The music of ancient Mesopotamia, Persia, and other regions in the Middle East, including its instruments, scales, genres, and cultural significance.
Mesopotamia: The birthplace of civilization and music, Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) is known for its rich musical heritage dating back to 3500 BCE.
Sumerian Music: The music of the ancient Sumerian civilization is the earliest recorded music in history, dating back to over 4000 years ago.
Babylonian Music: The Babylonian civilization, which flourished between the 18th and 6th centuries BCE, also had a rich musical heritage.
Assyrian Music: The music of the Assyrian empire (8th to 6th centuries BCE) was an essential part of its culture, with songs and dances performed during religious festivals, weddings, and other events.
Persian Music: Persian music has a long and rich history, dating back to ancient times. Persian music is characterized by its complex melodies and rhythms.
Arabic Music: Arabic music is a genre of music that originated in the Arab world. It is known for its distinctive Middle Eastern sound, and its use of the oud and the tabla.
Instruments: Middle Eastern music makes use of a wide range of instruments, including the oud, rebab, qanun, ney, and santur.
Modes and Scales: The music of the Middle East makes use of a variety of musical modes and scales, including the maqam, which is the system of melodic modes used in Arabic music.
Rhythms: Middle Eastern music is characterized by complex rhythmic patterns that are often based on asymmetrical time signatures.
Forms: Middle Eastern music has a variety of forms, including instrumental music, vocal music, and dance music.
Religious music: Music has always played an essential role in Middle Eastern religious ceremonies, and sacred music is an important part of the region's musical heritage.
Folk music: Folk music is an important part of Middle Eastern music, with each region having its distinctive style of folk music.
Poets and Composers: Middle Eastern music has a long tradition of musical poets and composers, who have contributed significantly to the region's musical heritage.
Influence on Western Music: Middle Eastern music has had a profound influence on Western music, especially during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Sumerian Music: This is considered to be the earliest known form of music from the Middle East. The music was created using instruments such as lyres, flutes, and harps, and was often used in religious ceremonies.
Babylonian Music: This type of music was popular during the Babylonian empire, which existed from approximately 1894 BCE to 539 BCE. It was characterized by the use of percussive instruments like drums and tambourines, as well as wind instruments like flutes and pipes.
Hebrew Music: This genre of music was created by the Jewish people in ancient Palestine. It often used the harp and lute, and was used in religious ceremonies and celebrations.
Assyrian Music: This music originated in ancient Assyria, which was located in what is now modern-day Iraq. It made use of instruments such as double-reed pipes and harps, and was often accompanied by dance.
Persian Music: This is the music that originated from ancient Iran, and it is characterized by the use of instruments such as santur (a type of hammered dulcimer), the tanbour (a long-necked lute), and the setar (a short-necked lute).