CMA 562T Contemporary Arabic Music Traditions
This course will provide insights into the creative imagination of composers and performers who transformed traditional Arabic and regional musical genres from the Middle East. The unique voices of Arabic singers and instrumentalists resonate within the Middle Eastern community and with enthusiasts around the globe. Arabic music in the Middle East encompasses many rich and varied styles and genres, for example, folk and classical traditions, the music of Arabic cinema, wedding music, and popular music. In this course, we will cover important developments in the history of this music and listen to representative recordings of the past hundred years. (Arab World: North Africa) We will explore the music of traditional instrumental ensembles as well as vocal traditions from a variety of countries in the region, and discuss the emotional effect, Tarab, of musical expression in Middle Eastern cultures. We will consider the work of such artists as Fairuz, Abdel Wahab, Oum Kulthum, Farid al-Atrash, Natacha Atlas, Simon Shaheen, Warda Al Jazaereya, Sayyed Darwish, and many others. Additionally, this course will offer essential information (introduction) about some maqamat - the modal system of Arabic music, combining theory and practice. Learn about the various improvisational methodologies employed by Arabic musicians and singers, emphasizing the vast variety of rhythms and rhythmic cycles based on the rhythms of Arabic poetry, known as iqa’at.