A Particular Style of Arabic Music - Essay Example

Introduction The Arabic culture is quite diversified since it comprise of people from different religious groups and origins. Some of the religious group represented in the Arabic culture includes the Christians, Jews and the Muslims. Therefore, it can be observed that the Arabic world of music is quite diverse considering the various religious and cultures represented. In essence, the Arabic music has had a long history of relating with the music styles and genres of other regions. The Arabic music is an assembly of music from the Arabian people occupying the Peninsula region and other parts of the world. From history, it can be deduced that the Arabs developed the Greeks’ musical theory by translating the Greek texts. Some examples of the Arabic music include Arabic electronica, Arabic Jazz and Arabic rocks among others. Some of the genres found in the Arabic music include the sacred and the secular music. The Arabic music across is characterized by five common features. The features are; a system of Arabic tone, structures that have a temporal rhythm, musical instruments, a variety of social contexts, and finally mentality of the Arabic music. Basically, there are two main styles of the Arabic music, which are the popular music also referred to as Arabia and the classical music also known as tarab (Titon et al 317).The purpose of this paper is to discuss the classical/tarab music style of the Arabic music. Tarab or classical music Brief history of tarab music style The history of the tarab music can be traced back in the late 1880s in Egypt. The music genre. Some source provide that Sultan Seyyid Barghash bin Said was the pioneer of the tarab music. The sultan lived a luxurious lifestyle and this offered sufficient time to develop the music style. The music style has developed subsequently and some aspects of the traditional style have been absorbed in the modern tarab music style. Some of the aspects that have been absorbed in the recent style include the tarab lyrics, dancing style and the tone. Description of the tarab music style Tarab is a diverse music style that incorporates a variety of features that a singer is expected to portray. The singer’s ability to use classical Arabic language and appropriate grammar is very crucial to the tarab music as it involves divulging emotional overtone. For an individual to be a proficient tarab singer, they must have a good grasp of the classical Arabic poetry and a sound knowledge of the Arabic proverbs. It is imperative to note that music involves a blend of various artistic features such as proverbs, poetry, idioms, onomatopoeia, and many others. In this regard, the tarab music style requires the singer/ artist to have a deep knowledge on the various Arabic culture artistic features. According to Hammond (206), tarab involves interactive entertainment of the audience or listeners and, therefore, the singer should have a rich background information regarding whatever is being represented. Tarab brings amusement to the Arabic entertainment industry and relates to the traditional art of the Arabs. In addition, tarab is also a way of confirming the authenticity of culture and of expressing transparency of emotions. Apparently, it can be said that tarab expresses Arabic music in genres and styles that listeners get emotionally uplifted (Gu 110). Studies conducted during tarab performances show that audience response is usually motivated by the repetitive phrases and rhythmic techniques that the musicians incoporate in their performances. In essence, tarab offers a description of an aesthetic bliss concerning an object of art which might be experienced when listening to a poem, music or when observing a certain painting. In the ancient days, tarab was usually practiced through recitation of poems or the Quran. The Arabic music performances that follow the tarab style are usually characterized by a responsive emotional awakening that is caused by the interplay between the music, lyrics, tonal variations, and other underlying factors. The audience reaction to the performance influences the singer’s morale. When the audience shouts in happiness and joy, the performer is encouraged and the vice versa. The tarab music style attracts the audience to participate in the performance either psychologically or physically. In essence tarab promotes socialization and sharing of cultural experience between the performers and the audience. (Titon et al 325). The tarab music style serves various functions as far as the Arabic culture is concerned. For instance, the style of music aids in preserving the Arabic culture for the future generation. Through the performances, several Arabic cultural features are displayed thereby storing them for future generation. In addition, the attires used by tarab artists presents the ancient dressing style for the Arabic people. In this regard, tarab emerges as a means of educating people the traditional culture of the Arabic people. The tarab music style is sometimes used to represent some events in history. Therefore, it can be seen that tarab is a good source of history on some unique life events. Apparently, it can be observed that tarab is an important component in the Arabic culture since it not only serve as an entertainment tool but also as a source of history. It is essential to recognize the importance of the performer in any tarab analysis. This is because at the far end, the connection that the performer qualifies to achieve with the audience and the other factors relating to the performance is what leads to the analysis of whether tarab was involved or not. The performer therefore has a fundamental role of making efforts in order to ensure that they use the applicable rhythms and techniques to ensure that a certain emotion is caused to the audience and that they express it as the performance continues. How a certain performer makes the performance however determines whether the audience feels the tarab or not. The level of the performer’s artistry is crucial in determining whether they are able to bring out tarab from the audience. In case of low artistry, if it is combined with a high intimacy level, it is likely for the participants to experience tarab. Performance of music does not guarantee experience of tarab by the listeners. What guarantees the experience is the level at which the performer is able to engage the audience. Therefore, the connection between the audience and the performer is what is crucial in gauging the experience of tarab. It is more important that even the music that is performed and the semblance of the atmosphere in which the performance is made. Therefore, the performer needs to be endowed with a high emotional sincerity level that will enable them to create the tarab experience. Ethno musicological discourse argues that the internal state of the performer is the primary factor that facilitates tarab to evoke, which is the effect of their relationship with the audience (Shannon 169). Tarab incorporates the efforts of both the audience and the performer and, therefore, it is an interactive social component. In essence, tarab facilitates emotional unification between the performer and the audience. Studies have shown that whenever tarab is being played on media or performed live on stage, the listeners or the audience move in the spirit of the song. Apparent most ancient Arabic music use the tarab style during performance and in the intiaal stages of music development (Frishkopf 8). The ecstatic music model can be used to demonstrate the various aspect of tarab style of music. The model is based on the responses collected from the listeners regarding their perceptions and feelings towards tarab. Generally, the ecstatic nature of the Arabic music causes the music to be stimulating when performed in various events (Racy 1). In many cases, the audience might fail to understand the lyrics of the music performed or even the mode used to perform the music but might end up experiencing tarab depending on how well the performer enhances interaction with them. Some performers also might fail to understand the lyrics of the music that they perform but if they are able to initiate the right relationship there will result in tarab experience from the audience. If the sound of the lyrics of the music and the voice of the performer appear to be appealing to the audience, it will result to the experiencing of tarab by the audience irrespective of the fact that they might not even understand the real meaning of the song. It is also possible for the audience to be moved by a melody without knowing its modal characteristics and therefore being able to experience certain emotions from its performance. The rhythmic qualities of a song therefore are the most compelling aspect of any performance and will cause people to express their emotions by participating in aspects such as showing body movements or getting up from their chairs and starting to dance to the rhythms. Tarab has gained recognition in today’s society and is applicable to many musical contexts. For instance, western musical instruments such as pianos and guitars have been incorporated in the tarab performances. Various studies have proven that tarab has become a popular entertainment tool in the western countries. Apart from entertainment, the western countries use tarab to learn the various aspects of the Arabic culture. The traditions of the Arabic people are quite unique and interesting when taught to other culture. The western world views tarab as a good cultural diversification tool since it educates while at the same time entertaining the audience. The blending of the western culture sytles of music and tarab has resulted to unique entertainment genre that is worldly acceptable. Therefore, it can be seen that tarab aids in developing other cultures to have an international appearance. In essence, trab is played in almost all parts of the world and research has shown that people who love the tarab music style have continued praising it all over the world. Tarab is used in various poetic cycles together with other forms of music and poetry such as muwashshahat. Tarab has played a significant role in laying the foundation for the modern music style. For instance, the performance of maqamat in the modern culture is an improvement of the tarab music style. Research has shown that the ability of tarab to merge with other styles of music have aided in making the young people to love the style. It can be observed that tarab has gained worldwide recognition and is being widely used in the modern culture. For instance, modern music styles such as the Jazz music are also using tarab style to involve their audience in the performances (Lueg Para 5). Research has shown that tarab listeners get attracted by the voice of the performer or the physical preparations of the performer. The involvement of the audience in expressing tarab has therefore been dependent on the ability of the performers to entertain the crowd. Some performers in the modern society have been observed to engage their audience in responding to some parts of their song during their live performance and this has enabled them to devolve some tarab experience to the audience (Shannon 174). Performers in many musical concerts have also been able to rate their performances in the current world depending on the emotions that their audience experience and express from their performances. The performers have also been able to measure the level of the connections that exist between them and the audience. Good connection has been viewed as a way of showing that the performer is authentic and that the performance was successful. Tarab in the present world has been used as a metaphorical expression of showing the relationship existing between the performers and their audience. The language and gestures of tarab have been used as social emotional metaphors in the current musical context. More conventional responses of tarab are expressed in a performance if the performance, performers and the audience are successful and authentic. The style has enabled audiences in many performances to be able to experience ecstasy and trance and has enabled them to remain conscious and active throughout the performances. It has also enabled audience to concentrate in following up the entire performance. On cultural basis, it has enhanced spiritual interaction where it has helped to bring the listeners and musicians to different spiritual level (Titon et al 328). Conclusion Tarab has emerged as a unique style of music for many decades. Apparently, the popularity of the tarab music style can partly be associated with its wide use of the Arabic culture. In essence, tarab serves as a rich source of the Arabic culture history and an international entertainment style of music. The western countries have recognized tarab and have incorporated it in their styles of music. Apart from entertainment, tarab serves an effective tool of education on matters of culture and livelihood. In summary, the tarab style of music is a unique entertainment and learning tool that has gained international recognition in the present years. Works Cited: Frishkopf, Michael. Music and Media in the Arab World. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press, 2010. Print. Gu, Sharron. A Cultural History of the Arabic Language. , 2013. Print. Hammond, Andrew. Pop Culture Arab World!: Media, Arts, and Lifestyle. Santa Barbara, Calif. [u.a.: ABC-CLIO, 2005. Print. Lueg, Maren. Middle eastern music and dance, 2014. Retrieved on 5th May 2015 from: http://arabicmusicband.com/articles/modernisation-and-westernisation-of-music-in-egypt Racy, A J. Making Music in the Arab World: The Culture and Artistry of Tarab. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Print. Titon, Jeff et al. Worlds of Music: An Introduction to the Music of the Worlds Peoples. Belmont, Calif.: Schirmer/Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. Read More