Israeli Music

Question 1

What is melody based on?

Answer 1

-Melody in Arabic music is often based on maqam which is a system of melodic modes or scales, it works in a similar way to raga in Indian Classical Music.

Question 2

What are the scales like?

Answer 2

Many Arabic scales contain microtones which are notes between the semitones of Western Classical music (it is difficult to demonstrate these scales on Western Instruments)

Question 3

What is an important feature in the melody?

Answer 3

improvisation

Question 4

What are melodies played on in Israeli Folk Dances?

Answer 4

• Melodies are played on the clarinet, violin and accordian, often using grace notes and pitch bends to create a distinctive sound
• Melodic decoration and ornamentation is prevelant

Question 5

what are the main instruments in palestinian music?

Answer 5

Oud (seen in the Palestinian section) are less of a feature in Israeli music, Israeli music has taken on many more Western Classical instruments like guitar and piano

Question 6

what are the arabic rhythm makers?

Answer 6

Arabic rhythm makers- the doumbeck/darbuka is one of the many goblet-shaped drums found in Arabic and Middle Eastern music, compared with the African djembe(goblet-shaped) it is played with a lighter touch and can produce an even greater range of sounds.

Question 7

what are the three main sounds associated with the doumbeck?

Answer 7

• Doum (D)
• Tek (T)
• Ka (K)

Question 8

What is the Doum (D)?

Answer 8

a low-tone played in the center with the right hand

Question 9

what is a tek (T)?

Answer 9

a high-tone played on the edge with the right hand

Question 10

What is a Ka (K)?

Answer 10

a high tone played on the edge with the left hand

Question 11

how do you play the doumbeck?

Answer 11

-Doumbeck players often use their fingertips to create drum rolls and other percussive sounds

Question 12

what is a wazn?

Answer 12

A rhythmic pattern in Arabic music is called a wazn ( there are hundreds of them, of differing lengths and in different time signatures)

Question 13

what is a maqsum?

Answer 13

Maqsum is a basic rhythm that occurs throughout theMiddle East

Question 14

what is a saldi?

Answer 14

Saldi is an upbeat folk rhythm

Question 15

What is the common time signature for israeli folk dances?

Answer 15

-A 2/4 or 4/4 time signature

Question 16

What is the bass part for israeli folk dances (commonly)?

Answer 16

A bass part (normally bass guitar) playing every crochet beat, often playing the root and 5th of the relevant chord

Question 17

what happens to the tempo in israeli folk dances?

Answer 17

A fast tempo

-A gradual accelerando (speeding up) throughout the performance

Question 18

how are the chords played in israeli folk dances?

Answer 18

-A chord instrument playing chords on the off-beat

Question 19

what is the texture?

Answer 19

-Melody and accompaniment with the rhythmic sections forming the backing for the melody

Question 20

what is the tonality?

Answer 20

-Arabic music is often based on a maqam ( type of scale/mode often accompanied by a DRONE) which is divided into microtones. The closest scale in Western music which resembles this is the double harmonic scale also called the Arabic scale:
C,D flat,E,F,G,A flat,B,C.

Question 21

what are microtones?

Answer 21

Microtones- are close to quarter tones, although are not always equally divided. The smallest division in Western Scales is a half tone, usually referred to as a semitone

Question 22

what articulations do the instruments have?

Answer 22

-stringed instruments and classical western instruments each have their own articulations( staccato,legato etc.)