Music of the Middle East

1. Music of the Middle East

2. The music of the Middle East encompasses the musical systems of Iran (Persia), the Arab diaspora, and Turkey

3. Each region shares five traditions similar to Western music

4. Islamic cultural and musical values affect what is and is not considered music

5. There are three prominent features that unite Middle Eastern musical culture

6. 1. Vocal and compositional styles are derived from the recitation of the Holy Koran

7. 2. Music creates a kind of ecstatic, emotional bond between performer and audience

8. 3. The “suite,” or collection of individual pieces played together, is the major unifying compositional principle

9. In the Middle East, music is generally considered an indulgence and therefore not good

10. In the Middle East amateur musicians maintain a higher status than professionals

11. In Western culture, improvised music has a tonal and structural framework Arabic music has maqam

12. Ensemble music has a special kind of monophony called heterophony

13. What are the differences between Middle Eastern and Indian ensemble textures?

14. Islam is the most distinctive feature of the Middle East as a cultural area

15. Religious ambivalence has not prohibited musical activity

16. Perhaps the most obvious difference is the definition of “music,” which is very narrow

17. On a sliding scale, between khandan and musiqi, where can we place different types of Western music, from church hymns to punk rock?

18. Professional musicians are mostly specialists

19. The scholarly study of music is admired

20. Chanting of the Holy Koran, CD 1 track 4

21. There is a broad similarity between Iranian traditions and those of Arabic and Turkish areas

22. There are numerous instruments common to Iranian music

23. The tar is a heavy, long-necked lute with frets

24. The kamancheh (spiked fiddle)

25. The santour (hammered dulcimer)

26. The violin (played in the Western fashion)

27. What are the similarities and differences between the Middle Eastern chordophones and chordophones found elsewhere throughout the word?

28. The ney (bamboo flute)

29. The dombak or zarb (goblet-shaped drum)

30. In Iran, learning classical music and learning to improvise are more or less synonymous

31. What are some similarities between Middle Eastern and Indian music improvisation?

32. Scales and arpeggios of Western music are similar to the radif

33. Radif is the basic repertoire used as the foundation for composition and improvisation

34. A typical Iranian performance ideally consists of five parts

35. Chahar Mezrab in Mahour, performed on santour. Textbook CD1, track 5.

36. An Avaz in Shur. Textbook CD1, track 7

37. Radif of Nour-Ali BoroumandCD 1 track 8

38. 6 excerpts based on Daramad CD1 track 11

39. Although each version is individual, the essential characteristics of the daramad can be heard

40. A performance in any maqam may modulate to another maqam

41. Taqsim NahawandCD1 track 10

42. Illustrations of Major MaqamsCD1 track 6

43. Music of the dervishes is metric and ceremonial

44. Popular music is typically a female singer accompanied by a small ensemble of instruments

45. Some of these singers, like Umm Kulthum, went beyond the music halls

46. Ya Zalimni CD1, track 9

47. Summary

48. The Middle East encompasses a large, diverse geographical and cultural area

49. Middle Eastern music generally is highly improvised and heterophonic

50. Vocal and instrumental music is generally highly ornamented