Arabic Classical Music
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Arabic Classical Music
Arabic classical music is one of the
world's major musical systems. It has a long history, and
some musicologists believe it is substantially similar to
what was performed in the Arabic music is modal and
monophonic. The modal system is sometimes based on
theoretical octave scales of 17, 19 or 24 notes, although
the temperament is not generally equal, and the practice is
essentially diatonic (the
infrachromaticism expressed in "neutral thirds"). The
favorite modes (maqamat)
come from throughout the greater Arab world. Classical
Arabic theory & practice can be seen as a great synthesis of
both the earlier classical traditions as well as regional
melodic forms. The most serious musical expression
has historically been solo instrumental improvisation (taqsim),
although there are related vocal forms (layali).
Musicians modulate frequently, and indeed a performance
which remained in a single mode would not be considered
fully artistic in nature. Much of the art is in the way a
performer will select and prepare his modulations,
especially in terms of following a tangential train of
thought and back again. There are a wide variety of
instruments, although plucked strings are the most visible
(including the 'ud, which
is where Europeans got the lute). In addition, there are
instrumental & vocal ensembles with a wide regional
variation.
Taqâsîm &
Layâlî The World Music Library label also
has several recordings of Arabic classical music from An individual recital of more recent
provenance by an Egyptian singer and ensemble: Proche-Orient
- Arabesques vocales
Aïcha
Redouane / Ensemble Al-Adwâr This is one of the most compelling
examples of the wasla
suite on record, and shows a real dynamism in terms of
synthesizing forms from the greater Arabic world. Synthesis
was one of the main principles of the Arabic classical
tradition, and so this recital is especially valuable. Perhaps the most compelling
recording of improvisatory Arabic instrumental classical
music currently available on CD: Taqasim:
Improvsation in Arab Music Ali Jihad
Racy / Simon Shaheen Some Arabic instrumentalists have
suggested that this is the only sufficiently strong & truly
improvisatory modern recording of their music, but for many
others it is a pointless remark, due to the quality of
relatively obscure archival material. Ali Jihad Racy is an
ethnomusicologist from Another improvisatory artist of some
merit: Munir
Bachir: Live in Munir
Bachir:
Maqamat Munir
Bachir (1930-1997) was an Iraqi
'ud player with a very
contemplative playing style. His recitals can be quite
potent and evocative. An improvisatory recording which
seeks out a more systematic contemporary technique based on
modal relations: Muhammad
Qadri Dalal Muhammad Qadri
Dalal plays with the ensemble
"Al Kindi" and has produced a
rather personal elaboration of classical style in
seldom-used modes. For some older styles of this
region, some of which played a role in the development of
what became the Arabic classical music, see the list for
the
ancient Mediterranean. There are also many recordings of
classically-influenced Arabic popular music, as well as
orchestral recordings. These are beyond the scope of the
present discussion. Finally there are archival recordings
being released, from the beginning of the century, before
the traditional styles went into decline. I will try to keep up on other
releases which might appear. Unfortunately, time constraints
have prevented me from doing a good job updating this page,
but hopefully I will have a real opportunity to gather a
wider variety of material eventually. For now, I emphasize
that it makes a rather poor survey, and I genuinely hope I
can find the time to research some of the more obscure
recordings which are available with effort. |
