Arab Music

V

Instruments and Instrumental Music

Instruments typically used in an Arab musical performance include the 'ud, a prototype of the European lute, and the nāy, an end-blown reed flute. Frame drums, with or without jingles, and hourglass-shaped drums are common percussion instruments. These instruments vary in name and shape depending upon the region of their origin. Double-reed instruments of varying sizes, such as the Lebanese mijwiz and the Egyptian mizmar, are played at outdoor celebrations. The Arab rababah, a spike fiddle, may have been the prototype for the European violin, which is now found in many Arab regions.

Solo performance consisting of the interactive invention of good music with an appreciative audience represents a peak of musical accomplishment for the instrumentalist similar to that which the singing of poetry represents for the vocalist. In a taqsim, a form of instrumental improvisation, the instrumentalist chooses a melodic mode, offers interpretation of the mode, ascends in pitch, and modulates to other modes. Eventually the instrumentalist descends to close in the original mode. Musical accomplishment lies in the musician's technical virtuosity, creativity, and subtlety in suggesting other modes, other compositions, or even the music of other artists.

Performances considered traditional—whether they are neoclassical events in concert halls, entertainment in hotels, or television programs—usually include both song and instrumental performances, often alternately, that last about an hour and are arranged to reach a climax in a vocal performance. Such collections of pieces—metrical and nonmetrical, vocal and instrumental, simple and complex, and often unified by mode—are central to Arab music. Examples include the North African nawbah, thought to have originated in Andalucía, and the eastern Mediterranean waslah musical forms, which were previously the standard of entertainment for small gatherings of elite Arab men. Modern performances by Egyptian vocalist Umm Kulthum and Syrian Sabah Fakhri represent this tradition in the 20th century.

VI

Changes in Arab Music

While the general principles have been retained, the tradition of Arab music has changed throughout the centuries. Distinctive local practices have evolved and become important to the cultural identity of their respective societies. For example, the North African cities of Fès, Tetuan, Tlemcen, and Tunis have distinct versions of the Andalusian nawbah that help define local culture and are closely associated with the histories of their regions. Melodic modes of the same name are tuned slightly differently in Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and the countries of North Africa. Music of these regions is distinguishable by intonation. Rhythmic modes also have varying articulations in different locales, and styles of the melodies and the renditions differ. Sung poetry, particularly colloquial verse, changes with local dialects. The Iraqi maqam is not simply a melodic mode, but a suite of pieces in a particular mode. The word maqam in Iraq carries a meaning closer to that of waslah or nawbah than does the word maqam in other places.

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Because of the absence of recording or notation until the 20th century, it is impossible to be certain of the age of the melodies. Particular melodies, specifically those of Andalusian or Syrian muwashshahat, may be centuries old, but it is unlikely that they have remained exactly the same throughout the years. Widely known musical pieces of early times were probably subject to reinterpretation at different places throughout history.

VII

Folk Music

Hundreds of local folk traditions are found throughout the Arab region. Some of these traditions carry traces of musical practices of peoples with whom Arab populations have had contact. The rich drumming traditions of the Arab Gulf states, for example, are believed to result from extensive contact with African traders. The Gnawa tradition of Morocco takes its name from Guinean slaves brought to Morocco from West Africa. Nubian music in Egypt draws upon a distinctive melodic system that utilizes five tones and incorporates distinctive rhythms. In many cases, local listeners would certainly include these traditions as components of Arabic music and would assert their cultural value as part of the Arab heritage.

VIII

Popular Music

Popular Arab music draws from both folk and classical Arab styles, depending on the interests and experiences of the musicians and their audiences. Electronic keyboards tuned to the maqamat commonly accompany singers of colloquial verse in popular songs. The drums and rhythms of folk music are a fundamental part of the large concerts at which young musicians perform. In some cases, singers adapt their vocal styles or language to appeal to non-Arabic-speaking audiences while trying to retain something of the Arab music tradition.

IX

Arab Music and Other Music Traditions

The tradition of Arab music does not stand alone, but exists alongside related traditions in Turkey, Iran, and Central Asia. There are common elements among the predominantly melodic systems of Persian dastgah, Azerbaijani mugam, Turkish makam, Uzbek-Tajik shashmaqam, and Uygur maqam from China. Traditions of Qur'anic recitation and religious song that originated in Arab regions are shared by Muslim communities worldwide. For example, Indonesia and Pakistan foster rich traditions of recitation. Similarly, the religious chants of the Middle Eastern churches, such as the Syrian Maronite and the Egyptian Coptic churches, are shared by members of their churches around the world.

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