Ishaq al-Mawsili

Taught by his renowned father Ibrahim al-Mawsili, the singer Atika bint Shuhda and the noted lutenist Zalzal, he succeeded his father in leading the conservative musical establishment. This put him at odds with progressive musicians such as Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi and Ziryab, whose style later dominated in popularity. He has appeared in the Maqamat of Al-Hariri of Basra and One Thousand and One Nights. His creation of a comprehensive theoretical system for Arab music, without Ancient Greek influence, would retain relevance into at least the 14th century, when it was championed by Ibn Kurr.

• Illustration — The Abbasid Caliphate in c. 850 Modern sources vary on the exact location and birthdate of Ishaq al-Mawsili. The scholar Everett K. Rowson (in Encyclopædia Iranica) and the musicologist Eckhard Neubauer (in Grove Music Online and Encyclopædia Iranica) record 767–768 and 767 respectively (150 AH), while the musicologist Owen Wright (in the Encyclopaedia of Islam) records 772 (155 AH). With similar contradiction, Rowsen and Wright state that he was born in Ray, while Neubauer records Arrajan, though he includes '?', noting uncertainty on the matter. Ishaq's father Ibrahim al-Mawsili, a Persian, received Persian musical training in Ray. Ibrahim met and married Ishaq's mother Šāhak, before the family moved to Abbasid capital of Baghdad. The capital was previously Damascus and had only recently become Baghdad upon the Abbasid dynasty's ascendancy; such a shift towards Persia was reflected in the Abbasid society, and Ibrahim was among the many emerging prominent Persian intellectuals of the Caliphate. Ibrahim found considerable acclaim and patronage in the capital, serving under three successive Abbasid caliphs: Al-Mahdi, Al-Hadi and Harun al-Rashid. The success of his father allowed Ishaq to be raised "among the cultured elite", being given a comprehensive education in both music and the Islamic sciences. His teachers included the noted literary scholars Abu Ubaidah and Al-Asmaʿi. Ishaq attended a high level of skill in poetry, primarily using traditional styles. He was "known for his scholarly prowess", particularly his knowledge of philology and jurisprudence (fiqh). The caliph Al-Ma'mun would later permit him to attend court sessions with literary and legal scholars, rather than musicians, in light of his intellect. Al-Ma'mun would also remark that he would have, in the words of Wright, "appointed him qadi [a judge] had he not already been known as a musician". Ishaq's importance, however, lies chiefly with his musical contributions. His principal teachers were his father Ibrahim and the noted lutenist Zalzal, who was a student of his father. Ishaq would later declare that Zalzal to be the most outstanding lutenist of his time. The singer Atika bint Shuhda was also his teacher, and purportedly taught Ishaq one or two pieces each day for seven years.

In a career of over 40 years, Ishaq became both a leading court musician and companion to six caliphs: Harun, Al-Amin, Al-Ma'mun, Al-Mu'tasim, Al-Wathiq and Al-Mutawakkil. He was given additional patronage by viziers and other important figures of the Abbasid court. On one occasion Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani records that Ishaq identified a single mistuned string upon listening to twenty ouds simultaneously. Also according to al-Isfahani, he was inspired by the Sasanian musician Barbad, and often told friends a story of Barbad being able to play a song on his barbat lute, even though a jealous rival had mistuned all of his strings. Among Ishaq's students was 'Alī ibn Yaḥyā al-Munajjim (died 888)—the father of poet and music theorist Abu Ahmad Monajjem—who wrote a book on Ishaq al-Mawsili. The geographer Ibn Khordadbeh is also said to have been his student, as Khordadbeh's father Abdallah ibn Khordadbeh was a friend of Ishaq's. Like his father Ibrahim al-Mawsili, Ishaq al-Mawsili led a conservative musical faction, upholding the classical traditions of Hejaz. This put him in opposition with the progressive musical ideology led by Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi, who was joined by Ziryab, a pupil of Ibrahim al-Mawsili. An Abbasid Prince, Ibrahim was "portrayed as a champion of greater freedom of expression" and noted for his musical innovations which often employed Persian aesthetics. Both musicians supposedly had a lengthy correspondence, recorded by al-Isfahani. Contemporary sources frequently comment on the rivalry between Ishaq and Ibrahim and agree on Ishaq's musical preeminence, particularly as an instrumentalist and composer. Ishaq was celebrated for his technique, command of repertoire and musical ear, and according to al-Isfahani he once purposefully played an out of tune oud to show up Ibrahim. Contemporary sources relay that Ishaq had an unattractive singing voice, and in this he was surpassed by Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi, who was famous for his tone and vocal range of four octaves. To make up for his poor natural voice, Ishaq may have sung in falsetto, a technique that commentators such as al-Isfahani credit him with introducing. Despite Ishaq's greater renown, Rowson notes that "it seems clear that the future lay with [Ibrahim]"; Ishaq's colleagues Allawayh al-Asar (Alluyah) and Mukhariq eventually joined Ibrahim's faction. By the time of Al-Wathiq Ishaq had ceased music composition, though he was still active as a performer. In his later years he gradually became blind and died in Baghdad on March 850 (235 AH). Some of his descendents were musicians, including Hammad ibn Ishaq al-Mawsili and Ahmad ibn Muhammed ibn Ismail ibn Ibrahim al-Mawsili, both great-grandsons of Ibrahim al-Mawsili.

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