Music of Yemen

Yemen, a country on the Arabian Peninsula, holds a prominent position in the realm of music, garnering recognition for its distinctive musical traditions. Revered as a cultural capital within the Arab world, Yemen has contributed significantly to the musical landscape of the region.

The musical heritage of Yemen captivates through its melodic prowess and poetic depth, embodying the artistic vibrancy and cultural resilience of the nation. With their captivating melodies and expressive lyrics, Yemeni musicians have left an indelible mark on both domestic and global audiences, contributing to the music in the region.

UNESCO proclaimed the tradition of poetic songs of Sana'a, called al-Ghina al-San'ani, a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Yemenis commemorate July 1 as the Yemeni Song Day, an annual celebration that underscores the integral role of music in Yemeni society.

Traditional music

There are five regional genres or "colors" (lawn) of Yemeni music; Sanaani, Yafi'i, Laheji, Adeni, and Hadhrami.

Sana'ani

Dance in Sa'dah

Sanaa has a rich musical tradition and is particularly renowned for the musical style called al-Ghina al-San'ani (Arabic: الغناء الصنعاني al-ġināʾ aṣ-Ṣanʿānī), or "the song of Sanaa", which dates back to the 14th century and was designated as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage on November 7, 2003. This style of music is not exclusive to Sanaa, and is found in other areas of Yemen as well, but it is most closely associated with the city. It is often part of social events, including the samra, or evening wedding party, and the magyal, or daily afternoon gathering of friends.

The basic format consists of a singer accompanied by two instrumentalists, one playing the qanbus (Yemeni lute) and the other playing the sahn nuhasi, which is a copper tray balanced on the musician's thumbs and played by being lightly struck by the other eight fingers. Lyrics are in both classical Arabic and Yemeni Arabic and are known for their wordplay and emotional content. Singers often use melismatic vocals, and the arrangements feature pauses between verses and instrumental sections. Skilled performers often "embellish" a song's melody to highlight its emotional tone.

In the earliest days of the recording industry in Yemen, from 1938 into the 1940s, Sanaani music was the dominant genre among Yemenis who could afford to buy records and phonographs (primarily in Aden). As prices fell, Sanaani-style records became increasingly popular among the middle class, but at the same time, it began to encounter competition from other genres, including Western and Indian music as well as music from other Arab countries. The earliest Sanaani recording stars generally came from wealthy religious families. The most popular was Ali Abu Bakr Ba Sharahil, who recorded for Odeon Records; other popular artists included Muhammad and Ibrahim al-Mas, Ahmad Awad al-Jarrash, and Muhammad Abd al-Rahman al-Makkawi.

Instruments

A musician playing Qambus Hadhramout

• Oud: A stringed instrument similar to a lute, played with a plectrum.
• Qanbus: A fretless stringed instrument with a long neck, typically played with a bow.
• Ney / Qasaba: A hollow wooden flute with finger holes, played by blowing into it.
• Mizmar: A double-reed woodwind instrument with a piercing sound, often used in celebratory and processional music.
• Darabouka: made from clay, brass, or metal, consists of a covered side and an open side, played in various sizes, and its rhythmic structure is created by striking or tapping with the hands or drumsticks.
• Duff: A drum with a single goatskin or plastic membrane on a round wooden frame, is played by striking it with hands and fingers, and it often includes metal plates, stitched with a two-threaded thread, and can contain small metal bells or zills, with different sizes such as the Duff and Al-ttar.
• Hajer Drum: crafted from marine teak wood, features a cylindrical body adorned with distinctive rings and a goatskin drumhead, with its size and dimensions tailored to the specific music it accompanies, and it is played by striking it with hands or drumsticks.
• Mirwas Drum: is the smallest drum used in Hadramout, and the sharpest. It is held in one hand and the drummer plays it with the palm of their other hand.
• Marfaa’ / Maten Drum: is similar to the Mirwas in form, but differs in size and quality of sound. Mainly it has a larger diameter and produces a less salient sound.
• Tabla / Banqaz: introduced to traditional Hadrami music in the early 1970s, comprises two wooden cylindrical drums of varying sizes, covered with plastic drumheads, typically measuring 6 cm and 8 cm in diameter, and it is played by striking the drumheads with the hands or drumsticks.
• Maraqis: consists of two flat wooden pieces held in both hands and clapped together to synchronize with the sound of dancers' clapping, serving as a rhythmic element that adds consistent and harmonious musical tones when played alongside other instruments.
• Dan: A genre of vocal melodies, characterized by rhythmic improvisational singing of poets, showcasing range, strength, and clarity of voice in competitive contests.

Orchestra

See also: Heritage Symphonies

Rap music

Main article: Yemen Hip Hop

Rap and hip-hop culture existed as early as 2005 but it only achieved widespread popularity in 2008 when the hip-hop in Yemen took a leap forward and began to spread around the youth of Yemen, especially in Sana'a and Aden.

The hip hop major outbreak in Yemen is often associated to the influence of Hajaj Abdulqawi Masaed (also graphed as Hagage Masaed or best known as "AJ"), an American-Yemeni rapper producing music since 1997. Although he had grown in the United States, AJ has successfully reached Yemeni audience by addressing to local issues and incorporating traditional musical language into his hits. This versatility was also one of the reasons he drew international recognition, since he entered in the Yemeni music scene, he has been partnering up with several Yemeni artists, such as Hussein Muhib, Fuad Al-Kibisi, Fuad Al-Sharjabi, Ibrahim Al-Taefi, Abdurahman Al-Akhfash and others, and helping new ones to develop their talents. He has also played a major role on propagating the understanding of rap as a means of change.
One contributing factor to the development of the music is also the creation of Yemen Music House in 2007 that has been providing assets to the development of a contemporary music scene. In 2009, took place the first Yemeni Rap public festival, co-sponsored by the French and German foreign-missions. Due to the importance of this event, AJ draws a comparison between it and the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Notable people

• Abu Bakr Salem
• Karama Mursal
• Ayoob Tarish
• Abdel Rab Idris
• Ahmed Fathi
• Mohamed Al-Harithy
• Faisal Alawi
• Muhammad Jumaa Khan
• Mohamed Sa'ad Abdullah
• Fuad al-Kabsi
• Muhammad Murshid Naji
• Ali Abdullah al-Simah
• Issa al-Laith
• Hussein Moheb

See also

• Culture of Yemen
• Southeast Asian music

References

Notes

Sources

• Badley, Bill. "Sounds of the Arabian Peninsula". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp 351–354. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0
• Yemeni Sacred Music at rootsworld.com