In this series, Georges Collinet, host of NPR’s Afropop Worldwide, explores the rich history and culture of the music of the Arab World. Arabic musicians and scholars demonstrate the sounds of string, wind and percussion instruments that directly influenced the development of musical instruments common to the modern Western world. The importance of universal musical concepts, such as improvisation, ornamentation and audience participation are discussed in the context of the Arab World, as are the ideas of musical nationality and folk tradition in the face of modern cultural globalization.
In part 2, scholars and musicians to explore unique elements of Arabic musical culture, including improvisation, ornamentation, audience participation, and the state of "musical ecstacy."
