Kanun
About the Kanun
‫قانون‬qānūn κανων
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Turkish stringed instrument – core of Turkish music
Also used throughout the Middle East, Armenia & Greece
Trapazoid shape; approx. 37-39 in. x 14-16 in.
Zither-like, played horizontally on the lap
Kithara family of instruments
26 courses of strings, 3 strings per course
Strings plucked with plectrums, one on each hand
o mitzrab/p attached to thimbles that are worn on
forefingers, made of ivory, tortoise-shell, or plastic
o can also be played with fingernails, all fingers
Can be accompanying instrument or solo instrument
Construction
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Made by hand from up to 7 kinds of wood
Top: sycamore; back: pine; bridge: maple
Designs cut out separately from rosewood or white pine
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Strings originally made of catgut, now
nylon or PVC
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200 tuning pegs, metal (brass, silver alpaca) or
hardwood (ebony)
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Sound board: fish skin or calf leather
(where bridge rests upon)
Approx. 10,000+ lbs. of string tension on
the bridge
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Small tuning levers/keys, mandels, made
of a metal alloy, cut into shape and
highly polished; 4-12 per course
Tuning
A Mathematical
Relationship
Approximately 3.5 octave range (average)
• 26 courses x 3 strings each course = 78 strings total
• Each course = 1 full 100 cent tone in equal temperament
• Mandals used to divide each course/tone into 4 or 6 units
(octaves divided from semitones to quarter and sixth tones)
• 72-tone tuning (related to “12 tone” of Western 20th century composition,
which is a subset of 72-tone equal temperament)
• 12 (tones) x 6 (possible subdivisions) = 72 tones
• Number of mandels on kanuns are customized by performers
• 79-tone tuning (new evolutionary tuning theory)†
o recently proposed and applied by Ozan Yarman
o acclaimed by Turkish kanun masters
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Music Notation
History &
Origins
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Related to ancient Egyptian harps; also related to psaltery, dulcimer, and
zither (originating from between 2800-606 B.C.)
Pythagoras kanon: one string experimental instrument with a moveable
bridge (mathematical; Greek origin)
Turkish kanun said to be invented by Islamic scholar Farabi, living in
Turkistan in the 10th century (870-950 C.E.)
Many believe it was developed much earlier by the Turks of Central Asia,
traveling West to Anatolia and Arabia via Iran
Albert Lavignac’s “Music and Musicians” (French, 1905) cited the Arabs as
inventing the kanun (however, the French first had exposure to it during
Napoleon’s 1792 Egyptian campaign)
Tracing Kanun’s Development
14th century Persian treatise Kenzü't-Tuhaf:
o diagram with written descriptions, measurements, shape
o cites 64 strings tuned in sets of three
Abdülkadir Meragî (d. 1435)
o great composer, virtuoso, and theoretician
o writes about kanun in treatises
15th century: used in Ottoman music; made structural changes
16th century: identical kanun used in Istanbul, Iran, Mesopotamia
o made entirely of wood with metal strings
o similar to the kalun used by the Uygurs today
18th century: began to resemble today’s kanun; found in Turkey and the Middle East (Egypt,
Syria)
Hizir Aga's Tefhîmü'l Makamât (1765~1770); modern kanun
“Traditional” Links
Solo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw8gRNBpR1M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDZEkv7sd30&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vKFrQvJmZM&feature=related
With other instruments and singing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idPPeO869BE&feature=related
Modern & Hybrid Uses
Kayazim 789:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFwg6SF-T-U&NR=1
Western Orchestra “Concerto for Kanun and Strings”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ylI8Cmtx2M&NR=1
Hotel California:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6z_MbPLvB4&feature=related