Just need a forum response to another post. Must be at least 100 words:Forum Submission:What are some of the musical relationships between the Middle East and Europe? Middle eastern music different various music styles that pervade across the Middle East. The multiple nations of the region include the Arabic speaking countries of the Middle East, the Iranian traditions of Persia, the Jewish music of Israel. Throughout the region, religion has been a common factor in uniting peoples of different languages, cultures and nations. The Arabic scale is strongly melodic, based on various maqam or modes. More traditional Middle-Eastern music can last from one to several hours in length, building up to anxiously awaited, and much applauded climaxes, or Tarab, derived from the Arabic terms.
European music of the Byzantine Empire composed to Greek texts as ceremonial, festival, or church music. It remains the oldest genre of extant music, of which the manner of performance and the names of the composers, and sometimes the particulars of each musical work's circumstances, are known. Greek written history extends far back into Ancient Greece, and was a major part of ancient Greek theatre. In ancient Greece, mixed-gender choruses performed for entertainment, celebration and spiritual reasons. Instruments included the double-reed aulos and the plucked string instrument, the lyre, especially the special kind called a Kithara. Music was an important part of education in ancient Greece, and boys were taught music starting at age six.
The word “troubadour” itself bears striking resemblance to the Arabic word “tarab,” which translates to “joy” in English. Given the often playful nature of troubadour songwriting, some believe Arabic language and culture are essential to troubadour history. Others believe these similarities are merely coincidental, pointing to the old French “to find” as troubadour’s etymological root. There are conflicting theories about how the practices of troubadours developed. Existing evidence makes a strong case that some of their innovations came from Middle Eastern culture. Europeans didn’t just adopt artistic practices from other cultures, many fields of study from architecture to algebra to astronomy, are indebted to major advances made by middle eastern scholars.