Azan – culture?
Syria, but Pan-Islamic: done similarly by all Muslims
Azan – complete media?
Muezzin
Azan – context?
Call to prayer (done five times daily) by a muezzin. It’s musical, but not called “music.”
Azan – musical features?
In maqam rast with microtones/quarter tones/”half-flat” tones on 3rd and 7th degrees of scale, ascending and descending melodic contour, silences separating lines of text are part of structure, melisma, ornamentation, qafla cadential patterns
Taqasim in Maqam Rast – culture?
Israeli West Bank, but Pan-Arab art/classical music style
Taqasim in Maqam Rast – complete media?
Solo ‘ud (short-necked lute)
Taqasim in Maqam Rast – context?
This was recorded in a Nazareth home by a young musician. It’s a great example of taqasim organization, with the characteristic qafla patterns. A taqasim can be a prelude, an interlude, or a complete performance in itself (like here).
Taqasim in Maqam Rast – musical features?
In maqam rast with microtones/quarter tones/”half-flat” tones on 3rd and 7th degrees of scale, ascending and descending melodic contour, silences (influenced by text lines in Qur’an recitation) are part of structure, uses melisma, ornamentation, uses qafla candential patterns
“Al-Shaghal” (“Obsession”) by Takht art/classical music instrumental ensemble – culture?
Pan-Arab
“Al-Shaghal” (“Obsession”) by Takht art/classical music instrumental ensemble – complete media?
Buzuq long-necked lute, ‘ud short-necked lute, nay end-blown flute, qanun plucked trapezoidal zither, violin, daff/riqq tambourine
“Al-Shaghal” (“Obsession”) by Takht art/classical music instrumental ensemble – context?
Recorded at a college Arabic music retreat, the lyrics express the common theme in Arabic poetry of obsession with a beloved.
“Al-Shaghal” (“Obsession”) by Takht art/classical music instrumental ensemble – musical features?
In maqam bayyati, with microtones/quarter tones/”half-flat” tones on 2nd and 6th degrees of scale, heterophonic texture, rondo/concerto gross-like composition in which tutti plays rondo theme and soloists play taqasim (in this case buzuq and nay) during which tutti ensemble plays an accompanying ostinato, expressions of tarab participation by audience
“Initiation of Ecstasy” by El-Funoun, folk wedding song/dance – culture?
Palestinian
“Initiation of Ecstasy” by El-Funoun, folk wedding song/dance – complete media?
Female and male voices, nay end-blown flute, qanun plucked trapezoidal zither, buzuq long-necked lute, mijwiz clarinet, darbucca goblet-shaped drum
“Initiation of Ecstasy” by El-Funoun, folk wedding song/dance – context?
It’s a wedding song. It contains a lot of rich poetic metaphors and tells the story of a distraught lover remembering his lost beloved, in a classic Arab plot theme. El-Funoun is a group trying to revive regional Palestinian folklore through performance.
“Initiation of Ecstasy” by El-Funoun, folk wedding song/dance – musical features?
additive eight-beat folk meter (iqa, like tala), zagareet (“ululation”), use of vocables