It is always interesting what sells. It is often not the book signed by the famous author, but rather the hard to find, specialized book.
Tomorrow, we will ship out a copy of Handbook of Arabic Music written, and inscribed, by Afif Alvarez Bulos. He wrote the book in 1971, in English for western readers, when he was the music critic of the Beirut Daily Star and an Associate Professor at Beirut College for Women. He has also recorded much Lebanese folk music, including on Smithsonian Folkways records.
A couple of interesting thoughts:
“Arabic music reached a high degree of development before harmony and the present system of European notation were developed. Arabic music developed rincipally along horizontal lines, emphasis being placed on rhythmical patterns and melodic embroidery, out of which were born the rhythmical modes. Furthermore, Arabic music is modal music, the melody being constructed on a well-defined system of modes rather than scales.
“Except in polyphonic music, the development of European music has been mainly along vertical lines….in Arab music there is only one melodic line, layed by several instruments in unison or octaves.”
Also -
“It must be pointed also that the foundations of European music were laid, to a large extent, in the sanctity of the church, whereas Arabic music, worldly and diverting, flourished in the houses of the wealthy and the palaces of the caliphs.”
