TECHNIQUES OF MEMORIZATION AND IMPROVISATION IN BAKHSHI PERFORMANCES

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Published: Jun 5, 2025

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Qodirov Ma'ruf
Senior lecturer of the Department of Epic Performance at Uzbek National Institute of Music and Art named after Yunus Rajabiy
Aliasqarova Sarbinaz Raxman qizi
2nd year student of the Department of Epic Performance, Bakhshi and Epic Studies, Uzbek National Institute of Music and Art named after Yunus Rajabiy

Abstract

Bakhshi performances, rooted in the oral and musical traditions of Central Asia, represent a rich tapestry of storytelling, music, and cultural transmission. This study explores the cognitive and artistic strategies used by Bakhshis to memorize extensive epic narratives and adapt them through improvisation during live performances. Memorization techniques include oral apprenticeship, use of poetic and musical structures, and mnemonic devices inherent in narrative and verse. Improvisation, on the other hand, allows Bakhshis to adjust their delivery according to audience, occasion, and regional context, reflecting both individual creativity and communal tradition. Through an analysis of performance practices, this research highlights the dynamic interplay between fixed textual elements and spontaneous expression in sustaining the Bakhshi tradition across generations.


 


 

Article Details

Issue
Vol. 4 No. 6 (2025): INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EUROPEAN RESEARCH OUTPUT (IJERO)
Section
Articles

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