Fuzuli's Ghazals in Azerbaijani mugham: an analysis of the Rast Dastgah

Abstract

This study explores the critical interaction between Eastern poetry, particularly the gazelle, and music, highlighting the inherent musicality of Eastern poetry. Fuzuli's gazelles exemplify this, having reached their peak in his works. These poems, memorized and orally transmitted by "hanende" singers, possess depth, clarity, aphoristic precision, and emotional expressiveness, inspiring musicians for centuries. The research investigates the connection between poetry and music in four areas: content, melodic-intonation, rhythm, and composition. Historically, gazelles have been integral to mugham, with performers known as both khanende and gazal-khan. This unity is evident in their shared emotional and expressive framework. A musical-poetic analysis of the Dastgah Rast reveals that selected gazelles match its structure, emphasizing their song-emphatic nature. The study demonstrates how music often dominates, occasionally omitting lines or couplets. While melismas and vocalizations are crucial to mugham, excessive ornamentation can disrupt the coherence of poetic lines. Rhythmically, the gazelle's meter underpins mugham's development. Compositionally, the gazelle couplet parallels a musical period, with first lines typically ending in half cadences and second lines in full cadences. The poetic lines shape the Dastgah's dramaturgy, visualized as a three-part composition: the exposition (first gazelle) in Novruz Ravanda, Maye, Ussaq, Huseyni; the development (second gazelle) in Vilayeti, Sahnaze Xara, Kurdi, Pahlavi; and the dynamic reprise in Xocasta, Xaveran, Rasanda gasisi, Eraq, Rak. The study notes that the connection between poetry and music weakens in the final part, with instrumental elements predominating and the vocal part taking on an instrumental character. Nevertheless, poetry remains the organizing factor for both the structure and rhythm of the Dastgah, underscoring its central role in this intricate art form. Future research should investigate the influence of different melodic structures on the emotional expressiveness of Fuzuli’s gazelles in mugham. Additionally, examining cross-cultural interpretations and pedagogical methods can provide insights into preserving and innovating these art forms within diverse musical traditions.