The Arabic and Islamic Music

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The Arabic and Islamic Music
Lebanon
Morocco
Egypt

• Introduction
• Classical/popular music (Egypt ? east Africa)
  presented by Shelair
• Fairouz (Lebanon ? Middle east) presented by
  Areeman
• instructional and performance videos of Arabic
  belly dancing (Oriental dance) presented by
  Maritza
• A thorough explanation of some of the Arabic
  instruments (Oud as example) presented by Dhruv
• Sufi Music (Morocco ? north west Africa)
  presented by Samir

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Sufi Music in Morocco (north west of
Africa)There are two principal genres of Sufi
music in Morocco?Aissawas?Melhoun Both genres
were founded in the 16th century. The first
masters of the Melhun came from Tafilalt. Where
as Aissawas main spiritual center (zaouia) is in
Meknès where its founder is buried
Moroccan Music Map
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What is Sufism ?

• The word Sufi has come to denote an Islamic
  Gnostic or mystic, although its derivation is a
  matter of controversy.
• The two principle sources are thought to be
  believe a derivation from
• Arabic Suf meaning Wool
• Greek derivatives of Sohpos philosophers-
  or Sophistes meaning Wise
• Sufism is a Muslim philosophical and literary
  movement that emerged in the 10th and 11th
  centuries and gained prominence throughout the
  middle east by 13th century, borrowing ideas from
  neo-Platonism, Buddhism and Christianity.

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SoundBoth genres (Aissawas Melhun) are
rhythmicMelhûn There are three main Melhûn
rhythms gubbâhihaddâri drîdka.Masters of
the Melhun use two methods for keeping time
during a song beating or clapping hands,
ar-rash, and the range of percussion instruments,
notably the tarîja (small goblet drum made of
clay), which is the instrument most commonly used
in the Melhun as in other forms of folk music.
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SoundThe al-gubbâhi, rhythm used in the
introductory sarrâba and at the end of certain
qassîda, laqsida in Moroccan dialect) of the
Melhun is based on two essential elements the
overtures preceding it improvisation- and the
parts of which it is composed.
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SoundThe al-haddârî rhythm used in the central
part of the qassîdaThe dridka rhythm brings
to an end most of the qassîda music example
peace of dridka
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SoundThe Melhun orchestraThe Melhum
orchestra, which has no wind instruments, is
divided up into two groups stringed instruments
and percussion instruments.Stringed
Instruments Al-ûd (the lute), has six
strings, five of which are double and one (the
lowest in pitch) simple. al-kamân ,The violon,
played in the same way as in the al-âla andalusi
orchestra, that is to say placed vertically on
the knee. As-swîsdî or swisen, small folk lute,
with a high, dry sound, forms parts of the family
of gambrî instruments, whose three strings are
tuned as follows Al-hajhûj, with its
low-pitched sound, is the biggest of three
instruments of the gambrî family (the
medium-sized al farkh being another member) is
tuned thus Percussion instruments (tarîja)
are held by the munshid (solo singers) and by the
reddâda (choir) who, at the same time, act as
sheddâda (percussionists) performing

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• Sound
• Aissawa instruments
• The instruments that accompany the ritual by
  Aïssawa are cylindrical tambourines with only
  one membrane (bendir), drums with double membrane
  (t'bal), oboes (ghaïta), and (tassa) a small
  cylindrical metal instrument.
• 
  

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• Sound
• Both genres have
• A high degree of collective participation
• Structuring of songs around repetition
• Call and response vocal format
• An association of music with dance customarily
  accompany dancing and whirling dervishes (a
  member of various Muslim ascetic orders) in a
  ceremony known as ltZirkgt which mean
  remembrance. In ltZirkgt, music is used to bring
  devotes closer to the experience of
  consciousness.

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• Concept
• The musical idea is typically religious. The
  religious brotherhood of the Aissawas, spiritual
  descendants of Shaykh or Wali (Saint) Muhammad
  Ben Aisa, who died in1526 after moving to Meknes,
  draws it sources from the Sufi Tradition. After
  the death of its founder, his disciples continued
  the education of the mouridin (volunteers) whose
  principle activity consisted in reading and
  reciting the Quran and chanting hymns to the
  glory of the prophet Muhammad music example
  Bismillah (in the name of God).
• The followers of this brotherhood devote
  themselves, after initiation near a Master, to
  the individual practice of the asceticism and
  ritual collectives animated by musical
  instruments

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• Behavior
• A good example of social behavior and
  organization is in Aissawa ceremonial music in
  social occasions which, is practiced in a variety
  of religious and social occasions such as
• moussems - festival of saints
• the Moulad - the anniversary of the Prophet's
  birth,
• Friday meetings after the Asr prayer,
• marriages and birth. 
• Circumcision
• Chabana, the month before Ramada, henna designs
  on womens hand

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• Conclusion The Sufism message
• Sufism must live in
• Serve and guide society
• Be a vehicle by which society receives grace.
• Being in harmony with society
• Being at a peace with all, is a quality of
  perfect being