Music of Yemen

Last updated

Yemen, a country on the Arabian Peninsula, holds a prominent position in the realm of music, garnering recognition for its distinctive musical traditions. Revered as a cultural capital within the Arab world, Yemen has contributed significantly to the musical landscape of the region.

Contents

The national anthem of Yemen, "United Republic," authored by Abdallah "al-Fadhool" Abdulwahab Noman, serves as an emblem of unity and national pride, resonating deeply with the Yemeni populace.

On November 7, 2003, UNESCO proclaimed the tradition of poetic songs of Sana'a, called al-Ghina al-San'ani, a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Yemenis commemorate July 1 as Yemeni Song Day, an annual celebration that underscores the integral role of music in Yemeni society. [1]

The musical heritage of Yemen captivates through its melodic prowess and poetic depth, embodying the artistic vibrancy and cultural resilience of the nation. With their captivating melodies and expressive lyrics, Yemeni musicians have left an indelible mark on both domestic and global audiences, contributing to the music in the region.

Sana'ani music

Dance in Sa'dah Sa'dah 05.jpg
Dance in Sa'dah

Traditional Yemeni music is usually performed in the home, in a window-lined room at the top of the house called a mafraj during a khat chew, in which the performers chew a mildly psychoactive stimulant leaf. This form of performance uses sung poetry and is called homayni; it is a tradition that dates to the 14th century. The urban homayni style known in the capital of Yemen, Sanaani singing, is the most well-known kind of homayni today . There is a large Yemeni-Welsh community in Cardiff and other major Welsh cities. Yemeni folk music has thus become a major part of the Welsh music scene. [ citation needed ]

Hadhrami music

Hadhrami music refers to the traditional music of the Hadhrami people, an ethnic group primarily inhabiting the Hadhramaut region of Yemen, as well as other parts of the Arabian Peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is an integral part of the cultural heritage of the Hadhrami community and has evolved over centuries, reflecting the influences of diverse cultures and historical encounters.

History and origins

The roots of Hadhrami music can be traced back to ancient times, drawing inspiration from the region's rich history and the interactions between Hadhramaut and various civilizations through trade and migration routes. The Hadhrami people have historically maintained close ties with regions such as India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and East Africa, which has greatly influenced their music.

Characteristics and instruments

Hadhrami music is characterized by its melodic richness, rhythmic intricacy, and poetic lyrics. It often features a blend of vocal and instrumental performances, accompanied by traditional instruments that contribute to its unique sound. Some of the commonly used instruments in Hadhrami music include:

A musician playing Qambus Hadhramout Yazid, gambus player in group Samrah Al-Mazikaty, painted by Yusoff Abdul Latiff.jpg
A musician playing Qambus Hadhramout

Genres and styles

Notable singers

Orchestra

Rap music

Rap and hip-hop culture existed as early as 2005 but it only achieved widespread popularity in 2008 when the hip-hop in Yemen took a leap forward and began to spread around the youth of Yemen, especially in Sana'a and Aden.

The hip hop major outbreak in Yemen is often associated to the influence of Hajaj Abdulqawi Masaed (also graphed as Hagage Masaed or best known as "AJ"), an American-Yemeni rapper producing music since 1997. Although he had grown in the United States, AJ has successfully reached Yemeni audience by addressing to local issues and incorporating traditional musical language into his hits. This versatility was also one of the reasons he drew international recognition, since he entered in the Yemeni music scene, he has been partnering up with several Yemeni artists, such as Hussein Muhib, Fuad Al-Kibisi, Fuad Al-Sharjabi, Ibrahim Al-Taefi, Abdurahman Al-Akhfash and others, and helping new ones to develop their talents. He has also played a major role on propagating the understanding of rap as a means of change. [3]
One contributing factor to the development of the music is also the creation of Yemen Music House in 2007 [4] that has been providing assets to the development of a contemporary music scene. [5] In 2009, took place the first Yemeni Rap public festival, co-sponsored by the French and German foreign-missions. [6] Due to the importance of this event, AJ draws a comparison between it and the fall of the Berlin wall. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drum</span> Type of musical instrument of the percussion family

The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a percussion mallet, to produce sound. There is usually a resonant head on the underside of the drum. Other techniques have been used to cause drums to make sound, such as the thumb roll. Drums are the world's oldest and most ubiquitous musical instruments, and the basic design has remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years.

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

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals, and sometimes other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The drummer typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks, and uses their feet to operate hi-hat and bass drum pedals.

Music of Kazakhstan refers to a wide range of musical styles and genres deriving from Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is home to the Kazakh State Kurmangazy Orchestra of Folk Instruments, the Kazakh State Philharmonic Orchestra, the Kazakh National Opera and the Kazakh State Chamber Orchestra. The folk instrument orchestra was named after Kurmangazy Sagyrbayuly, a well-known composer and dombra player from the 19th century.

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

Claves are a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of short, wooden sticks about 20–25 centimeters long and about 2.5 centimeters in diameter. Although traditionally made of wood many modern manufacturers offer claves made of fiberglass or plastic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conga</span> Cuban drum

The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto, tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest). Congas were originally used in Afro-Cuban music genres such as conga and rumba, where each drummer would play a single drum. Following numerous innovations in conga drumming and construction during the mid-20th century, as well as its internationalization, it became increasingly common for drummers to play two or three drums. Congas have become a popular instrument in many forms of Latin music such as son, descarga, Afro-Cuban jazz, salsa, songo, merengue and Latin rock.

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

The davul, dhol, tapan, atabal or tabl is a large double-headed drum that is played with mallets. It has many names depending on the country and region. These drums are commonly used in the music of the Middle East and the Balkans. These drums have both a deep bass sound and a thin treble sound due to their construction and playing style, where different heads and sticks are used to produce different sounds on the same drum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamborim</span> Percussion instrument

A tamborim is a small round Brazilian frame drum, developed from other similar percussive instruments bought by the Portuguese.

<i>Tsuzumi</i> Musical instrument

The tsudzumi (鼓) or tsuzumi is a hand drum of Japanese origin. It consists of a wooden body shaped like an hourglass, and it is taut, with two drum heads with cords that can be squeezed or released to increase or decrease the tension of the heads respectively. This mechanism allows the player to raise or lower the pitch of the drum while playing, not unlike the African talking drum and the Indian dhadd.

Afro-Caribbean music is a broad term for music styles originating in the Caribbean from the African diaspora. These types of music usually have West African/Central African influence because of the presence and history of African people and their descendants living in the Caribbean, as a result of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. These distinctive musical art forms came about from the cultural mingling of African, Indigenous, and European inhabitants. Characteristically, Afro-Caribbean music incorporates components, instruments and influences from a variety of African cultures, as well as Indigenous and European cultures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Friction drum</span>

A friction drum is a musical instrument found in various forms in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. In Europe it emerged in the 16th century and was associated with specific religious and ceremonial occasions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dabakan</span> Philippine drum

The dabakan is a single-headed Philippine drum, primarily used as a supportive instrument in the kulintang ensemble. Among the five main kulintang instruments, it is the only non-gong element of the Maguindanao ensemble.

<i>Naqareh</i> Middle Eastern drum with a rounded back and a hide head

The naqareh, naqqāra, nagara or nagada is a Middle Eastern drum with a rounded back and a hide head, usually played in pairs. It is thus a membranophone of the kettle drum variety.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qanbūs</span> Chordophone of Southern Asia

A qanbūs is a short-necked lute that originated in Yemen and spread throughout the Arabian peninsula. Sachs considered that it derived its name from the Turkic komuz, but it is more comparable to the oud. The instrument was related to or a descendant of the barbat, a (possibly) skin-topped lute from Central Asia. The qanbūs has 6 or 7 nylon strings that are plucked with a plectrum to generate sound. Unlike many other lute-family instruments, the gambus has no frets. Its popularity declined in Yemen during the early 20th century reign of Imam Yahya; by the beginning of the 21st century, the oud had replaced the qanbūs as the instrument of choice for Middle-Eastern lutenists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madal</span> Nepali folk instrument

The madal or maadal is a Nepalese folk musical instrument. The madal is used mainly for rhythm-keeping in Nepalese folk music. It is very popular and widely used as a hand drum in Nepal. The madal has a cylindrical body with a slight bulge at its center and heads at both ends, one head larger than the other. It is usually played horizontally in a seated position, with both heads played simultaneously.

<i>Nagara</i> (drum) Musical instrument

The nagara or naghara is a drum used in India. There are several types of naghara, which is considered to be the lead instrument in mandir ceremonies and weddings. These are typically two drums, one treble and one bass and are played with sticks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirwas</span> Unpitched percussion instrument

The mirwās or marwas, plural marāwīs is a small double-sided, high-pitched hand drum originally from the Middle East. It is a popular instrument in the Arab States of the Persian Gulf, used in sawt and fijiri music. It is also common in Kuwait and Yemen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korean barrel drum</span> Instrument

The Korean barrel drum is a shallow, barrel-shaped drum used in several types of Korean music, one of the many traditional Korean drums. This variety of drum has a round wooden body that is covered on both ends with animal skin. They are categorized as hyekbu which are instruments made with leather, and have been used for jeongak and folk music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bodhrán</span> Celtic frame drum

The bodhrán is a frame drum used in Irish music ranging from 25 to 65 cm (10–26 in) in diameter, with most drums measuring 35–45 cm (14–18 in). The sides of the drum are 9–20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side. The other side is open-ended for one hand to be placed against the inside of the drum head to control the pitch and timbre.

Yemeni hip hop is a Yemeni music style and cultural movement related to rap and hip hop culture. It has influences from American hip hop and also from traditional music from the region. It is usually considered to have emerged from mid-2000s and reached its consolidation by 2009 when the first public concert was held in the French Cultural Institute. Although it has a variety of themes, there was an intense production of political songs by the Yemeni Revolution.

Hagage "AJ" Masaed or Hajaj Abdulqawi Masaed is an American-Yemeni rapper born in Ohio, considered to be the precursor of Yemen Hip Hop music.

References

Notes
  1. "Song Day brings Yemenis together despite war". Arab News. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Editor, Al-Madaniya (30 April 2019). "Hadrami Music Takes To The Global Stage". Al-Madaniya Magazine. Retrieved 1 July 2023.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  3. Haddash, Nadia. "RAP, HIP-HOP, BREAKING AND YEMENI YOUTH". Yemen Times. Archived from the original on 8 April 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  4. Al-Wesabi, Sadeq. "'MUSIC TO BE AN "INTEGRAL PART OF YEMEN'S DEVELOPMENT"'". Archived from the original on 3 June 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  5. "Yemen: Between tradition and modernity". Next Music Station. Al Jazeera. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  6. "Hip Hop Diplomacy: Yemen". Hip Hop Diplomacy. Archived from the original on 27 May 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  7. "Yemeni-American Musician Tackles Hate With Hip-Hop". NPR Music. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
Sources