The Arab-Islamic city soundscape in contemporary music composition
Since musicology met soundscape studies, the concept of “space” has been investigated through different perspectives in sound research. Urban space studies also deal with the relation between music and city. Sometimes, their association is relevant according to some particular musical aesthetics set up in the recent history. For instance, thunderous atmospheres in the Western city of the beginning of 20th century have been celebrating in Futurism music, as a sign of industrial and technological appreciation. Nevertheless, we aim to consider the sound expression in a different environment: the Arab-Islamic city. This soundscape shows some particular features in which religious practices dominate the every-day life. The Arab-Islamic city is an essential aspect in the first compositional period (2000-2017) of Zad Moultaka’s musical expression. He was born in Beirut and moved to France in 1980s. The sound dimension of his city allowed him to develop a particular position about its homeland music, the traditional Lebanese-Arab music. Polytemporalité: this word is a neologism invented by Moultaka himself and represents a multiple description of a multiform reality usually (and traditionally) observed according to a sound monotheism of the ruling melody. According to this original approach, we also want to consider some works by the Lebanese composer that present different intentions. In some compositions, music absorbs the typical environment of the Middle East city; in other scores also happens that the musical action is set inside the urban spaces and is consequently adapted to the (Western) city life sound dimensions.
Keywords: soundscape, Arab-Islamic city, contemporary music, Arab orality, Zad Moultaka
Biography
Brigida Migliore is a pianist, composer and musicologist. She built up her artistic experience and knowledge in Italy and France. She holds an intense concert activity through Europe as soloist, in chamber music and as composer too, working with important institutions and ensembles. In 2024, she was awarded with the Premio Festi by the Accademia Filarmonia di Bologna, as the best composer. Brigida was Ater (teacher and researcher) in musicology at Aix-Marseille University (2016-2018), she obtained her PhD in Music and Musicology in 2022. Her thesis was about Arab influences and contemporary music in Zad Moultaka’s works, this dissertation won the first prize of the Prix de thèse de la ville de Marseille. She also worked with PRISM-CNRS Laboratory in Marseille, especially about the J.-C. Risset catalogue. Since 2023, Brigida is Chercheuse associée at the CRILLASH Laboratory at Antilles University. At present, she is Theory of Harmony and Music Analysis teacher at Salerno State Conservatoire of Music “Giuseppe Martucci” and member of the Academic board at Taranto State Conservatoire of Music “G. Paisiello”.
Conservatorio Salerno / Conservatorio Taranto, Italy / University of the Antilles, France – brigida.migliore@consalerno.it