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The music of Qatar is based on sea folk poetry, song and dance. The historical importance of pearl fishing, and the lifestyles it engendered, has deeply resonated within the region's artistic expression, manifesting in melodies, tunes, and dances that reflect the enduring bond between humanity and the sea. ^[1] Traditional dances in Doha are performed on Friday afternoons; one such dance is the Ardah, a stylized martial dance performed by two rows of dancers who are accompanied by an array of percussion instruments, including al-ras (a large drum whose leather is heated by an open fire), mirwas and cymbals with small drums. Other folk instruments include the oud and rebaba, both string instruments, as well as the ney and sirttai, which are types of flutes.

History

The country's first musical troupe was created in Doha in 1966 by Abdulaziz Nasser Al Obaidan under the name Al Adwaa. In 1968, Qatar Radio introduced a music segment in its programming, largely due to the efforts of Al Obaidan. ^[2]

In 1991, it was noted in Al-ughniya al-sha biyya f Qatar that there were at least 26 folk music bands, including several female ones. Many of the band members had full-time employment outside of music. Band expenses were paid for by royalties for appearing on Qatar Television and radio stations, and performing at events such as weddings. Among the most well-known artists of this era are Saeed bin Salem Al-Badie Al-Mannai, Rashid Almas, and Salem Faraj. ^[3]

Qatar adopted its current national anthem, As-Salam al-Amiri, on 6 December, 1996, shortly after Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani became emir. Composed by Abdulaziz Nasser Al Obaidan, a veteran musician who had been active in Qatar's music scene since the 1960s, the lyrics are based on a poem written by prolific poet Mubarak bin Saif Al Thani. ^[4]

Folk music traditions

A distinctive social tradition among the Persian Gulf people involves communal gatherings known as the " majlis", where friends and neighbors convene to discuss matters of mutual interest over cups of Arabic coffee. These gatherings occasionally serve as platforms for various forms of folk arts. In the past, the "dour," or spacious rooms designated for these gatherings, hosted seafarers, dhow captains (noukhadha), and enthusiasts of folk arts between pearl fishing seasons. Here, they engaged in al-samra, evenings of song and dance, which have become integral to Gulf heritage, celebrated during weddings and other occasions for entertainment. ^[1]

At al-samra gatherings, singers accompanied by stringed instruments like the oud and occasionally the violin perform melodies while being joined by dancers performing "al-zafan." This traditional dance, characterized by elegant movements and expressive gestures, symbolizes the hardships and joys of maritime life. ^[1]

Male folk music

Male folk music could be categorized as either urban or sea music, and work or non-work related. Work songs vary significantly depending on the environment. The pastoral setting differs from the agricultural, coastal, and urban environments, each possessing its own distinct culture, specific tasks, and unique forms of production. Qatar's environment, being predominantly coastal due to its peninsula geography, shapes the lives and work of its people around the sea, fostering cooperation and community engagement. Within this coastal setting, there exist songs whose rhythms are synchronized with various work movements such as pushing ships, hoisting sails, rowing oars, and pulling ropes. These collective work songs reflect the collaborative efforts of the workers. ^[5]

Additionally, individual songs, not originally intended as work songs but borrowed from other contexts, also appear in Qatar's musical tradition to a lesser extent. ^[5] Common themes among these songs are love and marriage. An example one such song is Tal al-Sadoud, which is about the affection one has for their partner. Despite not originally being a work song, this song has been frequently used on pearling trips. ^[6] Kuwaiti and Iraqi folk songs were often popular with Qatari sea-farers, for example, the Iraqi song Al Haliya which is sung in the wafir metre. ^[7] Classical Qatari melodies share many similarities with their Gulf conterparts, and most of the same instruments are used. ^[8]

Sea music

Work songs relating to the sea are the most recurrent type of folk music, particularly songs pertaining to pearl hunting. ^{[9] [10]} Each song, varying in rhythm, would narrate a different activity of the pearling trip, including spreading the sails, diving, and rowing the ships. Collective singing was an integral part of each pearling trip, and each ship had a designated singer, known locally as al naham. Singing was used to encourage crew members to work harder during the pearling drip, in addition to providing entertainment while they were resting. ^[9] Furthermore, when the noukadha (captain) ordered the sails to be rigged, the crew would sing while the al naham would give praise to Allah and Muhammad. ^[11]

Such songs have simple melodies which often center around a single verse that is repeated, either by the al naham solely, or as a group performance. This rhythmic phrase does not vary in vocal tone, instead, percussion instruments and clapping are used to amplify the melody. ^[12]

A specific type of sea music, known as fijiri, originated from sea traditions and features group performances accompanied by melodic singing, rhythmic palm-tapping on water jars (known as galahs, and evocative dances that mimic the movements of the sea waves. Various versions of al-fujairi, such as "al-bahri," "al-adsani," and "al-hadadi," offer diverse expressions of this art form, each characterized by unique performances and styles of dancing. ^[1]

Dance

Ardah, a folkloric dance, is still practiced in Qatar. ^[13] The dance is performed with two rows of men opposite of one another, each of whom may or may not be wielding a sword, and is accompanied by drums and spoken poetry. ^[14] The two main types of ardah in the Persian Gulf states are land ardah (ardah barriyya) and sea ardah (ardah bahri). Qatar's ardah is a mixture of the two. In some performances, men wear land ardah attire at a beach setting and are supported by sea band drumming. ^[15] It is sometimes performed on horseback. The purpose of ardah, historically, was to honor one's tribe and to showcase courage. Considered to be a celebration of the highest degree, it is performed at important events such as royal weddings, high-ranking governmental visits and national feasts. ^[16]

Tanboura was a simple type of folk dance performed by a group of men. Historically, it served a social function as it was believed the dancers would exorcise a malevolent spirit from the target of this dance, and was rewarded handsomely. The dance consists of conflicting rhythmic movements and is dominated by a drum beat. An oud and manjur is also used. In modern times, this dance evolved to be used during celebratory occasions such as weddings and feasts. A dance with a similar historic purpose is called Liwa; this dance involves a large flute known as a sirttai, a tin container known as a tanaka, and loud singing. ^[16]

Al-Farisa was only done during Gurangao, a regional holiday which takes place on the 15th night of Ramadan. It would be performed by a group of young boys wearing a bisht and dakla who form a circle, which is then enclosed by a larger circle of adults. The conclusion of this dance would be with the arrival of a young boy on a fake horse with a play sword, which the boy then uses to duel the horse. The douf is used for this dance and is accompanied by singing. ^[16]

During Ramadan, grain grinding would sometimes be accompanied by a dance known as dakelhab; the name being the Arabic term for grinding grains. ^[16]

Female folk music

Women primarily sang work songs associated with daily activities such as wheat grinding and cooking. The songs were performed collectively in small groups and varied in specificity - some pertained to general themes, whereas others were related to specific processes. ^[17]

Women would also sing when returning pearl ships were sighted. ^[9] After a sighting was made, they would gather around the seashore where they would clap and sing about the hardships of pearl diving. ^[17]

Dance

Public performances by women were practiced only on two annual occasions. The first was al-moradah, which involved women and girls of all social classes gathering in a secluded area where they would sing and dance in embroidered clothes. This was usually done in the weeks preceding Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. ^[17] It was one of the most popular musical practices among Qatari women in previous decades. Each moradah would begin with a prayer to Muhammad. After this, the women would praise tribal leaders and elders, repeating each verse twice before a new verse was introduced. It was performed with two rows of women opposite of each other with the lead singers at the far ends, thus forming a three-sided rectangle. Moradah's dance consisted of all the women in each row swaying their bodies and moving their arms up and down while their hands were interlaced. ^[18] For the most part, the practice was abandoned during the 1950s, ^[17] though it is still sometimes practiced at the end of weddings. ^[18] There have been efforts by Qatar's ministry of culture to reintegrate the practice in Qatari society. ^[17]

The second occasion of collective public singing, known as al-ashori, was performed exclusively at weddings. There were two main instruments used during a performance: al douf (or daf), a type of tambourine and al tabl, a longitudinal drum. Thematically, ashori songs are cheerful as they rejoice the marriage which is taking place. ^[19] The lyrics are derived from Nabati verse, a type of Arabic poetry and were generally symbiotic in nature. Ashori is still practiced by some classes of Qatari society. ^[19]

Folk music in poetry

Nabati poetry, a type of poetry endemic to the Arabian Peninsula, is thought to represent the first vestiges of folk music in the region. ^[20] Rababas were sometimes used during recitations of Nabati poetry, a practice referred to as rababa art. The rababa is a stringed instrument dominant in Bedouin culture, similar to the oud. While narrating their poem, which typically would be centered around the hardships of the desert or other such pains, the poet would slowly but rhythmically strum the rababa. Such performances have declined drastically in popularity in modern times, primarily due to their sorrowful nature. ^[1]

Folk instruments

Over 90 traditional folk songs, both urban and sea, have been recorded in the Arab States of the Persian Gulf, many employing percussion instruments and string instruments, while others use only simple clapping or foot stomping or employ all in conjunction. ^[21]

Traditional musical instruments have undergone extensive refinement processes over time, resulting in their current compact forms. An example of this transformation is evident in the mirwas, which originally existed as a large, rudimentary drum but has since evolved into a smaller instrument, slightly larger than the palm, yet remains an integral component of folklore troupes. ^[21]

Constructed from carved wooden tubes covered on both ends with goatskin, the mirwas was traditionally handcrafted by specialized artisans in the Persian Gulf region, where the leather coating industry flourished. However, contemporary manufacturing of the mirwas is predominantly conducted in India. Typically played by holding it with the fingertips of the left hand and striking it with the forefinger of the right hand, the rhythmic tapping of the mirwas complements various urban melodies and Gulf vocal songs, including "al-arabi", "al-shami", "al-rudmani", and "al-khayali". ^[21]

In addition to the mirwas, several other traditional instruments are well-known in the region. The douf, similar to a tambourine, features goatskin coating on one side, while the oud, resembling a violin, is a stringed instrument. Similarly, the rababa shares similarities with the oud. ^[21] Galahs, a tall clay jar, was commonly used as a percussion instrument by pearl fishermen. Tin drinking cups known as tus or tasat were also used, usually in conjunction with a tabl, a longitudinal drum beaten with a stick. ^[22]

Notably, hand-clapping (taṣfīq) serves as an essential musical instrument in Gulf musical traditions, accompanying vocal songs. In the Persian Gulf region, rhythmic clapping is performed by groups of men seated in rectangular formations around musicians, with the number of participants ranging from 10 to 40. Clapping sessions typically begin with one to three individuals, gradually incorporating others with rhythmic variations, and culminating in uniform clapping. While minor infractions may be acknowledged with a simple glance, repeated mistakes may result in exclusion from the session. Various clapping styles exist, including "grand clapping", "bizani", "al-khabab", and synchronized finger and tongue movements, each adhering to its own set of rules and conventions. ^[21]

Preservation of folk music

The first time an exhaustive study of Qatari folk music took place was in 1975, when the Department of Publishing and Publications at the Ministry of Information published a book of popular songs in Qatar, releasing it in four parts. Sheikh Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani, who was minister of the Ministry of Information and Culture, commissioned Muhammad Talib Al-Duwayk to publish a new book on Qatar's music, resulting in the publishing of Al-ughniya al-sha biyya f Qatar (in English: The Folk Song in Qatar) in 1990. Released in two volumes, the book explores every aspect of Qatar's folk music and culture as a whole. ^{[23] [24]}

The Arab Gulf States Folklore Centre was founded in Doha, Qatar in 1981 with the objective of preserving the region's culture and history, including folk music. ^[25]

Music organizations

Music institutions

In August 1980, the Ministry of Information established a subsidiary organization to serve as a music academy, referring to it as "the Institute". ^[26] An academy building was provided to the institute by the government and it began classes on 1 October 1980 with an initial capacity for 20 aspiring musicians. ^[27]

Qatar Foundation was responsible for commissioning the Qatar Music Academy in Katara Cultural Village in January 2011. ^[28] Although the academy's primary focal point is providing musical education for children and teenagers from 5 to 18 years old, it also provides education for individuals not falling within that age bracket through its 'music for all' program. ^[29]

Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra

The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra was formed in 2007 at the behest of Qatar Foundation with an initial budget of $14 million. ^[30]

Recording companies

The first Qatari record label was established in January 2015 by Dana Al Fardan as DNA Records. ^[31]

Contemporary music

Local music artists are subject to many barriers in Qatar, such as lack of awareness, high prices of recording studios and a deficiency of agents. ^[32]

Arabic/gulf music

Many contemporary Qatari singers perform what is popularly known as khaliji ('gulf') music. Notable male artists in this genre include Fahad Al Kubaisi, the first artist out of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf to be nominated for a Grammy award, ^[33] Essa Al Kubaisi, ^[34] Ali Abdul Sattar, ^[35] and Bader Al Rayes. ^[36]

As a tribute to renowned folk singer Salem Faraj, Mansour Al-Muhannadi remade his song Blessed Be Our Eid, which was composed by Qatari poet Khalifa Jumaan. Qatar TV produced the music video for this song and aired it throughout Eid al-Fitr. ^[37]

Metal/rock

Naser Mestarihi, a Qatari born Jordanian-Pakistani singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist became the first rock/metal musician to release an album out of Qatar. He was also a member of Qatar's first ever metal band Asgard Legionnaires. ^[38]

References

Further reading

• Kerbage, Toufic (1982). The Rhythms of the Pearl Diver Music in Qatar. Culture & Art Directorate Ministry of Information Doha Qatar.

External links

• Youtube clip of The Ghalali traditional music and dance group performing a Fijiri song in a village near Muharraq, Bahrain, October 7 2009