une quinte en dessous), sol-sol ; la nance entre les deux hémisphères, soutenant
mélodie se joue seulement sur la double une âme en contact avec la table d'harmonie
corde aiguë, les autres servant de bourdon ; en bois. Les musiciens de la diaspora rejettent
comme dans les autres luths de cette famille, cette innovation qui défigure le timbre de
on les pince avec l'index muni d'un onglet. l’instrument. De même ils n'utilisent jamais
Le ghijak est répandu dans toute l'Asie sous les instruments nouveaux ou réinventés pour
des noms et des formes variées. Il s’agit là les besoins des orchestres officiels, comme le
d’une viole à pique dont la caisse est une rawap basse, ou la viole khoshtâr.
LES PIÈCES
–9–
5. Marghul 1, 2, 3 Daryaning uyoghda uyoghda koringan terak,
Pièces instrumentales tirées du Onikki terak bizning
Muqâm (mode Panjgâh), sur des cycles ryth- Sizni oylaganimden kuydi bu yurak, kuydi
miques en 2/4 et 3/4. yurak ey bizning, dosltar âmân, âmân...
Abdulaziz Hashimov, tanbur Yurtumda musaferman, hâlimden xabar olgan
Akram Hashimov, dutâr. Le peuplier que l'on voit de l'autre côté du
Le marghul est une pièce instrumentale qui fleuve est mon arbre
se déroule sur le même cycle rythmique que J'ai tant pensé à lui que mon cœur brûle, mon
la pièce vocale qui le précède. Toutes les cœur brûle. Mes amis, à l'aide, à l'aide…
pièces vocales du Onikki Muqâm sont suivies Dans mon propre pays je suis un voyageur,
d'un marghul, excepté les chansons mashrap demandez des nouvelles de moi.
de la section finale. Panjgâh (litt. 5e posi-
tion), est un terme désignant en Orient des 8. Yâru
modes dont la gamme est apparentée à la Aripjân Muhamadov, ghijak, et ensemble.
tonalité majeure. Il s'agit d'une composition instrumentale
dans la tradition de Kachgar.
6. Kocha nakhshesi
Abdurashid Nâdirev, chant et dutâr 9. Suite de chansons d'Ili
Abdughani Tokhtiev, tanbur. par Ayshamgul Mamat, chant, et ensemble.
Ce cycle tiré des Ili nakhshe commence ainsi : La première chanson commence ainsi :
Balâ kormay desing hargiz jahân ra’nâlarin Dostim, jân dostim yuzinga nur yarashibdi
suyma Sening ishqi firâqinda yurakka ât tutashibdi
Otup Farhâd o Shirindek, berip gham toghi arâ Dostlarim âmân bolsin, Jân dostim, jânim
yurma dostim
Si tu dis qu’il faut éviter les catastrophes, il ne Sen mendin xafa bolma âldimda kulup qoyip,
faut jamais aimer les beautés de ce monde ârkamdin topa qilma
Ne te promène pas dans les montagnes de la Mon ami, la lumière convient à ton visage
douleur, comme Farhad et Shirin. Séparé de ton amour, le feu consume mon
cœur.
7. Dostlarim âmân Ne sois pas fâché contre moi, devant moi tu
Abdurashid Nâdirev, chant et dutâr. souriais, derrière moi ne médis point.
Il s'agit d'une chanson de Kashgar assez
répandue, même parmi les Ouzbeks. JEAN DURING
– 10 –
Pour en savoir plus :
– Anderson Bakewell, Chine Xinjiang. Route de la Soie, Onikki Muqâm, Alma Ata, éd. Öner, 1988.
Playasou nd, 1992 (CD et livret). – Jean During et Sabine Trebinjac, Turkestan Chinois /
– Anna Czekanovska, “Muqâm in the tradition of the Xinjiang, Musiques Ouïgoures, OCORA-Radio France,
Uygurs”, in The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, C5590 92-93, 1990 (CD et livret).
vol. 6, New-York, London, 2002 (995-1008). – Jean During et Sabine Trebinjac, Introduction à l'étude
– Dvenadtsat Uygurskikh Mukamov, (“Les 12 muqâm-s de la musique Ouïgoure, Bloomington, 1991.
Ouïgours”), par les ensembles “Uzbekskiy Ansambl – Sabine Trebinjac, Le pouvoir en chantant, vol. I,
Mukamusov” et “Uyghursky Ansambl Mukamistov”, Nanterre, Societé d'Ethnologie, 1998.
10 disques vinyles, Tashkent, Melodia, s.d., 1983, – Sabine Trebinjac, “When Uygurs entertain them-
1986. Les deux premiers muqâm, Rak et Chabbiyat ont selves”, in The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music,
été transcrits en 108 pp. par Tamara Alibakieva, dans vol. 6, New-York, London, 2002 (989-993).
– 11 –
Aripjân Muhamadov, ghijak d
Ayshamgul Mamat h
A people with a high culture dynasty (7th century AD), there were at least
The Uighurs are a large Eastern Turkic ethnic eight musical ensembles from Turkestan,
group descended from the Huns whose his- including orchestras from Samarkand,
tory stretches back over many centuries. Kashgar, Turfan, Khotan and Qumul. The
Their first homeland lay in an area occupied Buddhist frescoes of Qyzyl, near Kucha,
by present-day Mongolia, where they estab- which date back to about 500 AD, depict
lished an empire and from which, beginning musician gods and, in the scenes of paradise,
in the 9th century, they gradually occupied long-necked three-stringed lutes, pear-
the territory that now comprises China’s shaped four-stringed lutes, and orchestras
Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. Most with arched harps, zithers, oboes, transverse
Uighurs still live in Xinjiang, and with a flutes, panpipes, mouth organs, hourglass
population of more than 8 million, they are drums and various idiophones.
the province’s largest ethnic group. Uighurs
also live in the Ili Valley of Kazakhstan, fur- Musicians of the diaspora
ther to the west, and in diaspora communi- Even after leaving their native land, Uighurs
ties in the neighboring Central Asian in diaspora communities remained faithful
republics. These commmunities grew rapidly to their roots. These roots lie not so much in
during China’s Cultural Revolution, with the a geographical territory as in their culture,
largest groups in Kazakhstan (200,000) and in particular, music and dance, for which
Uzbekistan (300,000). The Uighurs, whose their passion is well known. The communi-
nationhood is affirmed in inscriptions dat- ties established in Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz
ing from the 5th century, were the first Republic, and Uzbekistan kept alive the
Turkic people to possess a system of writing social customs that provided an important
and develop a high culture. These achieve- context for their music. In the conditions of
ments enabled the Uighurs to exercise a civ- diaspora, Uighurs have been able to preserve
ilizing influence over other peoples with their music and original lyrics and restore
whom they came in contact. In Chang'an repertories that had been distorted by
(Xi'an), the Chinese capital of the Tang reforms or novelties.
– 16 –
Two of the performers featured on the pre- rated elements of ancient Indo-Iranian civi-
sent CD have played an important role in lizations (Tokharian and Sogdian), followed
this process: Abdulaziz Hashimov, who tran- by Buddhism, Manicheanism, Turkic culture
scribed the entire repertory of Ili music that and, finally, Islam. The Uighurs are close to
he learnt in Gulja in his youth, and Aripjân the Uzbeks in both their language and cus-
Muhametov, conductor of the Uighur toms. These days, Uighurs still frequently
Muqâm Ensemble in Tashkent in the 1980s. cross the border between China and the
This ensemble made a valuable recording of Central Asian republics of the former Soviet
the abridged version of the Onikki Muqâm in Union, but this trade – notably between
the form in which it had been transmitted Kashgar and Ferghana, in Uzbekistan – was
in the north by master musicians from at its most extensive in the 19th century.
Kashgar. The ensemble was subsequently Affinities between Uighurs and Uzbeks are
disbanded and never reassembled. Only evident in their music, in particular, its con-
later, at the initiative of the Maison des ceptual underpinnings, instruments, genres,
Cultures du Monde in Paris, did a group of and social functions. Another important
performers come together to present their shared feature is the formation of a repertory
music in its most authentic form. of large suites similar to the Arabo-
The present CD was produced from a record- Andalusian nuba or Persian dastgâh. While
ing of a concert given by the Abdulaziz the structuring and systematization of this
Hashimov group in March 2002. This con- repertory may have been influenced by
cert was something of a landmark, since it is Islamic culture, one must not forget that the
very rare for Uighur musicians to perform in principle of the suite (muqâm or maqom in
the West, especially in free-ranging concerts the terminology of the Uighurs, Uzbeks, and
covering a number of different styles and Tajiks) existed well before the Middle Eastern
traditions. The Paris concert also appears to nuba and might even have been its source.
have marked the first appearance of a The musical monument of the Uighurs is the
Uighur diaspora group in Europe. The rarity Onikki Muqâm, the “12 suites” in 12 different
and high quality of the concert pursuaded modes (muqâm), each lasting some two hours
Radio-France to broadcast it. in the tradition of the Kashgar region. The
names of each of these muqâm echo Persian-
Traditions and schools Arab musical theory, but taken as a whole,
The music of the Uighurs is both very rich they do not refer to the same melodic types as
and remarkably original. It has its roots in a those of the Middle East. The names of the
glorious cultural history that has incorpo- muqâm suites are: Râk, Chabbiyât (chap Bayât),
– 17 –
Chârgâh, Panjgâh, Ozhâl (Ozzâl), Ajam, unlike those of the chong naghme, reflect a
Mushâwrak, Ushâq, Bayât, Navâ, Segâh, Erâq. In popular style and are often drawn from the
the canonical version of Kashgar, which is the lyrical epics (dâstân) whose heroes are sung
most widely performed, the repertory inclu- into life throughout Inner Asia, e.g., Gharip
des 242 melodies set to 1,235 poetic couplets, and Sanam, Farhâd and Shirin, Tâhir and
or pairs of verse lines. Other surveys have Zahra, or Yusup Ahmat.
listed 316 separate units (âhang). Other styles c) Mashrap, a term that evokes a festive
and forms are found in other regions, for social ceremony as well as the more rarefied
example, the schools of Turfan, Urumqi and form of such a ceremony practiced by
Khotan may be considered as sub-branches of dervishes. The mashrap section includes
the Kashgar school. The music of Dolan is short songs in a lively rhythm without
quite different again, with its six-note modes instrumental pieces. As the Kashgar muqâm
and predilection for counterpoint or het- spread to the northeast, only two of the
erophony, and still more different is the above sections were retained : Dâstân
firmly pentatonic muqâm of Qumul. naghme and Mashrap.
Muqâm Nakhshe
In the Ili region, which is home to all the The idea of gathering pieces together into
musicians featured on this CD, elements of suites was linked to the culture of the major
the repertoires of the other regions exist side- cities and the presence in these of a central-
by-side with local forms. In Ili, as in Kucha, ized political power. Thus, each large urban
the Onikki Muqâm is played in an abbreviated area in Central Asia gave rise to a repertory
form. In the Kashgar version, each muqâm of suites: Khiva, Bukhara–Samarkand,
consists of three sections in addition to an Qoqand, Kashgar–Yarken. In smaller cities,
unmetered overture (muqâm bashi): musicians were content to group songs into
a) Chong naghme (‘great songs’), which con- smaller suites such as those from Ili.
sist of several vocal and instrumental pieces The typical genre of the Ili region is a set of 12
in different rhythms that are heavy and suites (nakhshe, literally “pictures”) called Ili
complex at the beginning, and become nakhshesi. These are of purely local origin and
steadily lighter. have no connection with the muqâm system:
b) Dâstân naghme (‘narrative airs’), instru- – they are shorter (between 15 and 30 mn),
mental songs and pieces (marghul) that fol- with 5-12 parts, and sometimes open with
low a series of three rhythmic forms: 4 an unmetered prelude;
beats, 7 or 9 beats, and 3 beats. The poems, – moreover, they have a variety of literary
– 18 –
names unrelated to Middle Eastern music ages opportunities for the exercise of these
theory – Laylun, Qâdir, Mastun heyrân, Gulzâr arts, such as during the massive private fes-
ey, Ulânmâ I and II, etc.; tivities known as toy, where hundreds of
– they are set to simple one- or two-beat people gather for a marriage or a circumci-
rhythms. sion, or at the mashrap, more restrained
The only feature they share with the Muqâm gatherings that feature musical interludes
is the organizational principle by which between the various courses of a banquet. In
each suite begins with an unmetered song contrast to other neighbouring cultures,
and each song is linked to the preceding women have an important place in musical
song by means of a melodic motif, thus life and many of them are able to accom-
forming a continuous loop, as in the pany their songs on the dutâr (long long-
marghul of the Onikki Muqâm. necked lute), rawap (short long-necked lute)
These suites are not designed for dancing, but or, at the very least, on the dap (tambourine).
for careful listening at occasions such as the
social gatherings known as mashrap, and as a Some features of Uighur music
result, their melodies are more elaborate than Uighur melodic modes display the influence
those of the dance songs and airs known as of the various peoples who have contributed
sanam. This latter genre can be found in any to the formation of Uighur identity: first
sizeable Uighur town. As with the Onikki Indo-Europeans and Tokharians, then proto-
Muqâm, there are twelve different sanam that Turks, and finally the Uighurs themselves,
correspond to the number of principal towns who in their turn have absorbed other
in Xinjiang and evoke the symbolic signifi- Turkic peoples. The melodies, particularly in
cance of the number 12 among the Uighurs the Onikki Muqâm, modulate frequently not
as representing wholeness or totality. The Ili only within the seven-tone system (diatonic
sanam is one of these twelve. Like all the oth- scales reminiscent of medieval European
ers, it consists of a short suite played at a con- music), but also from one system to another
stantly accelerating tempo. – in other words, mixing Middle Eastern-like
Besides these repertories, each region, in par- tonal systems with pentatonic elements that
ticular Kashgar and Ili, has a large number of evoke East Asia. There is no Chinese influ-
older and newer songs which, while rela- ence per se, however. Rather, all the ele-
tively complex, are more accessible to ama- ments present in Uighur music exist within
teurs than the nakhshe and the muqâm. The the cultures of Central Asia itself. In general,
Uighurs are in fact renowned as great lovers the style of the Ili Valley contrasts with that
of music and dance. Their culture encour- of the southeast by virtue of its simpler
– 19 –
rhythms, more pentatonic melodic modes, never used in the Ili ensemble performance
and more restrained instrumentation. tradition with the exception of the sanam
In Kashgar, by contrast, melodic modes are dance suites.
often close to those of India, Uzbekistan or
Afghanistan and the rhythms are more varied Instruments
and often quite complex. In the older style, The dutâr (literally “two strings”) is a long-
free of Chinese influence, certain Muqâm necked lute played within a broad geo-
melodies evoke India or Kashmir. Melodies graphical area that stretches from Kurdistan
progress in large spans, as in pentatonic sys- to Xinjiang. Each people within this region
tems, so that they quickly encompass more has adapted the size of the instrument and
than one octave, producing one of the dis- its sound qualities and performance to suit
tinctive traits of the classical Uzbek-Tajik its own needs. In Central Asia it is still
style. This style also has affinities with that of strung with silk strings tuned in fifths,
the Uighurs in such areas as instrumentation, fourths or in unison, while in Turkmenistan
language, modes, musical forms, and dance. and Khorasan metal strings have been used
In Ili the rhythms are frequently in 4-beats, for about the last fifty years. The Uighur
sometimes syncopated (3+3+2), while 5, 6, 7 dutâr is the largest instrument in this family,
and 9-beats are frequently encountered in the with a vibrating string length of as much as
Onikki Muqâm, together with complex group- 105 cm. It is entirely made of mulberry
ings of 12 or 13. In odd-numbered measures, wood, intricately inlaid with bone and
the Uighurs introduce a subtle rhythmic horn. It is used in popular music to accom-
groove that neutralizes the pulse and fights pany songs as well as in the muqâm, in par-
with the regular beat of accompanying per- ticular in the Khotan school. Like all the
cussion instruments. The dutâr alone is usu- Uighur lutes, its frets are laid out so as to
ally sufficient to mark the rhythm, with all yield a chromatic scale. On a slightly smaller
the transitions, variations and rhythmic- scale, the dutâr is also widespread in
melodic asymmetries that are called for. Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
In the Ili tradition, the ideal performance The tanbur, another form of long-necked
forces consist of voice, dutâr and tanbur, lute, is also native to Central Asia. The
another long-necked lute. For songs as well Uighur tanbur is longer than those played by
as muqâm, the ghijak – a spike fiddle held the Uzbeks, Tajiks or Kashmiris, with a
upright – and sometimes the rawap, chang vibrating string as long as 125 cm that cov-
(cimbalom) and transverse flute may be ers two-and-a-half octaves. The five metal-
added, as is typical in Kashgar. Percussion is strings are tuned G – G – C (a fifth below) –
– 20 –
G – G. Melody pitches are played on the become popular in China, the parchment is
double high strings while the other strings stretched across the inside of the resonating
serve as a drone. As with the other lutes the chamber between the two hemispheres and
strings are plucked with the index finger fit- supports a sound-post in contact with the
ted with a metal pick. wooden soundboard. Diaspora musicians
The ghijak, widespread in Asia under a vari- reject this innovation, which distorts the
ety of names and in a variety of forms, is a instrument’s timbre. By the same token,
spike fiddle whose sound-box is a truncated they never use new or reinvented instru-
sphere covered with goat or fish skin. In the ments created for official orchestras such as
form of this instrument that has recently the bass rawap or khoshtâr fiddle.
THE PIECES
– 23 –
Couverture (1 & 4) 27/06/06 13:05 Page 1
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Traditions d’Ili et de Kachgar
Central Asia
MUSIC OF THE UIGHURS
Traditions of Ili and Kashgar
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