The Dimension of Music in Islamic and Jewish Culture (Collected Studies Series, Cs393)

Though we can no longer hear how it sounded, the written sources that remain provide much information on the music of the medieval Islamic and Jewish worlds, on how it was regarded and on the importance that was attached to it. Professor Shiloah has been a pioneer in the exploration of these sources, and the present volume brings together some of the results. The first studies examine, with annotated translations, several key works expounding the meaning of music and its power, in terms of its ethical and therapeutic effects and properties. The subsequent articles focus on scientific writings about music and on the transmission of musical knowledge. The final section approaches the subject from the angle of religion, noting how the power attributed to music occasioned the distrust of many religious figures, who feared its capacity to deprave and debase its audience.