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?
Adhan means call to prayer, and it is 5 times a day. The textbook mentions that it comes
out of the loudspeakers in local mosque. According to the text, the musical features that
characterizes it includes, being highly virtuosic, melismatic, free rhythm, series of
declaimed phrases, and separated by pauses. A person who gives the call to prayer is
called the muezzin.

2. Listen to the example of an adhan, CD 2.6.

Which lines are repeated and sonically, what happens with this repetition? Allahu akbar,
Allahu akbar (“God is great, God is great”) is what is repeated, and it keeps repeating
over and over in different pitches and melimastic tones.
What do you hear that contributes to a discussion of whether this is “music” or not? I am
considering it music because of the way the pitch and sound is happening. There is
melisma and text setting with the repeating.

3. What are the two major sects of Islam? The two major sects are Sufi and Sunni.
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?
Sufi practices include those who seek the union with God through trance and they do a
whirling dance. The textbook mentions hat “Muhammad designated Mecca as the holy
city and built a great mosque there containing Islam’s holiest shrine, the Ka’ba” This is
how they prayer to the God. Chanting is very important because it shows how devoted
they are to Alah and it attributes the ritual movement even more and they can get into a
trance-like state and at this point the people are spiritually ecstatic. Dhikr translates to
“remembrance” and it is a Sufi musical performance of rituals to praise God and
memorial celebration of Rumi’s honor. Ilahi are sufi mulism hymns of praise that are
used int eh dhikr ceremonies.

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. Compare and contrast these
two performances

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

The things that make these similar are:

- There is steady melodic contour in the music.
- They are all praising Allah and are praising their religion through ritual music.
- There is a melismatic and rhythmic setting in the tones and pitches.

The things that make these different are:

- Sufi worship in Chechnya, a war-torn republic of Russia is very much like a chanting
and dancing and trance compared to the others
-Qawwali performance in India, of the Chisti order popular in South Asia is more like
Hindu style singing and praying
-There is a major difference in the way the chanting and trace is happening in terms of
the music
- Turkey: Sufi Dhikr Ceremony is more like a ceremonial music compared to the trance
and dancing.

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?
The textbook says that takht is an Arabic music ensemble and it includes “zithers, bowed
and plucked lutes, drums, aerophones, and sometimes non-traditional instruments.” Takht
has about 3-4 players and they make an ensemble to incorporate violins, cellos and string
basses. The textbook mentions that firqa is a larger ensemble sometimes that includes
chorus and principal vocalist.

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? According the
textbook, Arab modal system called maqam which involved with the pitches, intervals,
standard melodic patterns.

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. It can function like a Hindustani rag or Carnatic raga
because it has modelic modes and positions of tones and pitches that is similar. They are all
complex systems of sounds, and they have specific pitches that are organized into different
groups and scales. They are also similar because they both have a set of rules and guides to
making the sounds and melodies even though they are from different customs. They both involve
sequences of notes and sounds that make up the framework of they improvisation. In addition,
they are both rooted in religious traditions.
7. What is the standard, named patterns performed by drummers called and what is the best
English translation? The standard drummer patter is called iqa and translated as rhythmic
modes in English.

What are the three types of drums that may be found in a takht?
Three types of drums may be found in takht ensembles
- duff - small, single-headed drum with snares;
-riqq -pairs of small cymbals inserted into the frame that jingle - like a tambourine
- tabla is a small, goblet-shaped single head drum

In the musical example in the textbook, “Egypt: Takht Instrumental Ensemble” (CD 2.9),
what are the rhythms patterns to the different sections?
The rhythms patterns consist of “Instrumental break mimics the melodic line of the
vocalist” and then you can hear the ornamentation. There is another instrumental break.
The vocalist will then return with more utterances in the background.

8. What is the Arab concept of tarab (see page 241)? Tarab is when the state of emotional
transformation or ecstasy happens through music so it is like a trace that your mind and
body goes through.

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? I think around 6:28 is when the emotions hit the audience. You
can see they are cheering and possibly in a trace from the music. Spiritually is heightened
at this point.

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? It seems to be in

Sephardic pronunciation.
b) what is a shofar? Jewish ram’s horn trumpet
c) Who is the cantor? They are the trained vocalist and clergy who leads the
congregation
d) What is cantillation? And how do you hear it performed in this example? cantillation
is an oral tradition where there is chants of particular singers. In this example there is
heightened speech that is between speaking and singing. In this example there is a
listening focus of the male lead.
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

I listened to Blood Cultures - Going Home. I like the beat and it seems positive. It sounds
upbeat and pop like. I also listened to Nick Hakim - No Where To Go is relatable to the
people who are in Palestine right now. I think the music can be uplifting and help people
feel less alone. The styles of music are very pop oriented, and they evoke emotions of
sadness and justice as you listen. They are effective in conveying the meaning and
emotions directly.