Music with Arabic Scale/Influence

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Any good music/recording with Arabic, or Middle-eastern, theme/scale?

[Brian]

Persian rather than Arabic, so feel free to disregard, but Reza Vali is a pretty interesting composer who requires all sorts of new tunings of his performers.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Persian rather than Arabic, so feel free to disregard, but Reza Vali is a pretty interesting composer who requires all sorts of new tunings of his performers.

Great info! I will check it out. I was thinking about a term "muslim" because I didn't want to preclude Persian (or Turkish) influences, but ended up using the term Arabic.

[71 dB]

Phrygian dominant?

Persian rather than Arabic, so feel free to disregard, but Reza Vali is a pretty interesting composer who requires all sorts of new tunings of his performers.

I have the Reza Vali CD on Naxos, but of course Amazon doesn't have cover picture! 

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Phrygian dominant?

Correct.

[relm1]

Resphighi Belkis, Queen of Sheba.
Saint Saens Bacchanale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbkCfxnoY4A

[Brian]

Great info! I will check it out. I was thinking about a term "muslim" because I didn't want to preclude Persian (or Turkish) influences, but ended up using the term Arabic.

Turkish - definitely Fazil Say. He has composed a lot of solo piano works for himself but probably the best or easiest starting point is his violin concerto "1001 Nights in the Harem" which is built around folk drumming and (in the third movement) a Turkish melody which dates back to the 1700s. In the 1900s the tune was set with a love poem that family lore claims was about one of my great-great-uncles (it's about a girl who goes to a government office and falls for a cute bureaucrat) (not joking), and then badly translated and turned into an Eartha Kitt single.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Resphighi Belkis, Queen of Sheba.
Saint Saens Bacchanale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbkCfxnoY4A

The both, especially Respighi, sound great and aesthetic. Thank you!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Turkish - definitely Fazil Say. He has composed a lot of solo piano works for himself but probably the best or easiest starting point is his violin concerto "1001 Nights in the Harem" which is built around folk drumming and (in the third movement) a Turkish melody which dates back to the 1700s. In the 1900s the tune was set with a love poem that family lore claims was about one of my great-great-uncles (it's about a girl who goes to a government office and falls for a cute bureaucrat) (not joking), and then badly translated and turned into an Eartha Kitt single.

I checked the V Concerto, Mesopotamia Symphony and a few piano pieces. They all are wonderful. I noticed that he released several albums, including the 1001, from Naive label. A few members and I discussed about the label a few weeks ago. Thanks for the info.

[Mandryka]

[71 dB]

I have the Reza Vali CD on Naxos, but of course Amazon doesn't have cover picture! 

I revisited this disc and I have to say I don't like it much. With headphones the spatiality is really ugly. With speakers the soundstage is "airy", but the music itself isn't my cup of tea. I also find the recording too dynamic. Half of the time the sound is too quiet and half of the time it's too loud. 

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I revisited this disc and I have to say I don't like it much. With headphones the spatiality is really ugly. With speakers the soundstage is "airy", but the music itself isn't my cup of tea. I also find the recording too dynamic. Half of the time the sound is too quiet and half of the time it's too loud. 

I like this album.

[Roy Bland]

I'd say this
https://mahoor.com/en/cd/18756-in-memoriam

[Roy Bland]

Morocco Symphony
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUHA0T3AId4

[Roy Bland]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuOw0Mm4aj0

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuOw0Mm4aj0

Thank you very much for the various suggestions. Palmyra sounds great. Especially I like the 7/8, first movement. It has a vibrant Arabic feel. The Moroccan Symphony is rather an advanced composition. While I enjoyed the first listen, I must re-listen it a few more times. While the suggested piano recording offers many memorable compositions, I found the other guy on the web, Morteza Mahjoobi, very talented and interesting as well. He modifies piano tuning, and the instrument sounds like a traditional Iranian instrument. I was fascinated by all the music suggested by you. If you find other pieces, please let us know. I appreciate your refined suggestions.

[Roy Bland]

Thank for your appreciation!
An arab composer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKkr_LTLG20

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Thank for your appreciation!
An arab composer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKkr_LTLG20

This is rather elegant and classy music. Also, I listened Morocco Symphony several times, and I think it is an excellent composition.

[relm1]

Check out Amirov's excellent Piano Concerto on Arabian themes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eKqxH7I2_4

Part of this excellent CD any lover of exotic music would enjoy.
https://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.572666

[Roy Bland]

This is rather elegant and classy music. Also, I listened Morocco Symphony several times, and I think it is an excellent composition.

Thank again.Oud is a traditional arab instrument

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW7DhuhkaNg