Re: I have always loved Arabic music

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2003 23:04:46 +0300
Newsgroups: rec.music.arabic
Size: 2,700 bytes

On Sun, 15 Jun 2003 08:25:19 -0700, DeRayMi wrote:
> I agree that much of the music from Algeria and Morocco cannot be called
> Arabic (because it isn't!), but wouldn't you at least consider the
> Arab-Andalusian music from those countries to be Arabic music? What else
> do you object to in the list that was given? Iraq and the Gulf states
> generally may have a different sound, but the music is still Arabic.
Hi there,
there is no such a thing as "the music still Arabic", the word Arabic is
misleading in itself. those places are only gathered in one hand from a
political point of view; but they are not from a cultural point of view.
IMO, the Arabic influence is evident in what we call the middle east,
however, the differences between each single place is much more than what
we simply could think. this argument is based on the anthropological basis
that, in culture, differences must be emphasized.
more to the point, from a theoretical approach & technically speaking;
there is a GREAT a difference between the music of the Arabic peninsula
(which is the Arabic music in a correct place) & the music that influenced
middle east (Arabs included) which is a Turkish music.
however, Turkish music influenced each place/entity in a different manner,
& there are places which it couldn't formulate any influence at all, like
Sudan which kept attached to an authentic original national Pentatonic
African scale. & like the west of the middle east, "Morocco, Algeria,
etc." which were more influenced with the Spanish/Andalusian heritage, &
the vulgar music of the habitant of the great desert. & there is the Gulf
& the music of the Arabs (this is what one should call Arabic music
consistently) which remained basically the same (very poor as most
musicologist described), unable to evolve or develop, sticking to its own
triple roots. & then there is the music of "Fares" the more Asian
influenced "Iran, Iraq, & more to the east". & so on..
all these places possesses its own music & as well, its own cultures & its
own vernaculars (which are sometimes complete languages from different
distinct sources).
what you are talking about is probably the pure Turkish music, which was
very powerful indeed, however, its influence over these places came
because of political & cross cultural effects caused by the Turkish empire
made in the big majority of the middle east. Turkish music unfolded
simultaneously with its political & colonial achievements. & became the
formal music of all the middle east (so called - until now, Arabic music).
so actually one could say: nothing fit into the term Arabic/Turkish music
except Turkish music itself.
I hope that was any help.
Thanks,
Maysara