mapeh

• The music of West Asia is modal. Harmony is not emphasized but rather includes salient features such as melodic complexity and ornamentation, including ¼ tones and rigorous rhythmic development
• West Asia music is commonly used during

  • Communal worship (in mosque, synagogue, and church)
  • Mystic rituals (Sufis, Hassidic)
  • Life passage events (weddings, bar mitzvas, bat mitzvas, anniversaries)
  • Entertainment (belly dancing, folk dancing)
• Musical influences in West Asia music

  • Sephardic music
  • Hasidic melodies
  • Belly dancing music
  • Greek music
  • Jazz
  • Pop rock
• Israeli music


  A combination of Jewish and non-Jewish music traditions that have come together over the course of a century to create a distinctive musical culture
• Israeli music is always accompanied by singing, dancing, and musical instruments
• Divisions of Jewish music

  • Devotional
  • Secular
• Devotional Jewish music


  Almost entirely vocal, featured during Sabbath and other holy days, the art of Hazan (leader of prayer in the synagogue) has always been evident in the culture
• Yom Kippur


  A special call to prayer and repentance, sounded on the high holidays (the Jewish New Year and Day of Atonement)
• Secular Jewish music


  Instruments and voice are used, played during life passage events, context lies outside the religious domain, very rhythmic and have popular and romantic texts
• Influences on Israeli music

  • Russian folk music
  • Klezmer
  • Muzika Mizrahit
  • Jewish Yemenite music
  • Bouzouki
• Characteristics of "Songs of the Land of Israel"

  • Use of minor keys
  • Use of dance rhythms (Horah, Atari, Temani)
  • Use of percussion (darbuka and tambourine) instruments and other instruments connected with West Asian music as accompaniment
  • Lyrics that narrate to the Israeli practices
  • Application of distinctive vocal styles (throaty and guttural enunciation)
• Horah


  A dance that often has strong off beats and asymmetric meters, uses accompaniment
• Accompaniments used in Israeli music

  • Lute (similar to Philippine banduria)
  • Laud (similar to Indian sitar)
  • Darbuk (goblet drum)
• The first Jewish orchestra was formed by the settlers in 1895, located in the town of Rishon Le Zion. The members used wind instruments playing light classics and marches
• Hornbostel-Sachs Classification of Musical Instruments

  • Aerophone - sound is primarily produced by vibrating air (blowing)
  • Chordophone - sound is primarily produced by the vibration of string or strings that are stretched between fixed points (plucking, bowing, and strumming)
  • Idiophone - sound is primarily produced by striking with the use of sticks or mallets, or other striking devices (striking)
  • Membranophone - sound is primarily produced by the use of bare hand (palming), without striking devices
• Shofar


  A musical instrument used for religious / non-religious purposes, made from a ram's horn, does not have any fingering keys, the pitch must be controlled through the releasing of air by the player's embouchure
• Sounds of the Shofar

  • Tekiah - broken interrupted sound
  • Shevarim - three triplet blasts, like three shorter Tekiah
  • Terual - nine staccato short notes
  • Tekiah Gedolah - held as long as possible
• Psalterion/Psaltery


  An ancient stringed instrument played by plucking the strings with the fingers or a plectrum
• Oud


  Originated from a Persian instrument called the Barbat, dating back to the Sassanid (Persian) Empire in 224 A.D., spread to Andalusia, or present day Spain most likely through Islamic conquests, can be played in two distinctive styles: Al-Farid (Egyptian style) and Yair Dalal (Ottoman style), a short-neck lute-type, pear-shaped stringed instrument with 11 or 13 strings grouped in 5 or 6 courses, known for its calming, healing and meditative properties
• Kinnor


  The Hebrew name for an ancient stringed instrument, a member of the zither family and is the national instrument of Israel
• Timbrel/Timbret


  A tambourine-like instrument, the principal instrument of the percussion section of the Israelites
• Tambourine


  Consists of a single drumhead mounted on a ring with small metal jingles
• Birch


  Consists of two circular concave plates of brass or other metal
• Toft (Bendir)


  The term Bendir means in Turkish language a big hand frame drum, which is known as Duff in Arabic language, the drum is played kept vertical by inserting the thumb of the left hand in a special holes in the frame
• Goblet drum


  A single head membranophone with a goblet shaped body used mostly in the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and Eastern Europe, may be played while held under one arm (usually the non-dominant arm) or by placing it sideways upon the lap (with the head towards the player's knees) while seated, some drums are also made with strap mounts so the drum may be slung over the shoulder, to facilitate playing while standing or dancing
• Darbuk


  A single-head goblet-shaped membranophone used mainly in West Asia, South Asia, North America and Eastern Europe
• Sistrum


  A percussion instrument that originated in ancient Egypt, a type of rattle with a handle and U-shaped metal frame usually in brass or bronze
• Israel's Zum Gali Gali is a traditional Hebrew song relating to the formation of the state of Israel, originating sometime around its creation in 1948, the pioneers referred to in the song were the Jewish settlers who built the new Israel, years ago, this chant was sung by people while working together; the song lends itself well to digging or any other task requiring a steady beat