Explores the cultural connection between Syrian Jewish life and Arab culture in present-day Brooklyn, New York, through liturgical music.

How to play Arabic music. Maqam structures with traditional quarter-tone intervals presented in easy-to-read formats. This book has become a widely-used standard for instrumentalists and singers who wish to enter the magical world of Arabic music.

Sound disc consists of digitally remastered musical selections originally recorded by the authors.

The classical music of Iraq, known as Iraqi Maqam, features classical and vernacular poetry sung by a virtuoso soloist and accompanied by a small instrumental ensemble. It is a remarkably cosmopolitan art, sharing many features with neighboring classical traditions, particularly Iranian. Its repertoire consists of orally transmitted, multi-sectioned compositions, performed with some flexibility regarding ornamentation, arrangement and development. Focusing on the period between 1930-1980, this reference offers the first comprehensive view of the musical contents of the repertoire—scalar structure, melodic materials and overall form—through various tables and musical transcriptions. This reference consolidates information from prominent Iraqi sources and draws upon a selection of recordings by master musicians, including Rashid Qundarchi and Yusuf Omar. An introductory section provides a brief overview of pan-Middle Eastern modal theory along with an outline of the terminology, theory and practices specific to Iraqi Maqam. The main section of the work is a catalog of 40 maqams that constitute the central core of the contemporary repertoire. The Repertoire of Iraqi Maqam aims to foster a better musical understanding of a relatively little known tradition, promote further research, and enhance appreciative listening to this inspiring facet of Iraqi culture.

An in-depth instruction manual for the Arabic oud, the ancestor of the lute and guitar. A companion instructional online video is included showing key points toplaying the Oud.. Contents include: Holding the oud, Plucking the Strings, Basic Plucking Rules in Arabic Tradition, Positions of Left Hand Fingers, Basic Notes on the oud, Advanced Left-Hand Techniques, Maqamat, and much more. Over 40 tunes are included in the book. Standard notation only

(Instructional). The purpose of this book and its accompanying audio is to give the student not only a method from which to learn the oud, but also an overview of the history, folklore and origins of this beloved ancient stringed instrument. This book teaches the fundamentals of standard Western music notation in the context of oud playing, and serves as an introduction for absolute beginners as well as those experienced on other instruments. The book covers: types of ouds, tuning the oud, playing position, how to string the oud, music notation, scales, chords, arpeggios, tremolo technique, studies and exercises, songs and rhythms from Armenia and the Middle East, and 25 audio tracks for demonstration and play along. The audio is accessed online using the unique code inside each book and can be streamed or downloaded. The audio files include PLAYBACK+, a multi-functional audio player that allows you to slow down audio without changing pitch, set loop points, change keys, and pan left or right.

Finding and performing perfectly harmonious note intervals in Arabic music maqam systems. Knowledge of quartertones is not enough. This book explains how the maqamat follow the laws of acoustic physics and provide a history of clues given by traditional musicians which demonstrate that this knowledge was available by tuning with deep listening.

(Amadeus). Encompassing a history of more than 2000 years, the music of the Arabs is unique among the world's various musical cultures. This book presents an overview of Arabic music throughout history and examines the artistic output of contemporary musicians, covering secular and sacred, instrumental and vocal, improvised and composed music. Typical musical structures are elucidated, and a detailed bibliography, a discography (mainly covering the last 50 years) and a guide to the Arabic alphabet for English speakers are also provided. The paperback edition (00331635) includes a CD of seven traditional Arabic pieces performed by contemporary Arab musicians.