Uzbek Music (anthropology) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Uzbek Music (anthropology) - Essay Example Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to present the argument that the ethnomusicology of Uzbek music and understanding it, help to gain insights into Uzbek culture. The analysis will be supported by ethnographic evidence and examples. The rich and diverse musical heritage of Uzbekistan has contributed significantly to the establishment of a national self-consciousness and cultural identity for the nation as a whole, particularly after the country achieved independence in 1991 from the Soviet Union. The main sources are written texts including historical manuscripts, contemporary national studies and samples of traditional music notated in the Western staff system; and an extensive range of national melodies and â€Å"intonations†, together with the emotional images of the national spiritual world (Djumeiv: 166). The Uzbek’s way of life, customs, thoughts, hopes and struggle for social and national liberation are deeply reflected in Uzbek folklore, causing a variety in theme and genre of Uzbek folk songs. The main types of songs are: daily life songs such as lullabies, children’s songs, calendric songs and lyric songs, the latter including songs of love, humor, nature, meditation, etc. Family ceremonal songs such as wedding songs and laments in funerals, work songs, songs of social protest, and historical songs. In turn this thematic variety led to musical diversity. The above are the specifically ceremonial and daily-life songs, which is one genre of Uzbek folk songs. The other genre included those songs which were performed everywhere with a great variety of theme: the terma or chublama, koshuk, lapar, yalla, and ashula genres. Except for ashula, the aforementioned genres are basically strophic in structure, melodically narrow and improvisatory. â€Å"The ashula is particula rly distinctive, with its extensive melodic structure and