Seifed-Din Shehadeh Abdoun, Do

267 Pages·2012·14.08 MB·English

by  Christina K Campo

ABSTRACT

Title of dissertation: The Oud Across Arabic Culture
(Bilād al-Shām, Iraq, and Egypt)

Seifed-Din Shehadeh Abdoun, Doctor of Philosophy, 2011

Dissertation directed by: Professor J. Lawrence Witzleben
School of Music, Musicology & Ethnomusicology Division

This study is a compilation and compendium of information on the oud, 1 the
most important instrument in Arabic classical music. It has grown out of my own long-
time involvement in studying and playing the oud, and in particular out of my interest in
the lack of sources and knowledge available to the vast majority of oud players and
researchers, as well as for the readers. My own path started from an intensive study of
the oud, which included exposure to several treaties; some housed in museums around the
globe, and some only available in the Arabic language.
The study combines archival research (including Arabic poetry and pre-Islamic
Era and medieval treaties), symbolism, new archaeological discoveries, field interviews,
and analysis of existing scholarship, and draws on my professional performance
experience for detailed stylistic analysis of the oud’s performance practice and its
historical development.
The study consists of participant observation, personal performance, and
interviews conducted in person, via telephone, and/or via e-mail, according to the choice
of the performers. The performers have been selected from networks of musicians who

1 Sometimes spelled ud or ‘ud. Please see Appendix 1 for Arabic alphabet and pronunciations.
perform regularly at lounges, concert halls, and private events. These performers have
been chosen according to their musical knowledge, technical skill, experience, and
activity in Arabic music and oud performance.
Chapter one deals with the purpose of this study and the methods of investigation,
as well as giving a brief overview of the history of the oud. In addition, there will be an
introduction to the Arabic musical system (māqām), which is primarily based on the
mechanics and sound production of the oud.
Chapter two deals with the oud in Arabic sources: the first source is Arabic poetry
in the pre-Islamic Era. The second source is Arabic poetry in the medieval era, in which
I found a significant number of poets who allude to the oud, providing accurate
descriptions of the player, singers, and the scenes within the contexts of oud performance.
The third source is the Arab scholars’ intensive treatises with meticulous accounts of the
instrument’s apparatii, including descriptions and measurements of the parts, strings, and
tuning.
While chapter three deals with the classification, the development of the oud, ,
chapter four deals with topics such as: the symbolism of the oud and its relation to
cosmology, astronomy, mathematics and anatomy. In most of the pertinent Arabic
writings, philosophers mention a significant correlation between the oud and the other
sciences.
Chapter five deals with recreating the performance practice of the oud. A case
study of the oud performers focuses on their style, technique, training, and personal
experiences. Topics such as improvisation and ornamentation, the oud in the Arabic
musical ensemble, the social uses and functions, and gender in musical performance
practices will be included in detailed analysis. Other important topics will be analyzed
such as traditional vs. modern technique, and the repertoire of the oud. Specifically, in
regard to technique, the study outline the style of the music, the role of the oud in Arabic
ensembles, the function of the oud in music composition, and the form of the ensembles
in Arabic performance and practice.
The Oud Across Arabic Culture
(Bilād al-Shām, Iraq, and Egypt)

By
Seifed-Din Shehadeh Abdoun

Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the
University of Maryland, College Park in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
2011

Advisory Committee:
Professor: J. Lawrence Witzleben, Chair
Professor: Alaa Elgibali
Professor: David Salness
Professor: Karl Signell
Professor: Munir Beken
© Copyright by
Seifed-Din Shehadeh Abdoun
All rights reserved
2011
Preface

The oud (دوع) is the supreme classical Arabic instrument and one of the oldest
chordophones in the Arab region. It is likely to have originated in Southern Mesopotamia (bilad
ma bayn a-nahrain نيرهنلا نيب ام دلاب)1. The instrument dates back to approximately 3000 BCE, at
which point works of archaeological evidence show us the oud on decorative functional items
such as vases and cylindrical seals.2 The popularity of the oud spread throughout the Middle
East, the Mediterranean, the Northern and Western African regions, and Spain, as well as into
Central Asia, and it is the most widely played chordophone in these areas. According to Henry
George Farmer, most modern Western chordophones, including the lute, guitar, and mandolin,
are descendants of the oud. 3 It has existed in its "modern" shape for over five hundred years. It
is characterized by a round-backed body with one big hole in the middle of the face, called
shamsiyā (ةيسمش)4 and two small holes called gamariyā )هيرمق).5 The function of these holes is to
increase the volume of the instrument. The oud is a fretless instrument, allowing the musicians
to produce quarter-tones, bends and sliding notes, and to apply vibrato. According to music
treatises written by al-Fārābi (d. 950 A.D.), the oud should have eight, ten, or twelve strings
tuned in pairs.
Upon further explication of the significance of the oud, application of its technique and
practice constitutes the basis of musical theory and composition for Arabic music as a whole.
Remarkably, many of the Arab scholars-philosophers since the ninth century provided intensive
descriptions and analyses within treatises, and connected the oud with other forms of arts and

1 Mesopotamia, an ancient Greek term meaning "the land between rivers”.
2 A cylinder seal is a cylinder engraved with a 'picture story', used in ancient times to roll an impression onto a two-
dimensional surface, generally wet clay. Cylinder seals were invented around 3500 BC in the Near East, at the
contemporary site of Uruk in southern Mesopotamia.
Andrew Robinson. The Story of Writing. London: Thames and Hudson, 1995, p. 70.
3 Henry George Farmer. A History of Arabian Music. London: Luzac & Company, Ltd, 1929, p. 89.
4 shamsia: from shams سمش which means the sun in Arabic.
5 gamaria: singular gamar رمق which means the moon in Arabic.
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sciences, including astronomy, cosmology, anatomy, and mathematics. In short, the oud, as an
ancient and living instrument, is considered the preferred choice for professional musicians and
oud players because of the unique execution of melody from its strings.
At an early age, I studied Western classical violin. During this time, I also learned
Arabic music technique, which is different from Western styles. In addition, I played the oud,
like most Arab musicians, to understand the Arabic musical system (māqām ماقم) and to be able
to sing, especially the Arabic classical repertoire. At various times, I joined several musical
groups and traditional ensembles. In addition, I established my own group (s) that gave me the
chance to develop my knowledge of performance practice for large audiences. These
performances were a priceless opportunity to learn, enriching my experience and my musical
growth.

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DEDICATION

To all my family:
My mother Turkiya, my father Shehadeh,
my four brothers, my five sisters,
my wife Christina, my daughter Savana, my son Ramses, and my son Alexander al-Kindi

iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I want to thank Dr. J. Lawrence Witzleben for his support and investment of time and
effort, Dr. Alaa Elgibali, Dr. David Salness, Dr. Karl Signell, and Dr. Munir Beken for their time. I
want to thank the department of Ethnomusicology, School of Music at the University of
Maryland, College Park, for the opportunity of having me as teacher assistance for three years.
Also, I want to thank the oud players: Raḥim al-Ḥaj (Iraq), ‘Adel Salāmeh (Palestine-France),
Issā Boũlos (Palestine-USA), and Sohiel Yoũnis (Lebanon-USA and Canada), and the oud maker
Fādi Mattā (Lebanon) and Urāyeb Awād (Iraq).
Finally, special thanks to my wife Christina Campo-Abdoun for her encouragement,
support and loving care were always instrumental in my research, my daughter Savana and my
son Ramses for listening to my oud playing and humming along with me, and to my brother
Mousa Shehadeh Abdoun.

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The Oud Across Arabic Culture
(Bilād al-Shām, Iraq, and Egypt)
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract

Preface ……………………………………………………………………………. ii

Dedication ……………………………………………………………...……………. iv

Acknowledgement ……………………………………………………………………. v

List of Tables ………………………………………………………………………...… viii

List of Figures ………………………………………………………………………...… ix

Table of Contents

I. Thesis and context of the study: ……………………………………. 1

I: 1 Purpose of the study and Related Scholarship on the Oud ……………. 1
I: 2 Method of Investigation ……………………………………………. 5
I: 3 The Structure of the Study ……………………………………………. 6
I: 4 History and Background …………………………………………….10
I: 5 Brief Introduction to the Arabic Musical System (the Māqām) …… 18

II. The Oud in Arabic sources and its Social Context: ……………………. 24

II: 1 Arabic Poetry of the pre-Islamic Era ……………………………. 24
II: 2 Arabic Poetry of the Medieval Era ……………………………………. 35
II: 3 Arab-Muslim Historical Writings ……………………………………. 44
II: 3: 1 Al-Kindi ……………………………………………. 44
II: 3: 2 Al-Fārābi ……………………………………………. 47
II: 3: 3 Others ……………………………………………………. 50

III. The Instrument: ……………………………………………………………. 62

III: 1 The Symbolism of the Oud ……………………………………………. 62
III: 2 Descriptions and Measurements ……………………………………. 72
III: 2: 1 Types ……………………………………………………. 81
III: 2: 2 Strings ……………………………………………. 87
III: 2: 3 The Right hand Technique ……………………………. 89
III: 2: 4 The Bridge of the Oud ……………………………. 94
III: 3 The Fretting System and Range ……………………………………. 96

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