Claviton is a 31-tone keyboard initiated by the composer and pianist Georg Vogel. I had the opportunity to work with him in his instrument workshop and also build a Claviton for myself. The idea of keyboard instruments with more than 12 keys per octave dates back to the 16th century, with the construction of the Archicembalo with 31 tones per octave by Nicola Vicentino (1511 – 1576).
I use this keyboard to apply a tuning system that I have calculated, based on tuning systems used in Iranian Dastgah and Arabic Maqam music, in order to enable a polyphonic texture in Arabic Maqam and Dastgah music of Iran.
The project offers a fresh perspective on the Arabic and Iranian Music by shedding new light on its rich musical traditions. At the core of their project is the remarkable instrument known as the “Claviton,” built by Georg Vogel, offering 31 tones per octave. This instrument serves as a highlight, enabling me to apply a tuning system I developed based on Iranian and Arabic music. The aim is to redefine the narrative surrounding the music of this region. Adding to the musical prowess is the inclusion of Sarvin Hazin, an experienced classical violinist with a deep expertise in Iranian Dastgah music.
The following table displays tuning systems:
Tuning systems calculated by Farabi and Ibn Sina more than 1000 years ago.
Tuning systems calculated by Farhat based on his research on current Dastgah music in Iran.
Tuning systems used by Mohammad Hosseyn Yegane on his Dotar, which I calculated based on his recordings, as discussed in the essay:
(Ahmadi, Seyed Amir Abbas. “Anwendung computergestützter Programme zur Berechnung von Stimmungssystemen am Beispiel des iranischen Dotarspielers Mohammad-Hoseyn Yegane, 2021.”)
