Joshua Hug

Chahar Mezrab in Mahour

This piece demonstrates the melodic variation and the
development of musical phrases from a baseline in Middle Eastern
music. As is typical of a Chahar Mezrab this is a very fast piece played
on a string instrument that evolves from the first melodic phrase.
These phrases are variations of the original phrase be it in higher
pitches but eventually the string player returns to the original phrase
melody. This is called the resolution. In one section there is no
resolution, this is a form of tension and release but the phrase repeats
and does resolve back to the original phrase. This piece demonstrated
how a single basic melodic line could evolve so much into a complex
interwoven piece with tension and release factors built in to the
changing of the phrases. There is also a resolution when the piece
returns to its base melodic phrase and therefore this is an expectation
of the listener and can be played with as it is at 0:36.