Music of Saudi Arabia

Last updated

A Saudi male musician performing at the World Travel and Tourism Council's Global Summit Saudi Arabia 2022 WTTC Global Summit Saudi Arabia 2022 - 0492-1JB01606 (52537559969).jpg
A Saudi male musician performing at the World Travel and Tourism Council's Global Summit Saudi Arabia 2022

The music of Saudi Arabia includes both Western and traditional music. The most distinguished musician in recent Saudi history is Tariq Abdulhakeem, who composed hundreds of famous Saudi songs for himself as well as for other singers; Saraj Omar has become a very prominent composer after writing the music for the Saudi national anthem; Mohammed Abdu, dubbed the artist of the Arab world; Talal Maddah who died in August 2000 while singing in the summer festival on the stage of Al-Muftaha Theatre in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. The 1st Arab Pioneers Festival, which was held in Cairo under the patronage of the Arab League, honored four of the lead composers in Saudi Arabia: Tariq Abdulhakeem, Ghazi Ali, Mohamed Alsenan, and Mohammed Shafiq Chughtai. Of the same generation are the oud virtuoso Abadi al Johar, Rabeh Saqer and Abdul-Majeed Abdullah.

Contents

Overview

A musical performance at the Saudi Arabia Pavilion during Expo 2010 Music Performance at Saudi Arabia Pavilion.jpg
A musical performance at the Saudi Arabia Pavilion during Expo 2010

Saudi traditional music is quite limited. However, the migratory lifestyle of the bedouin militated against carrying excess baggage, including musical instruments. Simple rhythms, with the beat counted by clapping or striking together everyday implements formed the basis of the music. Instruments like the double-reeded ney or the stringed rababa were sometimes used, after being obtained in cosmopolitan cities such as Jeddah.

However, music is considered "sinful" or "haram" by Wahhabi Muslims, including Salah Al Budair who is the Imam of the Grand mosque in Medina. This is based in part on certain Ahadith which speak negatively of non-percussion musical instruments and the idea that music and art are distractions from God. Some Muslims also believe it is sinful for songs to make any mention of women and for women to be involved in the composition of music. [1] Particularly in the early days of the current Saudi state, religious authorities were quick to repress music other than the rhythmic percussion that still dominates contemporary Saudi music.

Ibtisam Lutfi and Etab were among the first two female singers from Saudi Arabia, [2] with 1979 being a pivotal year for the emergence of female musicianship in the kingdom. [3]

Omar Basaad was chosen as the best Saudi DJ and Electronic Dance Music Producer in 2012, by Saudi Gazette . [4] He became the first official Saudi EDM (Electronic Dance Music) producer to represent Saudi Arabia internationally. [5] [6] [7]

Samri is a popular traditional music and dance style in Najd Region.

In 2023, the first Saudi Idol competition was held in Riyadh, with judges Aseel Abu Bakr, Ahlam, Assala, and Maged al Mohandes. 29-year-old Hams Fekri, a singer from Jeddah, won the title. [8]

Dance

Ardah at Jenadriyah Jenadriyah 27 (12).JPG
Ardah at Jenadriyah

Ardah

Ardah, a type of folkloric dance, is the most popular dance in Saudi Arabia, and also the national dance. [9] It is performed with two rows of men opposite of one another, each of whom may or may not be wielding a sword or cane, and is accompanied by drums and spoken poetry. [10]

Najdi ardah is the most common variant of ardah in Saudi Arabia. It is also the most practiced and highly televised male folkloric dance in the entire country. The Saudi government changed its name to 'Saudi ardah' in the 21st century. However, there are numerous variations of ardah distinct from Najdi ardah throughout the country, notably in the regions of Najran, Asir and Jizan. [11]

Rock/metal music

Rock and metal artists from Saudi Arabia include The AccoLade and Al-Namrood.

Music institutions

Pursuant to the order of the Saudi Crown Prince, the first music teaching institute was established in Riyadh in 2019. The Institute was launched by the Egyptian violinist Mahmoud Sorour. [12] Sorour plans to train around 50 violinists to enable them to perform in Jeddah opera house that is planned to be launched in 2022. [13]

See also

Notes and references

  1. Salah Al Budair (23 March 2007). "Obsession with music". Gulf Times. Archived from the original on 14 January 2008.
  2. Hawash, Ali (21 August 2007). "First Female Saudi Singer Etab Dies at 66". Arab News. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  3. "1979, the year that changed arts and culture in Saudi Arabia". Al Arabiya . Dubai. May 20, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  4. Nihal, Mariam (21 January 2013): "Applauding the best of Saudi entertainment" Archived 2014-11-02 at the Wayback Machine , Saudi Gazette.
  5. Saeed, Saeed (16 August 2012): "Music and more at the next Sandance festival in Dubai", The National.
  6. Nihal, Mariam (21 January 2013): "Applauding the best of Saudi entertainment" Archived 2014-11-02 at the Wayback Machine , Saudi Gazette.
  7. (10 September 2012): "Saudi EDM producer to perform in Dubai’s Sandance festivalt", Arab News.
  8. Vivarelli, N. (2023) Hams Fekri Crowned Winner of First Season of Saudi Idol. Variety. [online] Available at: https://variety.com/2023/music/global/saudi-idol-crowns-hams-fekri-season-1-winner-showrunner-breaking-cultural-boundaries-1235556297/ (Accessed: September 21st 2024).
  9. "Folk Music & Dance". saudiembassy.net. The Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Washington, DC. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  10. Urkevich, Lisa (19 December 2014). "5". Music and Traditions of the Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar (Google Play). Routledge. p. 131/689. ISBN   978-0415888721.
  11. Urkevich, Lisa (19 December 2014). "5". Music and Traditions of the Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar (Google Play). Routledge. p. 133/689. ISBN   978-0415888721.
  12. "Top Egypt musician sees bright future for a Saudi national orchestra". Arab News. 2019-03-04. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  13. "Top Egypt musician sees bright future for a Saudi national orchestra". Arab News. 2019-03-04. Retrieved 2019-03-04.

Sources

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Kuwait</span>

Kuwait is well known in the region for its exploration of many different and new forms of music and dance. Kuwait is the birthplace of various popular musical genres such as sawt. Kuwait is widely considered the centre of traditional music in the GCC region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia</span> Administrative region of Saudi Arabia

The Eastern Province, also known as the Eastern Region, is the easternmost of the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia. It is the nation's largest province by area and the third most populous after the Riyadh and Mecca provinces. In 2017, the population was 4,900,325. Of these, 3,140,362 were Saudi citizens and 1,759,963 were foreign nationals The province accounts for 15.05% of the entire population of Saudi Arabia and is named for its geographical location relative to the rest of the kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Qatar</span>

The music of Qatar is based on sea folk poetry, song and dance. The historical importance of pearl fishing have deeply resonated within the region's artistic expression, manifesting in melodies, tunes, and dances that reflect the enduring bond between humanity and the sea. Traditional dances in Doha are performed on Friday afternoons; one such dance is the Ardah, a stylized martial dance performed by two rows of dancers who are accompanied by an array of percussion instruments, including al-ras, mirwas and cymbals with small drums. Other folk instruments include the oud and rebaba, both string instruments, as well as the ney and sirttai, which are types of flutes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sawt (music)</span> Kind of popular music

Sawt is a kind of popular music found in Kuwait and Bahrain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arab states of the Persian Gulf</span>

The Arab states of the Persian Gulf refers to a group of Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf. There are seven member states of the Arab League in the region: Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Yemen is bound to the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, based on history and culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saleh and Daoud Al-Kuwaity</span> Musical artists

Saleh (1908–1986) and Daud (1910–1976) Al-Kuwaity were Kuwait-born Israeli musicians of Iraqi-Iranian ancestry who rose to prominence in the Arab world in the early twentieth century. The brothers had a pioneering role in the modern classical music of Iraq and Kuwait, especially the Iraqi maqam and Kuwaiti sawt genres. In 1951, the brothers immigrated from Iraq to Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afro-Arabs</span> Ethnic group in the Arab World with African ancestry

Afro-Arabs, African Arabs, or Black Arabs are Arabs who have predominantly or total Sub-Saharan African ancestry. These include primarily minority groups in the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. The term may also refer to various Arab groups in certain African regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Arabia</span> Historical region of Arabia

Eastern Arabia, is a region stretched from Basra to Khasab along the Persian Gulf coast and included parts of modern-day Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The entire coastal strip of Eastern Arabia was known as "Bahrain" for a millennium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banu Yam</span> Large tribe native to Najran Province

Banu Yam is an Arabian tribe that belongs to the Qahtanite branch of Arabian tribes, specifically the group known as Banu Hamdan, and are, therefore, native to southwestern Arabia.

Koreans in the Arab world used to form a major part of the worldwide Korean diaspora. Koreans started coming to the Arab world in large numbers in early 1970s as migrant labourers; between 1975 and 1985, 1.1 million Koreans came for work, which made it the third-most popular destination for Korean emigrants. Eventually, most returned home or moved on to other countries, and as of 2014, the South Korean government's own figures showed over 24 thousand of their nationals living in the region. However, South Korean nationals are present in all of the region's countries, and North Korean workers also have a growing presence in several of them.

<span title="Arabic-language text"><i lang="ar">Ardah</i></span> National dance of Arabs

Ardah is a type of folkloric group dance in the Arabian Peninsula, in most countries located in the Gulf Cooperation Council. The dance is performed with two rows of men opposite of one another, each of whom may or may not be wielding a sword or cane, and is accompanied by drums and spoken poetry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Habbān</span> Musical instrument

The habbān is a type of bagpipe used in the coastal regions of the Persian Gulf. The term ḥabbān (هبان) is one of several Arabic terms for the bagpipes. The term is drawn from Hanbān (هنبان), the Persian word for "bag.". In Gulf states the term habban refers to the traditional Holi bagpipe. The habbān is also called the jirbah (جربة). It is similar to the Ney-anbān and jirba.

The Peninsula Shield Force is the military arm of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It is intended to deter, and respond to military aggression against any of the GCC member countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rotana Hotels</span> Hotel company based in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Rotana Hotel Management Corporation PJSC is a hotel management company in the Middle East, Africa, the Balkans and Turkey. It has a portfolio of over 100 properties in 26 cities and operates six sub brands which include Rotana Hotels & Resorts, Centro Hotels by Rotana, Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts by Rotana, Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana, Edge by Rotana and The Residences by Rotana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peninsular Arabic</span> Varieties of Arabic of the Arabian Peninsula

Peninsular Arabic are the varieties of Arabic spoken throughout the Arabian Peninsula. This includes the countries of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Southern Iran, Southern Iraq and Jordan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Urkevich</span>

Lisa Urkevich is a specialist in the music and heritage of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the greater Arabian Peninsula. She has undertaken extensive additional scholarship on Northern European Renaissance music, and is currently the director of a music and research center in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She is the former professor of musicology and ethnomusicology, and founding division head (dean) of the arts and humanities and chair of the music and drama department at the American University of Kuwait (2004-2023). Previously, she was a full-time professor at Boston University. Since 2017 she has been the general editor of Symposium: Journal of the College Music Society, the largest consortium of college, conservatory, university, and independent musicians and scholars. Urkevich is a two-time Senior Fulbright Scholar, the recipient of the 2015 University of Maryland Alumna of the Year Award, a Harvard University Fellow, and the author of numerous publications including the "pioneering work," Music and Traditions of the Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mezmar</span> Traditional group performance and stick song-dance

Mezmar or mizmar is a traditional group performance and stick song-dance that is performed by in the Hejaz region in western Saudi Arabia for festive occasions such as wedding and national events. Almezmar is performed by about 15–100 practitioners in festive occasions such as wedding and national events, they twirl long sticks, beat drums and clap to songs that can pertain to a variety of topics such as heroism, praise, chivalry, love and generosity. In the past, the ritual was associated with battle or competition. It closely resembles the tahtib dance practiced in Egypt and Sudan.

Khobayti, also spelled Khubaiti, is an Arabian style of music that implements Khaliji rhythms. Khobayti originates from Hejaz, where it was performed during zār rituals. Frame drums are a prominent aspect of khobayti. In 21st century Saudi popular music, khobayti is the most prevalent polyrhythm and it was featured in Saudi Arabia's exhibit at Expo 2020 in Dubai.