The internet has brought hip-hop, Latin rhythms, R&B, rap and pop music right into their homes. Young Arabs across the transcontinental region no longer restrict themselves to just Eastern music. History isn’t the only challenge to oud music in the Middle East, though. This was followed by ISIS, who banned music altogether, and so the obstacles to Oud music have been many. Then violence in Iraq particularly targeted musicians. Traditional oud music has faced assault throughout the centuries.Īt one point in time, it was outlawed from the Arab world because it was perceived to be immoral by religious fanatics.
Photo Courtesy of Yoursuf Alluwaihi A Threat To Traditional Middle Eastern Music Their prestegious oud schools, where they train new generations of musicians to play enchanting oud music in the Middle East and beyond.īasically, seeing a performance in any of these destinations would be a treat for the ears. Slowly, it also spread to Spain, North Africa, Turkey and the rest of the Arab world.Įach region modified or fretted the instrument, meaning the deeper tones of Arab oud music are different from the soulful melodies of Iraq, or the raw acoustic tones of Egypt. Oud musician 1950’s: Photo courtesy of Jon Wisbey/ With time it became part of theatre orchestras and bands. Then belly dancers incorporated it into their dances. Gradually, music ensembles started using it. It started out in military bands, where soldiers would carry them into war. The first evidence of the Oud has been traced to Iran’s Sassanid era, where the Persians had taken a distinct liking for this form of music. If the circumstances are sad it can play your sorrow and… help to empty whatever is in your chest.” The History Of Oud Music In The Middle East If you feel joyful, it can play your joy. One Baghdad-based oud craftsman, Mahmoud Abdulnabi, described it perfectly when he explained, “The oud is different than other musical instruments. It is lower in pitch compared to a violin and more resonant than a guitar. You will hear the six-stringed instrument’s music in many soundtracks, plays, and dramas telling stories set in Arabia. Whether used solo or accompanied, it is a central part of Middle Eastern music culture. Like the griot in Gambian music, the Oud forms the backbone of Arabic music.
It’s different though due to its lilt, or musical tone, which has helped it earn the crown of being the granddaddy of all Arabic instruments. The oud - pronounced as “ud” - precedes the European lute, a plucked stringed musical instrument with a pear-shaped body, rounded back made of wood strips and a bent back pegbox. Psst! Don’t forget to pin this post for later!
Today, though, we’ll be talking about the oud guitar, and its importance in traditional Middle Eastern music culture. Oud music in the Middle East revolves around the oud instrument - with the word referring to both the type of agar tree wood this Arabic stringed instrument is made from, and the oil distilled from it that’s used to make a musky perfume.
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