ABSTRACT
This article examines the relationship between power, authority and musical practices in Central Asia with a special focus on their frequently bilateral nature. The enforced secularization of the Inner Asian states led to the abandonment of the Arabic script which is fundamentally linked to Islam. The introduction of Latin and Cyrillic scripts led to phonological changes that are mirrored in the musical changes to intonation and intervals which accompanied the introduction of Western musical theory. The development of the concept of nation accentuated the separation, along linguistic lines, of repertories which were originally shared. On the principle that each nation required musical forms not less imposing than those of the West, the cultural authorities imposed the formation of large-scale ensembles whose impact on the aesthetics of performance is analysed here in detail. Such large-scale ensembles or orchestras are typically the product of authoritarian decisions, and do not appear spontaneously from purely aesthetic motives. In the contemporary Central Asian states, in spite of the weakening of the cultural authorities, the prestige of these large ensembles is preserved and, although they offer scant financial rewards, they continue to attract musicians.
