Ighaie Meters in Tasnifs

One of the most challenging issues among researchers in the field of Tasif or songwriting is the issue of the meter of Tasnif and its nature. Some consider the meter of Tasnif to be a syllabic meter; others believe that these meters are prosodic; and some emphasize that these meters are syllabic-stressed. This disagreement continues to the point that some, due to a lack of proper understanding of the structure and form of Tasnif, consider some Tasnifs to be without a meter. In the present study, we aim to investigate the multiple musical aspects of these Tasnifs using a descriptive-analytical method and focusing on the different and special structures of Tasnifs after the Constitutional Era. The outcome of this study shows that Tasnif, given its direct association with melody and rhythm, has specific musical requirements that are influenced by musical beats and Igha'at. The result of this is the creation of meters that we call ‘Ighaie meters’. Considering the melodic reading of Tasnifs, pauses, the tension of sounds, and the starting and ending points of the beats of Tasnif, leads us to ‘Ighaie meters’ that have unique characteristics.