©C. Earnhart

UNVEILING THE MYSTERY Understanding Arabic Choral Music for the Western Choral Conductor

Dr. Cari Earnhart, California State University, Fresno cearnhart@csufresno.edu

Music that can transcend human differences and unites singers and audience members from

various cultural and religious backgrounds – this is the value of cross-culture education. How accessible are Arabic Choral pieces for the Western conductor/choir? What questions might arise for conductors interested in this genre? Arabic Music Terminology:

Maqam/Maqamat (mode/scales) – center of tonality; a series of eight pitches define the Arabic scales or maqamat, each containing quarter-tones, semi-tones and whole-tones

Orrub - ornamentation Mawwal – a non-metric vocal improvisation; call and response Doulab – a short instrumental introduction to establish the maqam Taqsim – an instrumental improvisation that begins and ends in the established maqam Iqa’at – rhythmic modes; cycles of strong and weak beats Takht – music instrumental ensemble Muwashah – a strophic song

Arabic Language

28 consonants form the structural basis of the language 6 vowels, both long and short (/a/, /aa/, /i/, /ii/, /u/, /uu/) 2 diphthongs (/aj/, /aw/)

Language and Performance Resources

Bikdash Arabic Transliteration System (BATR) International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) Performance recordings & poetic readings by native speakers Publisher’s editions

Arabic Music Score Resources

http://earthsongschoralmusic.com http://dozanwaawtar.com/online-store http://www.fayhachoir.org/

             

©C. Earnhart

Ex: Yal asmar ellon (‘Hey, beautiful dark one’) arr. Edward Torikian yal asmar ellon yal asmaranii [jal] [asmar] [ɛllon] [jal] [asmarani] tabaan ya galib khayyu hawaak ramanii [tabɛn] [ja] [gəәlip] [xaiju] [hawak] [ramani] Ex: Lammaa Badaa Yatathannaa (‘When He Swayed’) arr. Shireen Abu-Khader Lammaa badaa yatathannaa [lam:ma] [bada] [jataθan:na] yaa lyl yaa Eyn [ja] [li:il] [ja] [ɛin] Ex: Ana w’Chadi (‘Me and Chadi’) arr. Edward Torkian Min zaman Ana wezghiri kan fi [mIn] [zaman] [ana] [wezɣiri] [kan] [fi]

sabi yeji men lehraj ilaab [sabi] [jiʏi] [mIn] [lɛhraʏ] [ilab]

anawiyyah kan esmou Chadi [anawija] [kan] [ɛsmʊ] [ʃadi]