Mike's Oud Forums

What is going on in Nazareth?

joseph - 7-24-2021 at 07:48 AM


Listening to various oud players on the internet, I came across these two examples of great playing of familiar Arabic songs. It seems that both players come from Nazareth, as well as the Joubran brothers, and maybe more players that I am not familiar with.

I am familiar with other great Palestinian oud players such as Simon Shaheen, and it is great to see such beautiful playing survive wars, occupation, exile and all other suffering that the Palestinian people have to endure, but I was just wondering: is it just a coincidence that so many good players come from one small city, or is there a reason for it? very good teachers? or very good music schools perhaps?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvGubGnAqz0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8z3uF-ge1o

Doc139 - 7-24-2021 at 09:32 AM

Maybe our friend forum member Alfaraby - being himself resident of this famous town - can give us an explanation? :D:D
Alexander

Brian Prunka - 7-24-2021 at 08:10 PM

All I can say is that in my experience, Palestine is full of incredible musicians. Look up Anan Makhoul, the guy is amazing.

Kamil Shajrawi is from Nazareth, he may have been an influence on the younger generation. Phenomenal oud player and violinist. So is Wassim Odeh, great oud player.

John Erlich - 7-24-2021 at 08:35 PM

I am certainly curious to hear what Alfaraby has to say about this. Nazareth is the largest city in the Galilee, it's the cultural capital for Palestinian-Israelis. It seems that serious Arabic musicians in many parts of the Arab world are disproportionately Christian, and Nazareth is disproportionately Christian (over 30%). The Joubrans, Kamil Sharjrawi, George Kandalaft are all from Nazareth. Simon Shaheen is from Tarshiha; Taiseer Elias is from Shefa-'Amr.

kampanas - 7-26-2021 at 09:27 AM
Quote:

It seems that serious Arabic musicians in many parts of the Arab world are disproportionately Christian


Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember seeing a Greek researcher on Greek TV talking about this occurring in the ottoman empire because of interpretations of Islamic scripture that did not permit music-making - I assume that had a lasting impact.

ChanningPDX - 7-26-2021 at 01:19 PM

Quote: Originally posted by kampanas  

Quote:

It seems that serious Arabic musicians in many parts of the Arab world are disproportionately Christian


Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember seeing a Greek researcher on Greek TV talking about this occurring in the ottoman empire because of interpretations of Islamic scripture that did not permit music-making - I assume that had a lasting impact.


Yes, but one has to be careful about misinterpreting or overstating this. My understanding is that the majority opinion, at least among Sunni Muslim clerics, is that as long as the music is not explicitly un-Islamic in character, then it is allowed. There has always been a minority of some clerics who took a much stricter line as well as considerable debate about where to draw that line.

I'm an ESL teacher to pay the bills, and I've had several Arab students over the years from countries in the Gulf who attempted to learn the oud or another instrument but were forced to quit because of their parents' disapproval. In one case, a young man who had been secretly learning the oud was discovered by his father, and he smashed it because he considered it haram.

Don't forget, however, that sometimes this disapproval has little to do with religion and a whole lot more to do with the fact that musicians in the Arab world have in the past not had many opportunities to practice their avocation in high-status venues. Like pretty much everywhere else, being a full-time musician is not considered a high-status profession.

It is interesting to note that while the chanting of the Qur'an and the adhan are done in maqamat, some Muslims regard them as a separate entity from music altogether.

At any rate, yes, it's not a coincidence that in the past--and to an extent the present, musical dynasties in the Arab and Ottoman world tended to involve non-Muslim minorities like Greek, Armenian, and Arab Christians and also Jews. Today in Israel & Palestine, I'm told that virtually every professional qanun player either studied directly with the late Avraham (Ibrahim) Salman or one of his pupils. Prior to his emigration from Baghdad, the qanun had pretty much fallen out of use in Palestine completely.

I deeply regret that the one time I was in Nazareth was before I took up the oud, and I was completely ignorant of its status as an important Arab musical and cultural hub. I hope to go back before too long--both to study the oud and Arabic, but perhaps even more importantly, to get my fix of katayif and local Arabic coffee from Abu Ashraf at Deewan al Saraya.

SamirCanada - 7-27-2021 at 06:58 AM

Let's not forget also about Thaer Bader and Zafer Tawil both amazing musicians.

Though I am not a Palestinian... There is something in the water there or in the olive oil. I will say more specifically that in Christian society of the levan, music is encouraged and has a significant place in church as well as family gatherings. I also know that music is encouraged and appreciated within more secular/educated sunni and shia society. If you look at contemporary artists of the last few decades, there is no shortage of Muslim artists and musicians.

Specifically to Nazareth and palestine, there is what I believe is a fervant desire to keep old traditions and crafts alive as it is tied to ensuring their cultural heritage survives.

https://youtu.be/v_1tc7PO0EQ
This took me down a nice YouTube rabbit hole. Found this video of Louay Srouji another young Christian Palestinian who's is going to fill your tarab jar for the month with this performance

John Erlich - 7-31-2021 at 08:55 PM

Quote: Originally posted by SamirCanada  
Let's not forget also about Thaer Bader and Zafer Tawil both amazing musicians.

Though I am not a Palestinian... There is something in the water there or in the olive oil. I will say more specifically that in Christian society of the levan, music is encouraged and has a significant place in church as well as family gatherings. I also know that music is encouraged and appreciated within more secular/educated sunni and shia society. If you look at contemporary artists of the last few decades, there is no shortage of Muslim artists and musicians.

Specifically to Nazareth and palestine, there is what I believe is a fervant desire to keep old traditions and crafts alive as it is tied to ensuring their cultural heritage survives.

https://youtu.be/v_1tc7PO0EQ
This took me down a nice YouTube rabbit hole. Found this video of Louay Srouji another young Christian Palestinian who's is going to fill your tarab jar for the month with this performance


The oud player in that video you posted is none other than the previously mentioned Taiseer Elias. He is one of my favorites, and not just because he is a friendly and humble man! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOaPSFEVLcs&list=RDEM3mnvA6CxRs2...

John Erlich - 7-31-2021 at 08:57 PM

Kamil Shajrawi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVR2zaZKvp4&list=RDEM3mnvA6CxRs2...

John Erlich - 7-31-2021 at 09:02 PM

Then, there was this, in 2003, when 2 Palestinian-Israeli students of Taiseer Elias, Darwish Darwish from Rama, and Wasim Oudah of Nazareth, placed 1st and 2nd in an international oud competition in Cairo: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/54203

joseph - 8-1-2021 at 12:05 AM

Thanks everyone for the replies and the introduction to many amazing Palestinian musicians. I feel that I learned a lot from asking this question, and I have spent many hours this weekend listening to the various artists that are recommended here.

I wanted to put a link to one of the artists I listened to for the first time. Besides enjoying the music selection and the playing, I also like the idea of being able to support the artist and the music as presented in the link to the YouTube video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xZklZkS_8c