ETHNOMUSICOLOGY

Given the different backgrounds of the students, the course will begin with a survey on terms, concepts and tools of the ethnomusicological and anthropological research intended for those who are not familiar with such a research and who didn't attended to the course "Fundamentals in Ethnomusicology".
This year's monographic course is linked to previous courses devoted to Music and altered states of consciousness, focusing this year on the case of samā' ("hearing, listening, spiritual concert") in the Sufi tradition. The term initially appeared in treatises composed in the mid-10th century A.D. in the Baghdad area: during those very first samā' people listened first of all to the chanting of the Qur'an, gradually flanked by poetry of an amorous/mystical nature, which could then be intertwined with the sound of musical instruments. This listening could give rise to intense inner states and uncontrollable physical movements in the assorted participants.
After a survey of the concepts and traditions that preceded the samā' in the East and the West, especially in the Shamanic cultures and in the ancient Mediterranean area, we will focus on the practice itself as set forth by the Sufi treatise writers. Having clarified these points, various cases of samā' in different Sufi brotherhoods in the Ottoman-Turkish world, in Central Asia, in Xinjiang and in the Indo-Pakistani area will be examined with an anthropological and ethnomusicological approach.

According to the framework for the European Higher Education, the so called Dublin descriptors, the expected results are:
1. Knowledge and Understanding
a) To know the basic terms and concepts of the discipline and to understand the texts that use such terms and concepts.
b) To understand the peculiarities of Ethnomusicological research.

2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
a) Being capable of a simple analysis of some given musical examples, being aware of the singles musical languages and cultures.
b) Ability to connect a musical tune with its cultural framework.

3. Judgement's ability
a) Being capable to formulate and to argument simples hypothesis.

4. Communications Skills
a) Being able to communicate the peculiarities of the Transcultural Musicology approach to music, using an appropriate terminology.

5. Learning Ability
● Being able to take notes and to share them in a collaborative form.
● Being able to consult to consult the texts critically and the Bibliography immanent.

No particular prerequisites are required but open-mindedness, curiosity and attention.

The monographic course this year is linked to previous courses devoted to Music and altered states of consciousness, and will focus on the case of the samā' ("hearing, listening, spiritual concert") in the Sufi tradition. After a survey of the concepts and traditions that preceded the samā' between East and West, especially in the Shamanic cultures and in the ancient Mediterranean area, the focus will be on the practice itself as expounded by the Sufi treatise writers. Having clarified these points, various cases of samā' in different Sufi brotherhoods in the Ottoman-Turkish world, in Central Asia, in Xinjiang and in the Indo-Pakistani area will be examined with an anthropological and ethnomusicological approach.

1) Giovanni DE ZORZI, samā'. L'ascolto e il concerto spirituale nella tradizione sufi, Milano, Jouvence, 2021.
2) Angelo SCARABEL, Il sufismo. Storia e dottrina, Roma, Carocci, 2007.

Non attending students will add: Jean DURING, Musica ed Estasi. L'ascolto mistico nella tradizione sufi, Roma, SquiLibri, 2013 (with CD).

Oral exam. Welcome personal deepening on specific genres or authors arranged in advance with the professor.

Lessons with musical listenings, visual examples and musical scores.

Italian

Before starting a course I order the necessary texts for the course in BAUM; obviously, being exam papers, these are not available for loan.
You can also find the texts for the exam in Venetian and national bookstores, online, or in the many Venetian libraries.

oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development