Arabic music includes several genres and styles of music ranging from Arab classical to Arabic pop music and from secular to sacred music. // Music is an art form consisting of sound and silence expressed through time. ... Arab music is the music of Arabic-speaking people or countries, especially those centered around the Arabian Peninsula, though Peter van der Merwe (1989, p. ... Arabic pop music or Arab pop is a subgenre of Arabic music. ... This page may meet Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... Religious music (also sacred music) is music performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence. ...

Arabic music has a long history of interaction with many other regional musical styles and genres. It is an amalgam of the music of the Arabs in the Arabian Peninsula and the music of all the peoples who were conquered and eventually arabised by the Muslim Arab invaders. It also influenced and has been influenced by Ancient Greek, Persian, Kurdish, Assyrian, Turkish, Indian, African (i.e. Berber & Swahili) and European music (i.e. Flamenco). As was the case in other artistic and scientific fields, Arabs translated and developed Greek texts and works of music and mastered the musical theory of the Greeks (i.e. Systema ametabolon, enharmonium, chromatikon, diatonon).^[1] Such inter-influences can often be traced in language; for example, the word Shî'ir (poetry in Arabic) bears much similarity to its equivalents in other Semitic languages (such as Shûr in Aramaic and Shîr in Hebrew), and Shîro in Babylonian.^[2] From the 1500s, a detail from Piero di Cosimos version of Perseus rescuing Andromeda. ... Moosiqi Asil or Persian music is the traditional and indigenous music of Persia and Persian-speaking countries: musiqi, the science and art of music, and moosiqi, the sound and performance of music (Sakata 1983). ... Kurdish Music (Kurdish: Muzîk û strana kurdî) referes to music performed in Kurdish language. ... Assyrian music is divided into three main sections or periods, The Ancient Period that is of (Ur, Babylon and Nineveh), The middle period or Tribal and Folkloric period, and the Modern Period. ... Africa is a large and diverse continent, consisting of dozens of countries, hundreds of languages and thousands of races, tribes and ethnic groups. ... The Berbers are an ethnic group in North and West Africa. ... The music of Europe includes the music of Western Europe, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Northern Europe, Southern Europe. ... Flamenco is a Spanish musical genre. ... Music theory is a field of study that investigates the nature or mechanics of music. ... 14th century BCE diplomatic letter in Akkadian, found in Tell Amarna. ... Aramaic is a group of Semitic languages with a 3,000-year history. ... “Hebrew” redirects here. ... Akkadian was a language of the Semitic family spoken in ancient Mesopotamia, particularly by the Assyrians and Babylonians. ...

History

Pre-Islamic period

The development of Arabic music has deep roots in Arabic poetry dating back to the pre-Islamic period known as Jahiliyyah. Though there is a lack of scientific study to definitively confirm the existence of Arabic music at those times, most historians agree that there existed distinct forms of music in the Arabian peninsula in the pre-Islamic period between the 5th and the 7th century AD. Arab poets of that time - called "شعراء الجاهلية" or "Jahili poets" which translates to "The poets of the period of ignorance" - used to recite poems with a high musical rhythm and tone.^[3] Arabic poetry is poetry composed and written down in the Arabic language either by Arab people or non-Arabs. ... Pre-Islamic Arabia is studied by Islamic scholars because it is the context in which Islam, as practiced today, was formed. ... Jahiliyyah or jahalia (Arabic: جاهلية) is an Islamic concept of ignorance of divine guidance or the state of ignorance of the guidance from God[1] referring to the condition Arabs found themselves in pre-Islamic Arabian society prior to the revelation of the Quran. ... The Arabian Peninsula Emirets towers in United Arab Emirates; the eastern part of Arabian Penisula The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية, or جزيرة العرب) is a peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia consisting mainly of desert. ... Arabic poetry is poetry composed and written down in the Arabic language either by Arab people or non-Arabs. ...

Music at that time played an important role in cultivating the mystique of exorcists and magicians. It was believed that Jinns revealed poems to poets and music to musicians.^[4] The Choir at the time served as a pedagologial tool where the educated poets would recite their poems. Singing was not thought to be the work of these intellectuals and was instead entrusted to women with beautiful voices (i.e. Al-Khansa) who would learn how to play some instruments used at that time (i.e. lute, drum, Oud, rebab, etc...) and then perform the songs while respecting the poetic metre.^[5] It should be noted that the compositions were simple and every singer would sing in a single maqam. Among the notable songs of the period were the "huda" from which the ghina' derived, the nasb, sanad, rukbani. An exorcist is a person who performs exorcism, the ridding of demons or other supernatural beings who have possessed a person, or (sometimes) a building or other object. ... John Dee and Edward Kelley evoking a spirit: Elizabethans who claimed magical knowledge A magician is a person skilled in the mysterious and hidden art of magic, which can be described as either the act of entertaining with tricks that are in apparent violation of natural law, such as those... Genie is the English term for the Arabic جني (jinnie). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Poetry (ancient Greek: poieo = create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ... Al-Khansa (600 - 670) was a female Arabic poet of the seventh century, from the nomadic Madar tribe. ... A medieval era lute. ... Bass drum made from wood, rope, and cowskin A drum is a musical instrument in the percussion group that can be large, technically classified as a membranophone. ... Front and rear views of an oud. ... The rebab , Arabic الرباب or رباب (also rebap, rabab, rebeb, rababah, al-rababa) is a string instrument which originated in Afghanistan, no later than the 8th century, and was spread via Islamic trading routes over much of North Africa, the Middle East, parts of Europe, and the Far East. ... Meter (British English spelling: metre) describes the linguistic sound patterns of a verse. ... In Arabic music a maqaam (Arabic: ‎, Hebrew: ) is, a technique of improvisation that defines the pitches, patterns, and development of a piece of music and which is unique to Arabian art music. ...

Al-Andalus

Bayad plays the oud to The Lady. from the Riyad & Bayad , Arabic tale

Main article: Andalusian classical music

By the 11th century, Moorish Spain had become a center for the manufacture of instruments. These goods spread gradually throughout France, influencing French troubadours, and eventually reaching the rest of Europe. The English words lute, rebec, guitar, organ and naker are derived from Arabic oud, rabab, qitara, urghun and nagqara'. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 150 × 133 pixelsFull resolution (150 × 133 pixel, file size: 21 KB, MIME type: image/gif) Believed to be reproduction of 16th century or earlier source. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 150 × 133 pixelsFull resolution (150 × 133 pixel, file size: 21 KB, MIME type: image/gif) Believed to be reproduction of 16th century or earlier source. ... Binomial name (ForsskÃ¥l, 1775) The bayad, Bagrus bajad, is a species of catfish (order Siluriformes) in the family Bagridae. ... Arabic can mean: From or related to Arabia From or related to the Arabs The Arabic language; see also Arabic grammar The Arabic alphabet, used for expressing the languages of Arabic, Persian, Malay ( Jawi), Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu, among others. ... Andalusian classical music is a style of classical music found across North Africa, though it evolved out of the music of Andalusia between the 10th and 15th centuries. ... Al-Andalus is the Arabic name given the Iberian Peninsula by its Muslim conquerors; it refers to both the Caliphate proper and the general period of Muslim rule (711–1492). ... A troubadour composing lyrics, Germany c. ... A medieval era lute. ... The rebec in Virgin among Virgins (1509), by Gerard David. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... Organ in Katharinenkirche, Frankfurt am Main, Germany The organ is a keyboard instrument played using one or more manuals and a pedalboard. ... A naker is a small drum, of Arabic origin, and the forebearer of the European timpani (kettledrum). ... Front and rear views of an oud. ... The rebab is a musical string instrument which was heavily used in old Arabic music its considered as part of the Lute familiy (Oud in Arabic). ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ...

The Arabs invented the Ghazal (love song), often used since in Arabic music. Al-Ghazali (1059 - 1111) wrote a treatise on music in Persia which declared, "Ecstasy means the state that comes from listening to music". The oud was popular between the tenth and sixteenth centuries then fell into disuse, enjoying renewed popularity in the nineteenth century. Languages Arabic other minority languages Religions Predominantly Sunni Islam, as well as Shia Islam, Greek Orthodoxy, Greek Catholicism, Roman Catholicism, Alawite Islam, Druzism, Ibadi Islam, and Judaism Footnotes a Mainly in Antakya. ... Information in this article or section has not been verified against sources and may not be reliable. ... Abu Hāmed Mohammad ibn Mohammad al-Ghazzālī (1058-1111) (Persian: ), known as Algazel to the western medieval world, born and died in Tus, in the Khorasan province of Persia (modern day Iran). ... For other uses of this term see: Persia (disambiguation) The Persian Empire is the name used to refer to a number of historic dynasties that have ruled the country of Persia (Iran). ...

Sixteenth century

Bartol Gyurgieuvits (1506 - 1566) spent 13 years as a slave in the Ottoman empire. After escaping, he published "De Turvarum ritu et caermoniis" in Amsterdam in 1544. It is one of the first European books to describe music in Islamic society. In India, the Islamic Mughal emperors ruled both Muslims and Hindus. The greatest of these, Akbar (1542 - 1605) had a team of at least fifty musicians, thirty-six of whom are known to us by name. The origins of the "belly dance" are very obscure, as depictions and descriptions are rare. It may have originated in Persia or Turkey, possibly developing within the harems. Essential elements of belly dancing are the zills (finger cymbals). Examples have been found from 200 BC, suggesting a possible pre-Islamic origin. Bartol Gyurgieuvits (also Bartol Jurjevic or Gjurgjevic) (1506-1566) was Croatian musicologist and Lexicographer born in Turopolje near Zagreb. ... Motto دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299–1326) Bursa (1326–65) Edirne (1365–1453) Constantinople (Ä°stanbul, 1453–1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy [[Category:Former monarchies}}|Ottoman Empire, 1299]] Sultans  - 1281–1326... The Mughal Empire (alternative spelling Mogul, which is the origin of the word Mogul) of India was founded by Babur in 1526, when he defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last of the Delhi Sultans at the First Battle of Panipat. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Coming from the Arab tradition, the harîm حريم (compare haram) is the part of the household forbidden to male strangers. ... A pair of zils from the Khan el Khalili market in Cairo Zils (also zills or finger cymbals) are tiny cymbals used in belly dancing and similar performances. ... A pair of zils from the Khan el Khalili market in Cairo Zils or finger cymbals are tiny cymbals used in belly dancing and similar performances. ...

Female Harem

Slavery was widespread around the world. Just as in the Roman empire, slaves were often brought into the Arab world from Africa. Black slaves from Zanzibar were noted in the eleventh century for the quality of their song and dance. The "Epistle on Singing Girls", written in Baghdad in 9 CE satirizes the excessive money that could be made by singers. The author mentioned an Abyssinian girl who fetched 120,000 dinars at an auction - far more than an ordinary slave. A festival in 8 CE is mentioned as having fifty singing slave-girls with lutes who acted as back-up musicians for a singer called Jamilia. In 1893, "Little Egypt", a belly-dancer from Syria, appeared at the Chicago world's fair and caused a sensation. Map of Zanzibars main island Zanzibar is part of Tanzania Coordinates: , Country Tanzania Islands Unguja and Pemba Capital Zanzibar City Settled AD 1000 Government  - Type semi-autonomous part of Tanzania  - President Amani Abeid Karume Area  - Both Islands  637 sq mi (1,651 km²) Population (2004)  - Both Islands 1,070... Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... This article needs cleanup. ... A medieval era lute. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country United States State Illinois Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... Worlds Fair is any of various large expositions held since the mid-19th century. ...

Male instrumentalists

Musicians in Aleppo, 18th century.

Male instrumentalists were condemned in a treatise in 9 CE. They were associated with vices such as chess, love poetry, wine drinking and homosexuality. Many Persian treatises on music were burned by zealots. Following the invasion of Egypt, Napoleon commissioned reports on the state of Ottoman culture. Villoteau's account reveals that there were guilds of male instrumentalists, who played to male audiences, and "learned females," who sang and played for women. The instruments included the oud, the kanun (zither) and the ney (flute). By 1800, several instruments that were first encountered in Turkish military bands had been adopted into European classical orchestras: the piccolo, the cymbal and the kettle drum. The Santur or hammered dulcimer was cultivated within Persian classical schools of music that can be traced back to the middle of 19 CE. There was no written notation for the santur until the 1970s. Everything was learned face-to-face . Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Chess is a recreational and competitive game for two players. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... Front and rear views of an oud. ... Concert zither The zither is a musical string instrument, mainly used in folk music, most commonly in German-speaking Alpine Europe. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The piccolo is a small flute. ... For the Japanese rock band, see Cymbals (band). ... Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. ... Santur Woman playing the santur in a painting from the Hasht-Behesht Palace in Isfahan Iran, 1669 The santur (سنتور – also santūr, santour, santoor) is a hammered dulcimer of Iran. ... A diatonic hammered dulcimer made by Masterworks The hammered dulcimer is a stringed musical instrument with the strings stretched over a trapezoidal sounding board. ...

Twentieth century

Early Secular Formation

Musicians in Aleppo, 1915.

In the 20th century, Egypt was the first in a series of Arab countries to experience a sudden emergence of nationalism, as it became independent after 2000 years of foreign rule. Turkish music, popular during the rule of the [[]]Ottoman Empire in the region, was replaced by national music. Cairo became a center for musical innovation. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Aleppo (or Halab Arabic: , ) is a city in northern Syria, capital of the Aleppo Governorate. ... Year 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday[1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Turkish music includes the music of modern Turkey, together with related musics in neighbouring regions that once lay within the former Ottoman Empire, and closely related ethnic variants in Central Asia stretching as far as the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. ...

One of the first female musicians to take a secular approach was Umm Kulthum quickly followed by Fairuz. Both have been extremely popular through the decades that followed and both are considered "Arabic Music Legends". This article is about Egyptian singer. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Westernization

Arabic Pop

During the 1950s and the 1960s Arabic music began to take on a more Western tone with such artists as Dalida paving the way. By the 1970s several other singers had followed suit and a strand of Arabic pop was born. Arabic pop usually consists of Western styled songs with Arabic instruments and lyrics. Melodies are often a mix between Eastern and Western. It has been suggested that Olympia 74 be merged into this article or section. ... Arabic pop music or Arab pop is a subgenre of Arabic music. ...

In the 1990s and the 00s several artists have taken up such a style including Sabah, Warda Al-Jazairia, Magida El Roumi, Latifa, Samira Said, Angham, Asalah Nasri, Thekra, Amr Diab, Najwa Karam, Nawal Al Zoghbi, Ehab Tawfik, Hisham Abbas, Wael Kfoury, Amal Hijazi, Elissa, Nancy Ajram, Haifa Wehbe and Natacha Atlas. Sabah in one of her earlier films Sabah and her former fiancé model Amr Mihio Mr. ... Warda Al-Jazairia (وردة الجزائرية), commonly referred to as just Warda (ﺓﻭﺭﺩ), is a female singer from Algeria. ... Magida El Roumi (Arabic: ‎, also transliterated as Magida Al Roumi) was born in Kfarshima, Lebanon on December 13, 1956. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Samira Said (Arabic: (native name: Samira Bensaïd) ; born Jan 10, 1959) is an Arabic singer. ... Angham Mohammad Ali Suleiman (Arabic:أنغام محمد على سليمان) (born January 19, 1972) in Egypt is an Egyptian singer. ... Asalah Mostafa Nasri (Arabic: ) (also known as: Asala, Assala and Assalah) (born on May 15, 1969) is a well known and popular Syrian singer . ... Thekra Mohammed Abdullah Al Dali (Arabic: ذكرى محمد عبدالله الدالي; September 16, 1966 – November 28, 2003), better known as Thekra (Arabic: ذكرى also spelled Thikra, Zekra or Zikra) was a Tunisian singer. ... Amr Abdel Basset Abdel Azeez Diab (Arabic:عمرو عبد الباسط عبد العزيز دياب) is an Egyptian pop singer, born on October 11, 1961 in Port Said, Egypt. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Nawal Al Zoghbi (Arabic نوال الزغبي), full name Nawal George Al Zoghbi, is a successful Lebanese singer, performing in Arabic she has a solid fan base throughout the Arabic-speaking world and extending into Turkey and Europe. ... Ehab Tawfik (Arabic: إيهاب توفيق) (born January 7, 1966) is a famous Egyptian singer. ... Mohammad Hisham Mahmoud Mohammad Abbas (Arabic:محمد هشام محمود محمد عباس) was born on September 13, 1963 in Cairo, Egypt. ... 1. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Elissiar M. Khoury , known as Elissa (Arabic: إليسا) is a Lebanese star singer. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Haifa Wehbe (Arabic: also spelled Haifa Wehbeh, Haifa Wahbi, Hayfa Wehbe, Hayfa Wehbi; born March 10, 1970?[1][2]), is a Lebanese model, actress, and singer who rose to fame in the Arab world as runner up for Miss Lebanon and later the release of her debut album Huwa az... Natacha Atlas (born March 20, 1964) is a singer born in Belgium. ...

Arabic Pop has been able to be extremely popular in the Arab world as well as parts of Europe especially places with huge expat communities such as France.

Arabic RnB and Hip Hop

There has also been a rise of RnB and hip hop influence of Arabic music in the past 5 years. This usually involves a rapper featured in a song (such as Ishtar in her song 'Habibi Sawah'). There was quite a buzz when 50 Cent performed with Haifa Wehbe in 2004. Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... Hip hop is a cultural movement that began amongst urban African American youth in New York and has since spread around the world. ... Rapping is one of the elements of hip hop and the distinguishing feature of hip hop music; it is a form of rhyming lyrics spoken rhythmically over musical instruments, with a musical backdrop of sampling, scratching and mixing by DJs. ... Ishtar from the cover of the album Truly (Emet) Ishtar is an Israeli-born singer, born Eti Zach. ... For the currency amount, see 50 cents. ... Haifa Wehbe (Arabic: also spelled Haifa Wehbeh, Haifa Wahbi, Hayfa Wehbe, Hayfa Wehbi; born March 10, 1970?[1][2]), is a Lebanese model, actress, and singer who rose to fame in the Arab world as runner up for Miss Lebanon and later the release of her debut album Huwa az...

However certain artists have taken to usuing full Rnb beats and styling such as Darine. This has been met with mixed critical and commercial reaction. As of now it is not a widespread genre. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Criticism of Arabic music

Haifa Wehbe

Some Arab expats have been known to shun the more traditional Arabic music. In the Arab world more criticism recently has been launched towards certain female Arabic pop artists for what is perceived as a 'lack of talent' or 'being too western'. In the same vein in more conservative Islamic countries criticism of the sexuality and manner of dress has also been held against such artists as Haifa Wehbe. Arabic pop music or Arab pop is a subgenre of Arabic music. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( ▶ (help· info)), the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ... Look up Sex on Wiktionary, the free dictionary A sex is one of two specimen categories of species that recombine their genetic material in order to reproduce, a process called genetic recombination. ... Haifa Wehbe (Arabic: also spelled Haifa Wehbeh, Haifa Wahbi, Hayfa Wehbe, Hayfa Wehbi; born March 10, 1970?[1][2]), is a Lebanese model, actress, and singer who rose to fame in the Arab world as runner up for Miss Lebanon and later the release of her debut album Huwa az...

Amal Hijazi's Baya al Ward

On the other hand, the rising star,Amal Hijazi had to face a lot of criticism by the release of song, Baya al Ward. It was a most unusual song, a half mixture of jazz and ballad. The controversies rose when the equally unusual music video of the song was released, directed by Yehya Saadeh, where Hijazi is seen cutting her hair, smoking as she bends down her car and finally going down a deep lake, presumably to commit suicide. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Baya al Ward is a love-ballad written by Elias Naher for Amal Hijazis album of the same name. ...

Despite of the controversial song, album Baya al Ward became a bestseller in many countries throughtout the Middle East. Baya al Ward (Arabic: , English: ) is the latest album of the celebrated Lebanese singer, Amal Hijazi and contains some of her most popular songs such as its title track, Bahibi Noa Kalamak, Rajaa and the lead-single Baad Saneen. ...

Musical regions

The world of modern Arabic music has long been dominated by musical trends that have emerged from Cairo, Egypt. The city is generally considered a cultural center in the Arab world. Innovations in popular music via the influence of other regional styles have also abounded from Morocco to Saudi Arabia. In recent years, Beirut has become a major center, dictating trends in the development of Arabic pop music. Other regional styles that have enjoyed popular music status throughout the Arab world include the Algerian raï, the Moroccan Gnawa, the Gulfian sawt, the Egyptian el gil and Turkish Arabesque-pop music. Nickname: Egypt: Site of Cairo (top center) Coordinates: , Government  - Governor Dr. Abdul Azim Wazir Area  - City 214 km²  (82. ... A cultural center is an organization, usually located in a building or complex, that promotes cultural arts. ... Map of Arab League states in dark green with non-Arab areas in light green and Mauritania, Somalia and Djibouti in striped green due to their Arab League membership but non-Arab population. ... For other uses, see Beirut (disambiguation). ... Arabic pop music or Arab pop is a subgenre of Arabic music. ... Popular music is music belonging to any of a number of musical styles that are accessible to the general public and are disseminated by one or more of the mass media. ... Raï (Arabic: راي) is a form of folk music, originated in Oran, Algeria from Bedouin shepherds, mixed with Spanish, French, African-American and Arabic musical forms, which dates back to the 1930s and has been primarily evolved by women in the culture. ... Gnawa music is a mixture of African and Arabic religious songs and rhythms. ... The Gulf states are a group of six Arab countries that border the Persian Gulf. ... Sawt (Arabic,صوت = voice)(also spelled sout or sowt) is a kind of popular music found in the Arabian states of the Persian Gulf area, especially in Kuwait and Bahrain. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... History (Timeline and Samples) Genres: Alternative - Classical - Dance - Folk - Hip hop - Jazz - Military - Ottoman - Pop - Religious - Rock Music awards Kral - MÃœ-YAP - MGD Charts Powerturk 40 - Kral 20 Annual festivals Istanbul International Music Festival - Istanbul International Jazz Festival - Ankara IMF - Izmir European Jazz Festival Media Bant magazine - Mix! - Adante - BlueJean...

Genres

Secular art music

Secular genres include maqam al-iraqi, andalusi nubah, muwashshah, Fjiri songs, qasidah, layali, mawwal, taqsim, bashraf, sama'i, tashmilah, dulab, and sawt. (Touma 1996, p.55-108) Maqam al-iraqi is a four hundred year old genre of Arab music found in Iraq and often considered the most perfect form of maqam. ... Andalusi nubah is a genre found in the North African Maghrib states of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya but, as the name indicates, of Spanish origin. ... Muwashshah is an Arab poetic form and an eastern secular musical genre which uses muwashshah texts for lyrics. ... Fidjeri (sometimes spelled fijri or fidjeri) is the specific repertoire of vocal music sung by the pearl divers of the Arabian states of the Persian Gulf (especially Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar). ... A qasida (also spelled qasidah) in Arabic قصيدة, in Persian قصیده, is a form of poetry from pre-Islamic Arabia. ... In Arabic music, the mawwal (plural: mawawil - Arabic: ‎) is a popular singing way usually presented before the actual song begins. ... Taqsim is the term of the first movement in Islamic music, which is a melodic improvisation style that could be metric or non-metric. ... Sawt (Arabic,صوت = voice)(also spelled sout or sowt) is a kind of popular music found in the Arabian states of the Persian Gulf area, especially in Kuwait and Bahrain. ...

Sacred music

Arabic religious music includes Christian and Islamic music. However, Islamic music, including the "singing" of Qur'an readings, is structurally equivalent to Arabic secular music, while Christian Arab music has been influenced by Syriac Orthodox, Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Anglican, Coptic, and Maronite church music. (ibid, p.152) Islamic music is Muslim religious music, as sung or played in public services or private devotions. ... Quran reading is the reading (tartil, tajwid, or taghbir) aloud, reciting, chanting, or singing of portions of the Quran. ... Syriac music is music in the Syriac language. ... Greek Orthodox Church can refer to any of several hierarchical churches within the larger group of mutually recognizing Eastern Orthodox churches: the Orthodox Church of Constantinople, headed by the Patriarch of Constantinople, who is also the first among equals of the Eastern Orthodox Communion. ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... Jesus Christ in a Coptic icon. ... Maronites (Marunoye ܡܪܘܢܝܐܶ; in Syriac, Mâruniyya مارونية in Arabic) are members of an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Pope of Rome. ...

Characteristics

Much Arabic music, is characterized by an emphasis on melody and rhythm, as opposed to harmony. There are some genres of Arabic music that are polyphonic, but typically, Arabic music is homophonic. ^{[citation needed]}Habib Hassan Touma (1996, p.xix-xx) submits that there are "five components" that characterize Arabic music: Look up melody in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Rhythm (Greek = flow, or in Modern Greek, style) is the variation of the length and accentuation of a series of sounds or other events. ... Harmony is the use and study of pitch simultaneity, and therefore chords, actual or implied, in music. ... In music, the word texture is often used in a rather vague way in reference to the overall sound of a piece of music. ... Homophony is a musical term that describes the texture of two or more instruments or parts moving together and using the same rhythm. ... Habib Hassan Touma (December 12, 1934 - 1998) was a Palestinian composer and ethnomusicologist. ...

1. The Arab tone system; that is, a musical tuning system that relies on specific interval structures and was invented by al-Farabi in 10 CE (p.170)
2. Rhythmic-temporal structures that produce a rich variety of rhythmic patterns, known as awzan or "weight", that are used to accompany metered vocal and instrumental genres, to accent or give them form.
3. A number of Musical instruments that are found throughout the Arab world that represent a standardized tone system, are played with generally standardized performance techniques, and display similar details in construction and design.
4. Specific social contexts that produce sub-categories of Arabic music, or musical genres that can be broadly classified as urban (music of the city inhabitants), rural (music of the country inhabitants), or Bedouin (music of the desert inhabitants)..."
5. An Arab musical mentality, "responsible for the aesthetic homogeneity of the tonal-spatial and rhythmic-temporal structures throughout the Arab world whether composed or improvised, instrumental or vocal, secular or sacred."

Touma describes this musical mentality as being composed of: The modern Arab tone system, or system of musical tuning, is based upon the theoretical division of the octave into twenty-four equal divisions or 24-tone equal temperament, the distance between each successive note being a quarter tone (50 cents). ... In music, there are two common meanings for tuning: Tuning practice, the act of tuning an instrument or voice. ... Al Farabi (870-950) was born of a Turkish family and educated by a Christian physician in Baghdad, and was himself later considered a teacher on par with Aristotle. ... Rhythm (Greek = flow, or in Modern Greek, style) is the variation of the length and accentuation of a series of sounds or other events. ... In Arab music a wazn (plural, awzān) is a rhythmic pattern or cycle, literally translated as measure (also called darb, mizan, and usul). ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... This page is about musical systems of tuning, for the musical process of tuning see tuning. ... A Bedouin man on a hillside at Mount Sinai Bedouin, derived from the Arabic ( ), a generic name for a desert-dweller, is a term generally applied to Arab nomadic pastoralist groups, who are found throughout most of the desert belt extending from the Atlantic coast of the Sahara via the... Compose is a key found on computer keyboards that allows entry of characters with diacritical marks. ... Improvisation is the act of making something up as you go along. ... An instrumental is, in contrast to a song, a musical composition or recording without lyrics or any other sort of vocal music; all of the music is produced by musical instruments. ... In music a singer or vocalist is a type of musician who sings, i. ... This article concerns secularity, that is, being secular, in various senses. ... In various religions, sacred (from Latin, sacrum, sacrifice) or holy, objects, places or concepts are believed by followers to be intimately connected with the supernatural, or divinity, and are thus greatly revered. ...

1. 1. The phenomenon of the maqām
   2. The predominance of vocal music
   3. The tendency toward small instrumental ensembles
   4. The arrangement in different combinatory sequences of the small and smallest melodic elements - the maqams and ajnas - "and their repetition, combination, and permutation within the framework of the tonal-spatial model."
   5. The general absence of polyphony, polyrhythm, and motivic development, though Arabic music is familiar with the use of ostinato, and an even more instinctive heterophonic way of producing and performing music.
   6. The alternation between a free rhythmic-temporal and fixed tonal-spatial organization on the one hand, and a fixed rhythmic-temporal and free tonal-spatial structure on the other.

In music, an ostinato (derived from Italian: stubborn, compare English: obstinate) is a motif or phrase which is persistently repeated at the same pitch. ...

Maqam system

A Maqam tone level example

Though it would be incorrect to call it a modal, for the Arabic system is more complex than that of the Greek modes, the basis of Arabic music is the maqam (pl. maqamat), which looks like the mode, but is not quite the same. The tonic note, dominant note, and ending note (unless modulation occurs) are generally determined by the maqam used. Arabic maqam theory as ascribed in literature over the ages names between 90 and 110 maqams, that are grouped into larger categories known as fasilah. Fasilah are groupings of maqams whose first four primary pitches are shared in common.^[6] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (852x86, 2 KB)Maqam tone level example Created by Hyacinth using Sibelius and Paint. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (852x86, 2 KB)Maqam tone level example Created by Hyacinth using Sibelius and Paint. ... In music, a scale is an ordered series of musical intervals, which, along with the key or tonic, define the pitches. ... In Arabic music a maqaam (Arabic: ‎, Hebrew: ) is, a technique of improvisation that defines the pitches, patterns, and development of a piece of music and which is unique to Arabian art music. ... Tonic may mean: A concept from musical harmony and musical theory: see Tonic (music); A carbonated beverage flavoured with quinine, used in cocktails: see Tonic water. ... The word dominant has several possible meanings: In music theory, the dominant or dominant note (second most important) of a key is that which is a perfect fifth above the tonic; in just intonation the note whose pitch is 1. ...

Jins/Ajnas

The maqam consists of at least two jins, or scale segments. "Jins" in Arabic comes from the ancient Latin word "genus," meaning type. In practice, a jins (pl. ajnas) is either a trichord, a tetrachord, or a pentachord. The trichord is three notes, the tetrachord four, and the pentachord five. The maqam usually covers only one octave (usually two jins), but can cover more. Like the melodic minor scale, some maqamat use different ajnas, and thus note progressions, when descending and ascending. In music, especially in musical set theory, a trichord is a collection of three pitch classes, often one of the four ordered trichords in a tone row or set form. ... The tetrachord is a concept of music theory borrowed from ancient Greece. ... A pentachord is a perfect fifth divided into four subintervals by five tones. ... In music, an octave (sometimes abbreviated 8ve or P8) is the interval between one musical note and another with half or double its frequency. ...

Due to continuous innovation and the emergence of new jins, and because most music scholars have not reached consensus on the subject, it is difficult to provide a solid figure for the total number of jins in use. Nonetheless, in practice most musicians would agree there are at least eight major ajnas: Rast, Bayat, Sikah, Hijaz, Saba, Kurd, Nahawand, and Ajam - and their commonly used variants such as the Nakriz, Athar Kurd, Sikah Beladi, Saba Zamzama. Mukhalif is a rare jins used almost exclusively in Iraq, and it is not used in combination with other ajnas.

More notes used than in Western scale

The main difference between the Western chromatic scale and the Arabic scales is the existence of many in-between notes, which are sometimes referred to as quarter tones, for the sake of simplicity. In some treatments of theory, the quarter tone scale or all twenty four tones should exist. According to Yūsuf Shawqī (1969), in practice, there are many fewer tones (Touma 1996, p.170). The chromatic scale is a scale with twelve pitches, each a semitone or half step apart. ... A quarter tone is an interval half as wide (aurally, or logarithmically) as a semitone, which is half a whole tone. ...

Additionally, in 1932, at the International Convention on Arabic Music held in Cairo, Egypt - and attended by such Western luminaries as Béla Bartók and Henry George Farmer - experiments were done which determined conclusively that the notes in actual use differ substantially from an even-tempered 24-tone scale. Furthermore, the intonation of many of those notes differ slightly from region to region (Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Iraq). Béla Bartók in 1927 Béla Viktor János Bartók (March 25, 1881 – September 26, 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist and collector of Eastern European and Middle Eastern folk music. ...

Regional scales

As a result of these findings, the following recommendation was issued: "The tempered scale and the natural scale should be rejected. In Egypt, the Egyptian scale is to be kept with the values, which were measured with all possible precision. The Turkish, Syrian, and Iraqi scales should remain what they are..." (translated in Maalouf 2002, p. 220).^{[citation needed]} Both in modern practice, and evident in recorded music over the course of the last century, several differently-tuned "E"s in between the E-flat and E-natural of the Western Chromatic scale are used, that vary according to the types of maqams and ajnas used, and the region in which they are used.

Practical treatment

Musicians and teachers refer to these in-between notes as "quarter tones," using "half-flat" or "half-sharp" as a deisgnation for the in-between flats and sharps, for ease of nomenclature. Performance and teaching of the exact values of intonation in each jins or maqam is usually done by ear. It should also be added, in reference to Habib Hassan Touma's comment above, that these "quarter-tones" are not used everywhere in the maqamat: in practice, Arabic music does not modulate to 12 different tonic areas like the Well-Tempered Klavier. The most commonly used "quarter tones" are on E (between E-flat and E-natural), A, B, D, F (between F-natural and F-sharp) and C. A quarter tone is an interval half as wide (aurally, or logarithmically) as a semitone, which is half a whole tone. ... Habib Hassan Touma (December 12, 1934 - 1998) was a Palestinian composer and ethnomusicologist. ... Title-page of Das wohltemperirte Clavier A flat major (As-dur) fugue from the second part of Das wohltemperirte Clavier (manuscript) The Well-Tempered Clavier (in the original German: Das wohltemperierte Clavier[1]) is a collection of solo keyboard music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... Also see: E-flat minor, or E major. ... E flat minor is a minor scale based on E flat, consisting of the pitches E flat, F, G flat, A flat, B flat, C flat, D flat, and E flat (natural minor scale – the harmonic minor scale contains a D instead of a D flat). ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ...

Vocal traditions

Arab classical music is known for its famed virtuoso singers, who sing long, elaborately ornamented, melismatic tunes, and are known for driving audiences into ecstasy. Its traditions come from pre-Islamic times, when female singing slaves entertained the wealthy, and inspired warriors on the battlefield with their rajaz poetry, also performing at weddings. For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Slave redirects here. ... Nuptial is the adjective of wedding. It is used for example in zoology to denote plumage, coloration, behavior, etc related to or occurring in the mating season. ...

Instruments and ensembles

Front and rear views of an oud.

The prototypical Arabic music ensemble in Egypt and Syria is known as the takht, and includes, (or included at different time periods) instruments such as the 'oud, qanún, rabab, ney, violin (introduced in the 1840s or 50s), riq and dumbek. In Iraq, the traditional ensemble, known as the chalghi, includes only two melodic instruments - the jowza (similar to the rabab but with four strings) and santur- accompanied by the riq and dumbek. An oud. ... An oud. ... Front and rear views of an oud. ... Takht (bed, seat, or podium) (Persian: تخت) is the representative musical ensemble, the orchestra, of Arab music. ... Front and rear views of an oud. ... Typical Turkish kanun with 79-tone mandal configuration by Ozan Yarman The qanún or kanun (Arabic qânûn, from Greek κανων measuring rod; rule akin to καννα cane) is a string instrument found in Near Eastern traditional music based on Maqamat. ... The rebab is a musical string instrument which was heavily used in old Arabic music its considered as part of the Lute familiy (Oud in Arabic). ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The violin is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. ... Egyptian riq The riq (also spelled riqq or rik) is a type of tambourine used as a traditional instrument in Arabic music. ... The goblet drum (also chalice drum) is a goblet shaped hand drum used in Arabic music, Persian music, Balkan music, Armenian music, Azeri music and Turkish music. ... Santur Woman playing the santur in a painting from the Hasht-Behesht Palace in Isfahan Iran, 1669 The santur (سنتور – also santÅ«r, santour, santoor) is a hammered dulcimer of Iran. ... Egyptian riq The riq (also spelled riqq or rik) is a type of tambourine used as a traditional instrument in Arabic music. ... The Goblet drum is a goblet or hour-glass shaped hand drum used in Arab music, Persian music, Balkan music and Turkish music. ...

The Arab world has incorporated instruments from the West, including the electric guitar, cello, double bass and oboe, and incorporated influences from jazz and other foreign musical styles. The singers remained the stars, however, especially after the development of the recording and film industry in the 1920s in Cairo. These singing celebrities include Abd el-Halim Hafez, Farid Al Attrach, Asmahan, Sayed Darwish, Mohammed Abd el-Wahaab, Warda Al-Jazairia, and possibly the biggest star of modern Arab classical music, Umm Kalthum. Left: Rosa Hurricane, a heavy metal-style solid body guitar. ... The violoncello, usually abbreviated to cello, or cello (the c is pronounced as in the ch of check), is a bowed stringed instrument, a member of the violin family. ... Side and front views of a modern double bass with a French bow. ... The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... The 1920s is a decade that is sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ... Nickname: Egypt: Site of Cairo (top center) Coordinates: , Government  - Governor Dr. Abdul Azim Wazir Area  - City 214 km²  (82. ... Abd el-Halim Hafez (1927-1977) was known as the Nightingale of the Nile. In a society that generally reserves true respect for the old, it surprised everyone when Abd El-Halim Hafez took over the musical arena in his early twenties to become the golden boy of the nationalist... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Asmahan (real name Amal Al Atrache) (1918-1944) was a famous Syrian singer and actor. ... Sayed Darwish was an Egyptian singer and composer who was considered the father of Arab popular music. ... Mohammed Abdel Wahab, also transliterated Mohammed Abd el-Wahaab (1907 - March 31, 1991), is a prominent 20th century Arab-Egyptian singer and composer. ... Warda Al-Jazairia (وردة الجزائرية), commonly referred to as just Warda (ﺓﻭﺭﺩ), is a female singer from Algeria. ... Umm Kulthum (أم كلثوم, Oum Kalsoum) (c. ...

See also

• Arabic poetry
• Arabic scale
• Islamic music
• Turkish music (style)
• Pizmonim

Arabic poetry is poetry composed and written down in the Arabic language either by Arab people or non-Arabs. ... In music, the Arabic scale is arrived at by either: Raising the seventh of the Jewish scale Raising the seventh and third of the Phrygian mode Lowering the sixth and second of a major scale The sequence of steps comprising the Arabic scale is: half – augmented – half – whole – half – augmented... Islamic music is Muslim religious music, as sung or played in public services or private devotions. ... History (Timeline and Samples) Genres: Alternative - Classical - Dance - Folk - Hip hop - Jazz - Military - Ottoman - Pop - Religious - Rock Music awards Kral - MÜ-YAP - MGD Charts Powerturk 40 - Kral 20 Annual festivals Istanbul International Music Festival - Istanbul International Jazz Festival - Ankara IMF - Izmir European Jazz Festival Media Bant magazine - Mix! - Adante - BlueJean... Pizmonim (Hebrew פזמונים, singular pizmon) are traditional Jewish songs and melodies that praise God. ...

External links

• Resource page
• Arabic musical instruments
• The maqam
• Maqam
• Maqamat
• The Arab Classical Music Society
• Arabic Music Community
• Arabic Music & Multimedia Engine
• Arabic Music MP3 samples
• Arabic MP3
• Article on History of Arabic music
• More information about Arabic music
• Middle Eastern Pizmonim
• Excerpt from Arabic Musical Life Throughout History
• Popular Culture and the Performing Arts in the Arab world
• Between Two Notes - a documentary on Arab Music
• Arabic Sources on Music (French)
• http://elbidaoui247.skyrock.com/article_1141183808.html (French)

Sources

• Shireen Maalouf (2002). History of Arabic Music Theory: Change and Continuity in the Tone Systems, Genres, and Scales. Kaslik, Lebanon: Université Saint-Esprit.

• Peter van der Merwe (1989). Origins of the Popular Style: The Antecedents of Twentieth-Century Popular Music. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-316121-4.

• Habib Hassan Touma (1996). The Music of the Arabs, trans. Laurie Schwartz. Portland, Oregon: Amadeus Press. ISBN 0-931340-88-8.

Further reading

• Lodge, David and Bill Badley. "Partner of Poetry". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp 323-331. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0
• Shiloah, Amnon. Music in the World of Islam. A Socio-Cultural Study 2001. ISBN 0-8143-2970-5
• Julian Ribera y Tarrago. La musica arabe y su influencia en la española (1985). ISBN 84-8191-357-X (Spanish)

References and notes