Farid al atrash

As you may know, I’m from Iranian background and I grew up in that culture in Canada. It wasn’t until about 8 years ago I started to really listen to Arabic music. Over that time period, I’ve really seen some interesting cultural differences through both music cultures.

Iranians are expected to stay dead quiet until the end of a performance…

Iranian musicians and performers expect their music to be heard and listened to attentively. In some cases, I’ve seen Iranian musicians stop playing in the middle of a performance because the audience was too noisy.

When a performance begins and the musicians walk out onto the stage the crowd goes wild, but just before the performance begins, there is dead silence. When a big Master singer like Mohammad Reza Shajarian gives a performance, everyone is dead quiet and enjoys the show. Only at the intermission and ending is the audience expected to cheer and give their thanks. If the audience wants an encore, that’s usually the only time you will hear shouting from the audience. And most often, the people are shouting the titles of their favourite song in the hopes that it will be sung.

The first time I watched an old Farid Al Atrash concert, I thought I was hearing a brawl break out in the audience.

Farid plays a little phrase and the crowd is in an uproar, and after each phrase he plays, he just gets more and more from the audience. At first, my initial reaction was “just shut up and let him play”. But I later realized I appreciate both types of reactions.

If you go to a traditional Iranian concert, some of you may think you have instead gone to a funeral. There is a lot more reverence involved. I’m not sure why…

Iranian musicians are serious. They never smile, and rarely say anything to their audience. Perhaps instead to allow the art and music do the talking.

Arab musicians instead talk back to the audience, and sometimes carry a full conversation with them. You feel like you are invited into the musicians home for a private concert. I like that, I think that’s part of what music is all about.

Chinese musicians are a whole different breed…

Have you ever seen traditional Chinese musicians perform? They over dramatize everything… every little note and phrase is accompanied by some kind of gyration. Not my cup of tea, but to each their own… but I digress…