The Arghul
Throughout history, the reed instruments including the Arghul, Jirba, Mijwiz, Mizmar, Mizward, Ney-anban, and Rhaita have evolved into a very distinct type of Arabic sound we hear today in the modern Middle East. While all of these instruments play an important and distinctive role in their respective musical cultures, however, the Arghul stands out as perhaps the most prominent of the reed instruments as it is perhaps the oldest in the Middle Eastern region, having been adapted by many different cultures in the greater Middle East. The Arghul has affected the musical tone, ceremonial occasions, and culture of the Middle East today. It’s essentially the instrument Europeans think of when they hear Arabic music.
The History of the Arghul and Its Impact on History
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Arghul’s origins hail as far back as 3000 BCE when the Ancient Egyptians used double reed instruments in many of their religious ceremonies. Since then, the Arghul has spread farther than the banks of the Nile, including a majority of the Middle East and Turkey. It is featured prominently in the traditional musical culture of Egypt, yet many variations of the Arghul exist in other regions, such as the Mizmar in Syria.
Perhaps one of the most important contributions to musical history is what’s called the drone pipe which spread from ancient Middle and Near East to the north to Europe, to the east to India, and to the south to Africa. A drone in music is a continuously sounded note or chord throughout the duration of the song. Since the Middle Eastern prevalence of the drone, many other musicians have adopted its usage into their own songs, including classical music and a lot of modern music today, including pop...
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...en of all ages, usually at festive occasions such as weddings. The Cifetetelli, while it features the violin more than the Arghul, still has that reedy, buzzing sound when played.
The Future of the Arghul
As the world seems to be adapting a unified culture due to globalization, one may wonder what the fate of a traditional instrument like the Arghul would be on a world stage. There’s no reason to worry though, as traditional folk music will always be around and the Arghul as well as other Middle Eastern reed instruments are a big part of that culture. The Arghul played a huge part in establishing the Middle Eastern musical identity and it will probably play a huge part in solidifying that identity for years to come. After all, the Arghul’s been around for around five thousand years; there’s no reason to believe it won’t remain around for another thousand more.
Though the formation of our modern-day Concert Band does not date back quite as far as our modern-day Wind Ensemble, the extent of events, groups, composers, and advancements is quite similar. The evolution of the Concert Band dates back to the French Revolution. Large bands, full of unique instruments and amateur musicians, were required to play at festivals and ceremonies. Similar to the evolution of the Wind Ensemble, the Concert Band is derived from military purposes. Instruments, such as the trumpets, horns, and drums, were often used for signaling. In contrast to Wind Ensemble musicians, these Concert Band musicians never played their instruments for military enjoyment. The Concert Band musicians primarily played instruments to signal to the guards and villages. There were a few unique instruments, however, that were desired to play a military tune. These instruments include instruments such as a flute or bagpipe. Throughout the Middle Ages, this difference in military preference led to different job opportunities. For example, a cavalry company required trumpets, horns, and trumpets. On the other hand, foot soldiers would hire flute and bagpipe
Music is a part of everyday life for almost everyone in the world. Music provides us with enjoyment and relaxation, and can be used in many ways by many different people. Some may use it to calm down after a long, hard day, while others use it for religious purposes or still others in and attempt to try and forget something that hasn’t been favorable to them. The possibilities are endless, for music is one language that can be transmitted to all people of the world, no matter their nationality, and it can be understood by everyone. Tibet is no different than any other place in the world, as it has music that serves the purpose of the people who live there. While most music in Tibet is religious, secular music still exists and is still a part of life there. Tibetan music has played an important role in shaping who the Tibetan people have become today by giving themselves different ways to express who they are, through the use of differing instruments and styles of music, and has allowed other people from around the world the opportunity to look at Tibetan culture through their music.
It is believed that the Irish brought to the region the fiddle and the pipes. It is believed that the first stringed instrument, the dulcimer was brought by the Germans, Norwegians, Swedish and French. The dulcimer became known as the 1“Hog Fiddle” or “Music Box”.
The bagpipes have long been a mystery to civilization. Their origins have been traced to the East and dated back thousands of years.
A lot of the orchestral percussion instruments originated in Asia Minor. Sometime during the 15th century when people were moving east they carried there instruments with them, some of those instruments just happened to be percussion instruments. Crusaders carried back drums they had found in the Middle East during the crusade. (Jason)
Miller, Terry, and Andrew Shahriari. World Music: A Global Journey. New York, London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, 2006.
The word "music" comes from the Greek word Mousiki which means ‘the science of composing melodies’. Ilm al-musiqa was the name given by the Arabs to the Greek theory of music as to distinguish it from ilm al-ghinaa, the Arabian theory. The Arab music tradition developed in the courts of dynasties in the Islamic Empire from the seventh to the thirteenth century. It flourished during the Umayyad dynasty in the seventh and eighth centuries in Syria. Although the major writings of Arab music appeared after the spread of the Islamic religion in the beginning of the seventh century, the music tradition had already begun. Before the spread of Islam, Arab music incorporated music traditions of the Sassanid dynasty (224-651) in Persia and the early Byzantine empire (fourth to sixth century) and of sung poetry from the Arabian Peninsula.
Throughout the semester, various styles of music and the aspects of culture associated with these styles have been analyzed. Musical elements such as dynamics, texture, form, timbre, melody, instruments, etc., have been used to thoroughly explore each kind of music from different areas of the world, with an emphasis in music from Africa, India and Indonesia. These aspects of music go far beyond just music itself. Culture also plays a huge role in music and the accompanying musical elements. Each country and culture has a different style and distinctiveness that add to what makes the music of that certain culture unique. Music in Africa may differ dramatically from music in Indonesia or India not only due to those certain elements but also due to how it is interpreted by people and what it represents for those people. In addition to this, what one may consider music in one culture may not be music to another. These differences have been made apparent in the several demonstrations that we have been exposed to in class.
It is a common notion that for music to be able to traverse and grow within different soundscapes, music must go through a form of migration. There are two different forms of migration that have been seen throughout the world’s history. The first form of migration is called Voluntary Migration. Voluntary Migration is a movement in which a group of people agree to leave their region for their own personal benefits, whether they be focused around religious or economic opportunities. Given these positive opportunities, cultures can thrive and grow and
Music has shaped the lives of people throughout history. Even in its earliest forms, music has included use of instruments. One of the oldest musical instruments known is a variation of the flute; the original flute is thought to date back nearly 67,000 years ago. Tonight we are going to move throughout the eras with a history of instrumental music. This concert will begin with the Renaissance Era and continue through time until we have reached modern instrumental music.
“How Musical is Man?” was published in 1974. This book was written by John Blacking, a musician turned social anthropologist. His goal in writing this ethnography, and several other papers during this same time period, was to compare the experience of music-making that takes place within different cultures and societies throughout the world. In this book, he discusses and describes the musicology of the Venda people in South Africa. Though he does go to Africa to research and learn about the Venda people and their music, he specifically states that his book is “not a scholarly study of human musicality” (ix), but rather it is a summary (written from his point of view), which is both expressive and entertaining, of several different issues and ideas that he has seemingly been contemplating for some time.
"Music is a common experience and a large part of societies. In fact, anthropologists note that all human communities at all times and in all places, have engaged in musical behaviours. Music as a mode of human activity is a cultural phenomenon constituting a fundamental social entity as humans create music and create their relationship to music. As cultural phenomeno...
Music is found in every know culture, past and present. It is also, already being composed for the future. It is widely varied between all times and places. Since scientists believe that the modern humans arrived in the African culture more than 160,000 years ago, around 50,000 years ago, it is believed that the dispersal of music has been being developed between all cultures in the world. Even the most isolated tribal groups are thought to have had a form of music.
Music plays a huge role in the structure of a society. It can have both negative and positive influence on cultures and communities. First, musical sounds and instruments can be a dividing factor between the people within the same culture. These opposing social and economic identities within these cultures can lead unnecessary animosity between the members. However, music can also be one of the forces that unite members of a culture and provide a sense pride for everyone. This makes it easier for people to display their identification to that culture.
The influence that music has throughout the world is immeasurable. Music evokes many feelings, surfaces old memories, and creates new ones all while satisfying a sense of human emotion. With the ability to help identify a culture, as well as educate countries about other cultures, music also provides for a sense of knowledge. Music can be a tool for many things: relaxation, stimulation and communication. But at the same time it can also be a tool for resistance: against parents, against police against power. Within the reign of imported culture, cross cultivation and the creation of the so-called global village lies the need to expand horizons to engulf more than just what you see everyday. It is important to note that the role of music in today’s world is a key tool in the process of globalization. However, this does not necessarily provide us with any reasons that would make us believe that music has a homogenizing affect on the world.