Week 11: Assignment

Due: April 14

CH. 8: The Middle East: Islam, Arab World; Egypt; Palestine, Judaism

1. What is an adhan (basic definition, in a few words)? List five musical features that
characterize an adhan. Who is the muezzin?

2. Listen to the example of an adhan, CD 2.6. Which lines are repeated and sonically, what
happens with this repetition? What do you hear that contributes to a discussion of
whether this is “music” or not? (2-part question)

3. What are the two major sects of Islam? What is Sufism and what are some of its basic
tenet particularly with regards to the role of music in Islam? Be sure to include why
chanting is important within Sufism (see page 243/ “Cultural Considerations” section)
Also, what is a dhikr and ilahi in Sufism?

4. Sufi examples: Listen to the following examples and compare and contrast (describe 3
aspects that they share, 3 aspects that make them different from one another):

a) Example from textbook: “Turkey: Sufi Dhikr Ceremony” CD 2.10.

b) Qawwali performance in India, of the Chisti order popular in South Asia;

performance that takes place at a dargah or shrine to a Sufi saint/ leader’s tomb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oYOfKPytFI

c) Sufi worship in Chechnya, a war-torn republic of Russia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aqtEWzgBxc

5. What is a takht? (see Site 4/ “Egypt” section of chapter 8) And what instruments does a
takht typically require? And what is a firqa particularly in regards/ in relation to a tahkt?

6. What is the Arabic term to denote the Arab modal system rendered in takht ensemble?
How is it/does it function like a Hindustani rag or Carnatic raga?

a) A taqasim is an improvisational performance rendered on the melodic instruments

(Taqasim as a concept is introduced in the section on Iran in Chapter 8). Listen to the
musical example in the textbook, “Egypt: Takht Instrumental Ensemble” (CD 2.9)
and list the times and instruments in the recording when you hear a taqasim.
7. What is the standard, named patterns performed by drummers called and what is the best
English translation? What are the three types of drums that may be found in a takht? In
 the musical example in the textbook, “Egypt: Takht Instrumental Ensemble” (CD 2.9),
what are the rhythms patterns to the different sections?

8. What is the Arab concept of tarab (see page 241)? Listen to and watch the following
example of the Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum performing “Enta Omri” (“You are my
Life”) accompanied by an orchestra that comprises instruments from both Western
orchestral sounds and the takht ensemble. At what moments in the performance do you
think tarab is rendered and felt by the performer and audience?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPGHpBOt5sE

9. Listen to “Judaism: Jewish Shofar and Liturgical Cantillation” (CD 2.11) and describe
your overall impressions of the recording and answer the following questions:

a) is this an example of Sephardic or Ashkenzai style/traditions?

b) what is a shofar?
c) Who is the cantor?
d) What is cantillation? And how do you hear it performed in this example?

10. Choose two tracks from this compilation album that was created during the war in
Palestine this year; be sure to specify the artist’s name, the name of the track,you’re your
impressions of the recordings you select, i.e., discuss your impressions, the styles of
music, any meanings you learn through the tracks, and whether or not they are effective
in conveying meaning and emotion:

https://theolivetape.bandcamp.com/album/the-olive-tape