General Characteristics of traditional Arabic music

The Great Musical Tradition

 Resulted from merger between Great Traditions of the conquered people and local
traditions.
o Ibn Misjah: father of new music under the Umayyads studied the theory and
practice of Byzantine and Persian music and incorporated his knowledge into
Arabian song, rejecting however, elements unsuitable for Arabian music.
 Systematization of a form of Art: a process that would facilitate the identification and
definition of an Art, characterized by fixed norms.
 Music did not achieve the stage of systematization due to the continuous clashes between
Caliphs (supporters of Arts) and Theologians (who viewed Art music as a useless pass
time meant for entertainment and exaltation of sensual pleasure).

"Arabization" as a means of cultural unification

 Characteristics:
o Quest and use of linguistic purity
o Maintaining a tradition of poetry practices (Ukaz: a place of attraction for
admirers of classical poetry and linguists)
o Al Rawi as a classical Arabic figure.
o The forming of the sciences of grammar to explain the sacred texts: sources used
for such purposes are poems from earlier periods.
o Establishment of the rules of musical recitation based on poetic language and its
rendition:
 components of such recitation are: rhythmic accentuation, phonic relief,
intensity and balance between ideals and emotional values (music and
rhythm). This formed the basis of Qoranic recitation and composers of
songs).

Abbasids: The Learning culture as an ingredient for success

• Characteristics of the perfect musician:
o Gifted with a natural inclination to music
o Combines creative power and great ability as a performer
o Is a singer and plays on one or more instruments
o Can write prose and verse and is a man of great culture
• "Al Kuttab" ( ‫ ) الكتاب‬a class of administrators who patronized the Arts.
• Yunus Al Katib who wrote the first book on muisc "Kitab Al Aghani" ( ‫)كتاب األغاني‬
• Ibn Al Muqaffa' ( ‫) ابن المقفع‬: a Katib during the Umayyads who wrote "Kalila wa Doumna".