Music from Afghanistan

[Saeed]

I've been seeing this more and more... and was wonderring as to what others think of it...

why are we so affected by Indian music etc... to a point our Ustads and such train there and our music is affected very much in terms of the sounds / instruments / musical instrumentals...

Not sure as to the history but if anyone can add / enlighten please do as to did we have long ways back original music?

People talk a lot about Iranians while we came both from same origin yet look at them and in general they have kept PERSIAN rituals and customs very similar while we have digressed a lot... this true? and why do you think so?

another thing I wonder to is why afghans never want change in general as to singers that make their own songs are not appreciated compared to when they sing the same old party song over and over again while people like? is there no room in our peoples minds for enlarging the number of options over a short time period?

[Shareef]

What makes Afghanistan interesting is the number of different cultures that have been brought together under the roof of the state, and the effects that their mixing have had on culture and music.

I think that Indian influence extends right back to the Moghul period, under the kings Babar, Akbar, etc.. but its also noteworthy that we have influenced Indian music considerably aswell. So I guess it has been a two-way thing.

Also there was for a long time Persian domination over the land of Afghanistan.. i.e. the Sassanid empire, and their famous court singers such as Borbad.

A British man (Elphinstone) also wrote about Pashtun music, before it had been influenced too much by Indian traditions. He says:

"Their songs are mostly about love, but they have numerous ballads, celebrating the wars of their trive, and the exploits of individual chiefs. As soon as a chief of any name dies, songs are made in honour of his memory. Besides these songs, some men recite ghazals, or other passages from the poets, and others play the flute, the rabaab, the kamancha and sarinda, and to soornan."

When Timur-e Lang invaded and set up his capital at Herat, he also brought a lot of Turki taditions and the music of that period centered around Herat, and a joint Turko-Persian musical culture was developed. Also when the Uzbeks and Turkomans refugees came down from the time of the Russian oppression (I think around 1920s) they also brought their musical traditions, and this has mixed up with other existing traditions.

Babar wrote about music at Herat, and so did the poet Jami, describing the methods and instruments involved. I dont have the Babur Nama on me.. or the works of Jami.. but if someone does then it would be interesting to write it up and see whats going on.

I think when the capital was shifted to Kabul, musicians from the Mughal empire (in Pashtunistan) and from the Persian persuation (Herat) came together, and here in Kabul they formed the Afghan style of art music and ghazal singing..

Its all interesting, but there is much more involved than this.. so if people can add then Id like to know some more about it.

[PoisonIvy]

Originally posted by AsH-21
I've been seeing this more and more... and was wonderring as to what others think of it...

why are we so affected by Indian music etc... to a point our Ustads and such train there and our music is affected very much in terms of the sounds / instruments / musical instrumentals...

Not sure as to the history but if anyone can add / enlighten please do as to did we have long ways back original music?

People talk a lot about Iranians while we came both from same origin yet look at them and in general they have kept PERSIAN rituals and customs very similar while we have digressed a lot... this true? and why do you think so?

another thing I wonder to is why afghans never want change in general as to singers that make their own songs are not appreciated compared to when they sing the same old party song over and over again while people like? is there no room in our peoples minds for enlarging the number of options over a short time period?

iranian's r gay :D and they don't have their own music....like sumone once mentioned, iranian music is stolen bits n pieces of arabic and afghan songs lol :rolleyes: ...Y afghans don't wana change their music? cuz we luv the classics...but ya i would luv to c change once in a while