MofA Week 12.

Global representations and flows

Arjun Appadurai's "scapes"

(from his Modernity at Large (1996)

Perspectives:

• Ethnoscape
• Mediascape
• Finanscape
• Ideoscape
• Technoscape

• We examine two perspectives on globalization of music of the Arab world:
  • Diasporic Arab musics as "music of the Arab world" (music of the Arab ethnoscape)
  • The absorption of "music of the Arab world" (often diasporic) into Western music (these days, via a transnational music industry, often classified as "World Music") (Arab music of the mediascape)

Background: Orientalism

• History of Orientalism in art and literature
• Representations of Oriental music, dance

[1] [2]

• Representations of the "Orient" in Western art music (Mozart and others: "Alla Turca" techniques)

Arab diaspora as part of the Arab world

• Diaspora in France: Development of Rai, Oran to Paris
  • France ruled Algeria as a colony 1834-1962
  • Influx of Algerians to France
    • 1945: 350,000 Algerians in France
    • 1964: estimated 500,000
    • Early 1980s: 800,000
  • Many French of Algerian descent continue to live in the poorer banlieues (low income projects) outside Paris
  • Simultaneously rai musicians fled Algeria
  • Rai therefore developed its modern forms in Paris
  • Listening examples
• Diaspora in America: Music of Arab Americans
  • Levantines emigrated to America from the 19th century
  • Larger numbers entered in the early 20th century
  • Most immigrants were Syrian-Lebanese Christians
  • Recreation of traditional music centered on church communities
  • hafla, mahrajan

New Orientalism: "Exotic" representations of Arab music and dance in Western popular culture

• Arab music for Americans
  • Mohammed el-Bakkar, and his seminal album Port Said. Read the notes for this album and also for African Arab.
  • The Best of George Abdo and His Flames of Araby Orchestra
• The Oriental Nightclub in America (e.g. Nejla Ates (Son of Sinbad , 1955))
• Bellydance on screen
• New representations: http://www.joyofbellydancing.com/vintagephoto2.html
• Participatory bellydance: a ubiquitous Western phenomenon, with its own forms
• For discussion: how does American "orientalism" of the 1950s and 60s compare to European "orientalism" of the 18th and 19th centuries? What has changed? What has not?

Arab music in the "world music" bins

• Popular music fusions
  • New Rai music: Oran to Paris to World.
  • Global gnawa: fusion
• Egyptian pop: Amr Diab, Hakeem (limited penetration)
• Expat musicians: representing the homeland
  • Popular (e.g. Hossam Ramzy)
  • New classicism: Simon Shaheen, Jihad Racy (Americans)
• "Authentic" musical tours (e.g. CDs of Institut du Monde Arabe)
• For discussion: what factors determine which music succeeds as "world music"?