BIBFRAME Work

Title

Kitab adab al-ghina' : The book for the completion of musical knowledge

Other Titles (e.g. Variant)

Book for the completion of musical knowledge

Type

• Text
• Monograph

Contribution

• Sawa, George, 1947- (editor )
• Kātib, al-Ḥasan ibn Aḥmad, active 11th century (aut)

Subject

Music theory--Middle East (LCSH)

Genre Form

• Early works (LCGFT)
• Early works to 1800

Language

• English

Classification

• DDC: 781 (Assigner: dlc)
• LCC: ML189 (Assigner: dlc) (Status: used by assigner)

Content

• text

Supplementary content

• bibliography
• index

Summary

"The Book for the Completion of Musical Knowledge is one of two unique treatises coming down to us from the 11th century; the other is Encompasser of the Arts of Ibn al- Tahhan al-Musiqi. Both are written by practicing musicians and composers, and as such provide, a most welcome musical practices supplement to the tenth-century legacy of music theory and literature, namely, the works of al-Farabi and al-Isfahani. In composition, al-Katib provides useful details regarding the process to set a poem to music; in education, he advises students on how to choose a good teacher; in performance, he advises students about to breathe properly and how to ornament vocal and instrumental music"-- Provided by publisher.

Table of Contents

Ṭarab -- On the Virtues of Melodies -- The Meanings of Melodies -- The Effects of Melodies -- The Superiority of Older Singing -- The Superiority of Older Poetry -- The Superiority of Music -- The Characteristics of Melodies -- The Resemblance between the Soul, the Melodies, and the Celestial Sphere -- The State of the Notes -- [The Causes or Mechanics of] Sound Production (Taṣwīt) -- [The Meaning of the] Word Music -- The Delimitations of the Notes -- The Divisions of the Frets of the Pandore -- Melodic Modes (Ajnās al-nagham) -- The Fundamentals of Melodies -- Voiced Letters -- Planning and Determining [Where and How Much to Breathe] -- The Poetic Meters -- The Structure of the Melody -- The Qualification of Melodies -- Composing Melodies That Suit the Poems -- Specific Places in Melodies [to Beautify with Specific Techniques] -- Specific Places in the Playing of Instruments [to Beautify with Specific Techniques] -- What It Is Preferable to Highlight in Melodies -- What It Is Preferable to Hide in Melodies -- Opening Songs -- Rhythms and Rhythmic Modes -- Being in Rhythm -- The Theft of Melodies (al-Sariqāt) -- The Strings -- The Names of the Melodic and Rhythmic Modes (Ṭarāʼiq) -- The Qualities of the Singer -- Good Qualities [to Have While Singing] -- The Qualities of the Throats -- The Arrangement of Singing -- Praise and Requests for Repetitions -- Testing -- Things That Are Beneficial to the Throats -- The Dimensions of Instruments, Arrangements of Frets, and Choice of Strings -- Music Education -- Addenda -- The Sources (al-Irshād).

Authorized Access Point

Kātib, al-Ḥasan ibn Aḥmad, active 11th century. Kitab adab al-ghina' : The book for the completion of musical knowledge

Admin Metadata

• Date: 2026-09-11T21:00:22.386323+00:00
• Agent: cbc
• Status: c
• Derived from: 24003846

Admin Metadata

• Date: 2026-09-11
• Cataloger id: Unknown
• Description level: http://id.loc.gov/ontologies/bibframe-2-6-0/
• Description language: eng
• Description authentication: pcc