BEYOND THE WATER: HOW PRONUNCIATION AFFECTS MELODY IN THE ZOROASTRIAN HYMN " THE WATER'S BIRTHDAY" IN AHMAD-ABAD, IRAN.

This study examines linguistic differences in a geographically divided village, Ahmad-Abad, in Lorestan, a province in Iran, that affect musical contour and tonality. Internal conflict in Iranian social politics was fundamental to the creation of alternate pronunciations of “water” between northern and southern regions of the village. This thesis focuses on the reasons for these alternate pronunciations and demonstrate how the differing versions affect the ethnic hymn and melody "Abangan" or "The Water’s Birthday" used in a celebration ceremony that is held for the blessing of and as an appeal for water.