Glossary
| ʿajam |
a melodic mode: B flat–C–D–E flat–F–G–A–B flat |
| bambī |
a rhythmic mode in 8/4 |
| bashraf (peshrev) |
an instrumental piece with the form: A refrain B refrain C refrain D refrain; the meters tend to be longer than the meters of the samāʿī (they can be 14/4, 28/4, 32/4, and the longest is 176/4) |
| bastanikār |
a melodic mode: B half flat–C–D–E half flat–F–G flat–A–B flat |
| bayātī |
a melodic mode: D–E half flat–F–G–A–B flat–C–D |
| chifte tellī |
a rhythmic mode in 8/4 |
| dūlāb |
an instrumental introduction in 4/4 meter |
| faraḥfazā |
a melodic mode: G–A–B flat–C–D–E flat–F–G |
| firqa |
a large Arabic orchestra imitating Western counterpart and made up of traditional instruments plus violins, cellos and double bass |
| ḥijāz |
a melodic mode: C–D flat–E–F–G–A flat (or half flat)–B flat–C |
| ḥijāzkār |
a melodic mode: C–D flat–E–F–G–A flat–B–C |
| ḥusaynī |
a melodic mode: D–E half flat–F–G–A–B half flat–C–D |
| huzām |
a melodic mode: E half flat–F–G–A flat–B–C–D–E half flat |
| jihārkāh |
a melodic mode: F–G–A–B flat– C–D–E half flat–F |
| kurd |
a melodic mode: G–A flat–B flat–C–D–E flat–F–G |
| kürdeylī ḥijāzkār |
see kurd |
| muḥayyar |
a melodic mode: D–E half flat–F–G–A–B half flat–C–D |
| nahāwand |
a melodic mode: C–D–E flat–F–G–A flat–B–C |
| nakrīz |
a melodic mode: C–D–E flat–F sharp–G–A–B flat–C |
| nawaʾathar |
a melodic mode: C–D–E flat–F sharp–G–A flat–B–C |
| qārjighār |
a melodic mode: D–E half flat–F–G–A flat–B–C–D |
| rāst |
a melodic mode: C–D–E half flat–F–G–A–B half flat–C |
| ṣabā |
a melodic mode: D–E half flat–F–G flat–A–B flat–C–D flat |
| samāʿī |
a rhythmic mode in 10/8; an instrumental piece in 10/8 with the form: A refrain B refrain C refrain D refrain, sometimes the D section is in a different rhythmic mode such as 6/8 or 6/4 |
| suznāk |
a melodic mode: C–D–E half flat–F–G–A flat–B–C |
| takht |
a chamber ensemble made up of lute, qanun, reed flute, violin and tambourine |
| taqsīm |
(plur. taqāsīm) unmeasured or measured instrumental improvisation |
| ṭarab |
an acute emotion of joy or grief that also produces ecstasy |
| taslīma |
refrain in a samāʿī or bashraf (peshrev) |
| zanjarān |
a melodic mode: D–E flat–F sharp–G–A–B–C–D |