In case you needed confirmation, Arabic violin is not like western violin. For a start, the A and E strings are tuned a tone lower. They thus become G and D and the instrument, instead of being tuned solely in fifths, has one fourth and two fifths. Any western violinist will tell you that this matters a great deal!
More importantly, Arabic violin is made to play Arabic music. It therefore functions in a totally different musical universe where the “scientific” rules of pitch, rhythm, and sound production are abandoned in favour of pure emotions.
The result is not without merit. It’s certainly very interesting, and for a short while at least, quite enjoyable. Much like in Jazz, there’s a strong emphasis put on improvisation and it’s quite amazing to watch how the musicians communicate and stay together while inventing new melodies on stage!
The lack of technical prowess, though, does take its toll on the listener’s ears after a while. One can understand that Arabic music wouldn’t require the same level of technique as western music, but the ability to play in tune and to produce a beautiful sound are always important. Yesterday, this was not always the case and it took away from the wonderful rhythms and harmonies that the musicians were creating.
In any case, the concert was a great experience that, while not necessarily wanting to repeat, I advise everyone to try.
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