|
Arabic music or
Arab music
Arabic music whilst independent and very alive, 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 that make up the Arab world today.
It also influenced and has been influenced by ancient
Egyptian, ancient
Greek, Persian, Kurdish, Assyrian, Turkish, Indian, North African
music (i.e. Berber), African music (i.e. 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).language|Babylonian]]. Afar music is similar to the music
of Ethiopia with elements of Arab music. The Somali oral traditions
include an array of poetry and proverbs, much of it devoted to the
lives of Sufi saints. Afar oral literature is more musical, and
comes in many varieties, including songs for weddings, war, praise
and boasting.
Early Secular Formation
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.
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".
|
