DEar Andrea
[quote]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrea Deagon
One of the parts of Racy's work that particularly interested me was his discussion of the relationship between musicians and "good listeners," ones who were able to appreciate the music and reach the state of tarab easily. He also spoke of the jalsah, or small musical gathering, where socializing would lead to music making but everyonethere knew they were really there to experience tarab, and that was what happened. He did present it as something that could be counted on to happen.
|
A'isha writes- I am not sure what Dr, Racy was discussing, but Jelseh is a type of folkloric music from the Arabian Gulf, in which oud is played and there is singing, usually presented at a party. I have a private tape of Abdulmajid Abdullah playing Jelseh style at a private party that one of my Gulf freinds attended and he explained the music and the meaning, etc. Yes, one of the purposes of Jelseh is to create a feeling of community and enchantment with the music, the time, the night, the feeling, etc. I have been fortunate enough to see tarab in action in a a very Arab way a couple of times when Gulf guys have gotten together for a party, singing and playing. The music is very soft and sort of plaintive, though I am not sure what the themes are.
Quote:
I wish we dancers would do something like that. I am on hiatus from professional performing right now, and not sure if I'll go back to it. But I'm dancing beautifully, if I do say so myself. I would love to go to a gathering of dancers where the expectation was that we would all dance as the mood took us, and reach this state of tarab both as watchers and as performers.
A'isha writes- Mouna,Suheir and Aida Nour can do this for me even on video. Mouna can certainly create tarab in me in person as well!! I never got the pleasure of seeing Suhair perform in person, alas!!
Quote:
|
I think a dance version of the jalsah would be a wonderful change from the seminar show (where we see each other) and restaurant show (where we have to be careful about distracting people too much from their dinners), which are where most performing opportunities lie. I also find that the experience of tarab is elusive and ephemeral, but if we cultivated all of our dancing to feel and share it, and to reach it through the dancing of others as well, maybe we would find it more reliable. But we don't tend to use our energies in this way, more's the pity.
|
|
A'isha writes- I agree.
Regards,
A'isha