Results 1 to 21 of 21

Thread: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

  1. #1

    Default Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Is there anyone who is into Lebanese and Middle Eastern music, especially to play on the mandolin?

    I found a website that was, I think, connected with the University of Chicago's Middle Eastern music ensemble, and found music for a few Lebanese tunes, including a few songs that had been recorded by Fairuz--my favorite--and my favorite tune of those is "Shatti Ya Denyi".

    Anyone else into all of that? Any ideas on where to find tunes?

  2. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to BluesPreacher For This Useful Post:


  3. #2

  4. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to DavidKOS For This Useful Post:


  5. #3

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    AMAZING!! Shukran! One thing: I love the music, but there's (obviously) a lot I don't know about reading the music. Western music--fine. But Arabic music, like, I need to find somewhere I can learn stuff like what it means when a flat sign has a little line through its staff, and (forgive my ignorance) what a maqqam is. Is it like an Indian raga?

  6. The following members say thank you to BluesPreacher for this post:


  7. #4
    Registered User DavidKOS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    North CA
    Posts
    5,020

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Quote Originally Posted by BluesPreacher View Post
    But Arabic music, like, I need to find somewhere I can learn stuff like what it means when a flat sign has a little line through its staff, and (forgive my ignorance) what a maqqam is. Is it like an Indian raga?
    The flats with a line through them are various degrees of flat, like I said some of the makam (maqam, etc.) use intervals larger than a half step but smaller than a whole step; the Arabic and Turkish practice varies somewhat although they are very similar.

    And yes, a makam is very much like a Raga or a Persian Dastah or Central Asian mugham. These are all traditions that use various scales or modes, plus notes of importance, ending, places to modulate, particular melodic shapes, etc.

  8. #5

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Quote Originally Posted by DavidKOS View Post
    The flats with a line through them are various degrees of flat, like I said some of the makam (maqam, etc.) use intervals larger than a half step but smaller than a whole step; the Arabic and Turkish practice varies somewhat although they are very similar.

    And yes, a makam is very much like a Raga or a Persian Dastah or Central Asian mugham. These are all traditions that use various scales or modes, plus notes of importance, ending, places to modulate, particular melodic shapes, etc.
    Thank you so much, David. (BTW, my name is Andy.)

    That's a beautiful oud you're playing. I very much want to buy one and learn to play it someday.

    Is there somewhere I can go to learn about the maqam and other elements of theory in Arabic music?

  9. #6

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Thanks for bringing this up, Andy.
    About fifteen years ago I wandered into a Kabob/Satellite TV store for lunch and the ludicrously huge TV was playing an 50's Lebanese movie that had it all: midgets, camels, belly dancers, orchestras wearing fezzes, and this guy who suddenly went from romantic lead/slapstick to an extended oud solo that was mind blowing. I made the owner write his name down, and took advantage of a trip to Paris to buy some CDs. Farid Al-Atrache (various anglo spellings exist)

    I think you would need a fretless instrument to hit many of those notes.
    And did you know there is a connection to surf music as well? Dick Dale is half Lebanese, and learned Misirlou from his oud playing uncle IIRC..

  10. The following members say thank you to fifths for this post:


  11. #7
    Registered User DavidKOS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    North CA
    Posts
    5,020

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Quote Originally Posted by BluesPreacher View Post
    Is there somewhere I can go to learn about the maqam and other elements of theory in Arabic music?
    There are a lot of websites, but one good place to start is:

    http://www.maqamworld.com/

  12. #8
    Registered User DavidKOS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    North CA
    Posts
    5,020

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Quote Originally Posted by fifths View Post
    Farid Al-Atrache
    When I was learning oud in the late 70's, he was considered one of the best Arabic players.

  13. The following members say thank you to DavidKOS for this post:

    fifths 

  14. #9
    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Ann Arbor/Austin
    Posts
    6,281

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Calling Pablo H. I know his daughter is a (very) accomplished oud player. (You haven't been around much lately, fra'.)

    This whole diversionary area could settle in nicely here at the MC in my view.

    Mick
    Ever tried, ever failed? No matter. Try again, fail again. Fail better.--Samuel Beckett
    ______________________

    '05 Cuisinart Toaster
    '93 Chuck Taylor lowtops
    '12 Stetson Open Road
    '06 Bialetti expresso maker
    '14 Irish Linen Ramon Puig

  15. The following members say thank you to brunello97 for this post:


  16. #10
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Invergordon,Scotland
    Posts
    2,860

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    It's not Lebanese perhaps, but I think you might like the seminars and general vibe at this interesting set-up in Crete.
    http://www.labyrinthmusic.gr/en/seminaria

    You've just missed this one:
    http://www.labyrinthmusic.gr/en/semi...ud-adel-master
    And this one:
    http://www.labyrinthmusic.gr/en/seminaria/469-oudmavros
    Last edited by Dagger Gordon; Sep-16-2016 at 5:01am.
    David A. Gordon

  17. The following members say thank you to Dagger Gordon for this post:


  18. #11
    Registered User DavidKOS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    North CA
    Posts
    5,020

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Quote Originally Posted by Dagger Gordon View Post
    It's not Lebanese perhaps, but I think you might like the seminars and general vibe at this interesting set-up in Crete.
    http://www.labyrinthmusic.gr/en/seminaria

    You've just missed this one:
    http://www.labyrinthmusic.gr/en/semi...ud-adel-master
    And this one:
    http://www.labyrinthmusic.gr/en/seminaria/469-oudmavros
    Some of my friends have attended Ross Daly's workshops and enjoyed it a lot.

  19. #12

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Thanks so much, everyone! I'm on it!

  20. #13
    Registered User Pasha Alden's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Grahamstown South Africa
    Posts
    1,705
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    A very interesting diversion. Always wondered about tuning of the oud and the way it is played.

    Playing:
    Jbovier a5 2013;
    Crafter M70E acoustic mandolin
    Jbovier F5 mandola 2016

  21. #14
    Registered User DougC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Minneapolis, MN
    Posts
    1,875
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    I love oud as well and I met a guy named Yair Dalal from Israel at a house concert last year and I'm fascinated by the possibilities of playing Mandola in a klezmer doina and going to some of this oud music. I believe he plays music from Iran. We did not have time to work on anything however he is back in Minnesota playing with the Rose Ensemble. And it should be a really nice concert. I do believe there is a place on mandolin cafe for this music. Glad to see that others like it too.

  22. The following members say thank you to DougC for this post:


  23. #15
    Registered User Pasha Alden's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Grahamstown South Africa
    Posts
    1,705
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    A theoretic discussion but so interesting. I have not reached the levels of some of you here with regard to music theory, but scales and intervals always interest me. Even the size of intervals in music as we know it. ("Western", if I may call it that?
    Quote Originally Posted by DavidKOS View Post
    The flats with a line through them are various degrees of flat, like I said some of the makam (maqam, etc.) use intervals larger than a half step but smaller than a whole step; the Arabic and Turkish practice varies somewhat although they are very similar.

    And yes, a makam is very much like a Raga or a Persian Dastah or Central Asian mugham. These are all traditions that use various scales or modes, plus notes of importance, ending, places to modulate, particular melodic shapes, etc.

    Playing:
    Jbovier a5 2013;
    Crafter M70E acoustic mandolin
    Jbovier F5 mandola 2016

  24. The following members say thank you to Pasha Alden for this post:


  25. #16
    Registered User Hany Hayek's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Egypt
    Posts
    622

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Here are a couple score sheets, Fairuz songs.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	كان عنا طاحون.pdf 
Views:	134 
Size:	299.4 KB 
ID:	149733Click image for larger version. 

Name:	حنا السكران.pdf 
Views:	121 
Size:	231.0 KB 
ID:	149734
    I play these with the mandolin. If you like them I can post more.
    “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”
    ― Victor Hugo

  26. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Hany Hayek For This Useful Post:


  27. #17

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Thanks Hany,
    I love middle Eastern rhythms and music. I would appreciate any scores you feel would be nice to play on the mandolin.
    I am sure many cafe members would welcome this style of music. Once again thanks for posting.

  28. #18
    Registered User DavidKOS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    North CA
    Posts
    5,020

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Quote Originally Posted by Pasha Alden View Post
    A very interesting diversion. Always wondered about tuning of the oud and the way it is played.
    Oud tunings vary a bit, but are all based on the top 4 courses being tuned in 4ths.

    Also, many Arabic and Turkish oud players tune to different pitch levels.

    Some common oud tunings:

    Arabic:

    low to high

    CFADGC - very commonly used, maybe the most common these days

    DGADGC - older tuning, what I learned on in the 70's

    BEADGC - newer tuning based on Mutlu Turin

    FADGCF - higher-range tuning

    FCDGCF - variant

    Turkish tunings:

    EABEAD - "old school"

    C# F# BEAD - modern classical tuning after Mutlu Turin

    BF#BEAD - variant

    Quote Originally Posted by Hany Hayek View Post
    Here are a couple score sheets, Fairuz songs.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	كان عنا طاحون.pdf 
Views:	134 
Size:	299.4 KB 
ID:	149733Click image for larger version. 

Name:	حنا السكران.pdf 
Views:	121 
Size:	231.0 KB 
ID:	149734
    I play these with the mandolin. If you like them I can post more.
    Thanks Hany! I love Fairuz and the Rahbani's music.

    https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/bitstr...pdf?sequence=1

    https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/bitstr...pdf?sequence=2

    Another Fairuz tune, one of my favorites. The mandolin sounds a little like the buzuq on the original.

  29. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to DavidKOS For This Useful Post:


  30. #19
    Registered User Hany Hayek's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Egypt
    Posts
    622

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Here is a site with pdf music scores for Fairuz songs:
    http://www.sheetmusicdaily.com/مجموع...#1581;ب/
    Here is a good video to give you an idea how hanna el sakran is played:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hgVqsbtZ6A
    “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”
    ― Victor Hugo

  31. The following members say thank you to Hany Hayek for this post:


  32. #20
    Registered User Pasha Alden's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Grahamstown South Africa
    Posts
    1,705
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Thank you DavidKOS. The oud tuned in fths as opposed to the fifths of mandolin/mandola.

    People speak of mas, I must speak of sas: string acquisition syndrome: would love to touch an oud and one day, when the dola and mandolin are fully mastered, to play the oud.

    Playing:
    Jbovier a5 2013;
    Crafter M70E acoustic mandolin
    Jbovier F5 mandola 2016

  33. The following members say thank you to Pasha Alden for this post:


  34. #21

    Default Re: Lebanese & Middle Eastern Music

    Shukraan jazilaan, everyone! You have no idea how much good it does my heart to communicate about Lebanese music, especially Fairuz. That voice--oh my! Brings my back to my childhood in Beirut.

    And thank you so much for those Fairuz/Rahbani Brothers tunes. One can't play the quarter-tones on mandolin, of course, but many of the melodies lend themselves quite well.

    When I buy an oud, I will be think about you guys!

  35. The following members say thank you to BluesPreacher for this post:


Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •