The House Of Song Musical Structures In Zoroastrian Prayer Performance Raiomond Mirza Ph.D. Thesis, Ethnomusicology School Of Oriental And African Studies, University Of London 2004 2 Abstract This thesis uncovers the presence of musical structures within Zoroastrian prayer performance and articulates the details of these structures and also the way in which they are manifested and are passed down through generations. Initial research included an amalgamation and examination of the few references to music in Zoroastrian prayer that there are to be found in existing literature. The bulk of the research involved travelling to different countries to make contemporary sound recordings of prayers and to conduct extensive interviews with priests. Archival recordings were also gathered as data for examination. The evolution of the status and role of priests within the Zoroastrian community from antiquity to the present day as well as the training they receive is presented in order to understand the social as well as religious context within which Zoroastrian prayer is performed and taught. A substantial body of evidence is provided in the form of musical notations of the prayers of over thirty men and boys as well as more than an hour of accompanying sound recordings. Interview data is also provided to illuminate the perspectives of the performers on their own material. The musical analysis of the notations uncovers musical structures in Zoroastrian prayer, and an examination of interview data first reveals the mechanism by which these structures are manifested and transmitted and then synthesises the conclusions into a model for music making which operates to shape the sound of Zoroastrian prayer. The final analysis explores the age of these musical structures from the most recent and provable point of existence to a possibly ancient origin. 3 Table Of Contents Preface................................................................................................................. 8 Acknowledgements........................................................................................... 10 Chapter 1 Overview of Zoroastrianism............................................................ 12 1.1 The Prophet............................................................................................. 12 1.2 Cosmology .............................................................................................. 14 1.3 Religious Texts ....................................................................................... 16 1.4 Rituals ..................................................................................................... 20 1.5 Temples of Worship................................................................................ 20 1.6 The Post-Empire Zoroastrian Community.............................................. 21 Chapter 2 References to Music and Sound in Zoroastrian Prayer Performance ........................................................................................................................... 22 2.1 Translations From Ancient Texts............................................................ 22 2.2 18th 19th and 20th Century Accounts........................................................ 26 2.3 Images and References To Music ........................................................... 27 Chapter 3. The Role Of The Priesthood In The Community........................... 36 3.1 The Magi................................................................................................. 38 3.2 19th – 20th Century Shifts In Power......................................................... 44 Chapter 4 The Role of The Laity During Public Ritual.................................... 48 4.1 Impact Of Audience Upon Performer..................................................... 55 Chapter 5.The Structure Of The Priesthood ..................................................... 60 5.1 Ancient Priestly Hierarchies ................................................................... 62 5.2 Priestly Power In The Present Day ......................................................... 63 5.3 Economics Of The Priesthood ................................................................ 66 5.4 Effect Of Economics Upon Performance Practice ................................. 70 Chapter 6 The Training of Priests.................................................................... 72 6.1 Time Span ............................................................................................... 72 6.2 Training Sequence................................................................................... 73 6.3 Training Method ..................................................................................... 74 6.4 Setting ..................................................................................................... 75 6.5 Issues Of Training................................................................................... 77 Chapter 7 Transcription: Methodology and Commentary............................... 86 7.1 Selection Of Prayers................................................................................ 87 7.2 Selection Of Priests................................................................................. 89 7.3 Issues Of Recording................................................................................ 95 7.4 Issues Of Notation................................................................................... 97 7.5 Choices Of Notation................................................................................ 99 7.6 Common Performance Features............................................................ 102 7.7 Selection Of Passages ........................................................................... 110 7.8 Commentary.......................................................................................... 111 7.9 Mobed Behruz – Yazd, Iran (1999) ...................................................... 114 7.10 Mobed Khodabash Yazd, Iran (1999)................................................ 118 7.11 Mobed Parviz Mali – Yazd, Iran (1999)............................................. 124 7.12 Mobed Mehraban – Yazd, Iran (1999) ............................................... 129 7.13 Mobed Niknām – Tehran, Iran (1999)................................................ 135 7.14 Mobed Ramiyar Karanjia – Bombay, India (2000) ............................ 141 4 7.15 Mobed Aibara - Bombay, India (1959).............................................. 147 7.16 Mobed Peshotan Peer – Bombay, India ( 1987) ................................. 152 7.17 Mobed Royinton Peer – Bombay, India (2000).................................. 155 7.18 Mobed Minochehr N.D. Homji – Bombay, India (1979) ................... 160 7.19 Dastur Hormazdiar Mirza – Bombay, India (2000)............................ 163 7.19a Mobed Peshotan. H. Mirza – Bombay, India (2000) ....................... 163 7.20 Unknown Mobed – Sharifabad, Iran (1963/64).................................. 170 7.21 Mobed Shahzadi – Tehran, Iran.......................................................... 176 7.22 Training............................................................................................... 183 7.23 Mobed Peshotan Peer and unknown boy – Bombay, India (1959) .... 183 7.24 Mobed Shiavax B. Sidwa & Nikshad R. Fatakia – Bombay, India (2000) .......................................................................................................... 191 7.25 Mobed Shiavax B. Sidwa & Sarosh Dara Sidwa – Bombay, India (2000) .......................................................................................................... 193 7.26 Non - Standard Priests ........................................................................ 196 7.27 Mobed Marazban Gonda – Bombay, India (2000) ............................. 197 7.28 Mobed Cyroos – Tehran, Iran (1999) ................................................. 203 Chapter 8 The Awareness Of Aesthetics in Prayer Performance ................... 208 8.1 The degree to which priests are aware of their own sound................... 209 8.2 The degree to which priests are aware of the sounds of other priests .. 224 8.3 Transmission and the awareness of transmission ................................. 229 Chapter 9 Analysis......................................................................................... 244 9.1 Impact of Text on Rhythm.................................................................... 245 9.2 Impact of Text on Pitch......................................................................... 253 9.3 Impact of Performance Features On Text............................................. 254 9.4 External Purpose and Internal Structure ............................................... 260 9.5 The Model............................................................................................. 265 9.6 The Body of Knowledge/Performance Practice ................................... 266 9.7 Manifestation Of the Model.................................................................. 270 9.8 Connections Between Zoroastrian Prayer and Surrounding Culture... 273 9.9 Transmission Of The Model ................................................................. 296 9.10 Impact of Transmission By Osmosis Upon The Performance ........... 299 9.11 Possible Age Of Performance Features .............................................. 303 Chapter 10 Possible Origins..........................................................................