Traditional music and dance
Over the centuries, poets and musicians have crossed the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East, bringing with them the poems and aesthetics of different regions. Thus, the traditions of here are always a little bit those of elsewhere, the caravans, the pilgrimages and the nomadic communities transporting, sowing, the traditions over great distances, mixing the cultures and spreading the influences on their way. Yemen to the south, Iraq and the Levant, Turkey to the north, the Gulf countries to the east and Egypt or Sudan to the west... All these regions have been influenced by their neighbors for centuries.
It is therefore not surprising that one of the country's emblematic practices, ardah, is shared with Qatar and is a close cousin of the UAE's ayyala. Combining highly dramatic lyrical poetry, song, percussion, and slow, majestic movements, this once military practice later became a dance of peace and celebration, and today an iconic entity of traditional Saudi culture.
Alardah Alnajdiyah is the most common form of ardah in Saudi Arabia. It is also the most practiced and visible male folk dance throughout the country, appearing at the beginning or end of celebrations such as weddings, births or graduation ceremonies. Alardah performers, who are exclusively male, carry light swords and stand in two rows facing each other, leaving enough space between them for the drummers. As they dance shoulder to shoulder, swaying back and forth while raising and lowering their swords, a poet declaims verses that are taken up by the dancers. Men of all ages, social backgrounds and professions can take part, while women are required to make the costumes.
A practice that has been included in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, along with the Almezmar, a traditional dance practiced by members of the Hedgejazi community. Performed during national or religious celebrations, it sees large groups of dancers (between 15 and 100) dressed in long white robes arranged in two rows facing each other. To the rhythm of the drums, each leader claps his hands and sings, with the whole row repeating the song after him to the rhythm of the clapping, followed by the second row in echo. At the end of these songs, duos of dancers perform rapid gestures in the center of the circle, turning their sticks.
Otherwise, as in Qatar, there are also pearl fishermen's songs called fjiri, imported from Bahrain. Dating from the late 19th century, these songs tell of life at sea accompanied by percussion. Today, the practice has spread far beyond the circles of pearl fishermen to reach a wider audience, especially at festivals.
Popular in the Najd region, samri is both a traditional music and dance. Common in the Persian Gulf countries, it involves singing poems while drumming while two rows of men sit on their knees, swaying and clapping.
Also found throughout the Gulf countries, the ṣawt is a complex form of urban music, performed on the oud (the iconic short-necked lute found throughout the Arab world and in Armenia) and drum.
The country's Bedouin past and nomadic lifestyle discouraging unnecessary baggage - including musical instruments - explains why people here have long had to stick to simple rhythms, the beats of which are marked by clapping. That said, one comes across such common items in the region as the double-reed ney (a flute) or the rababa (a plucked string instrument). And then of course there is the oud, whose country has had some great performers like Tariq Abdul-Hakim, a national monument of Saudi music. Born in 1920 in Taif, the musician has distinguished himself by the excellence of his interpretations of the famous local folk dances and music as well as his mastery of the instrument. His fascination with Saudi folklore began at an early age, when he helped his father cultivate their land, singing folk tunes with other farmers. After joining the Saudi army, he was sent to Egypt in 1952 where he learned to read and write music. After retiring from the army years later, the late composer worked with some of the biggest names in the Arab world and brought the national folk heritage to the world's attention. Through his 500 pieces of music - performed by more than 100 singers from the Arab world - 10 symphonies and 36 patriotic songs, Abdul-Hakim composed some of the country's most beloved and played tunes. Recognized locally and internationally, he was awarded the UNESCO International Music Prize in 1981, becoming the first Arab to receive it and the sixth musician in the world to be so honored. A tribute museum, located in Beit Al-Manoufi in the historic district of Jeddah, will be inaugurated in late 2022. It will include a music research center with archives on Saudi and Arab music.
From the same generation, the country has been rocked by the melodies of great oudists such as Abadi al Johar or Rabeh Saqer.
