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TheMusic ofOman has been strongly affected by the country's coastal location with a diverse mix of outside influences and its own traditionalEastern,Southern Arabian, and overallKhaleeji Gulf musical tradition.
There are songs for special occasions, songs forseafarers,fishermen,Bedouins and mountain farmers. Authentic Arabic music in Oman can be characterised by ‘tetrachords’ with classic Arabic intervals, including three-quarter tones taken from the Arabic musical scales — the ‘maqamat’. Traditional songs originating from the desert are often in praise of thecamel, which has been described in theHoly Quran. Al Taghrud, sung while riding camels, and Al Taariq, a Bedouin song with two singers taking turns to sing verses, are two of the best examples of traditional
desert songs.[1]
Traditional music marks all the stages in the life of an Omani, including birth, circumcision, marriage and death. All Omanis, including men and women, and the young and the old, participate in music and celebrations.[1]
Omani sailors’ interaction with many countries like Egypt, Iran, and elsewhere, has also played a significant role in shaping the musical landscape of Oman. More recently, although not as dominant, aPortuguese occupation has left its own marks with the intoduction of moreEuropean melodies.Liwa andFann at-Tanbura are types of music and dance performed mainly in communities of descendants ofBantu peoples from theAfrican Great Lakes region.[2]
Notable Omani musicians includeSalim Rashid Suri, the "Singing Sailor", a 20th-century singer andoud player fromSur who combined strains of theṣawt of the northernPersian Gulf and other musical traditions of theIndian Ocean as a pioneer of the genre called Ṣawt al-Khaleej ("Voice of the Gulf").[3]
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All of Oman's traditional music is sustained by oral transmission between generations, and each region has its own unique forms.[4]
Al-Razha is a traditional war dance characterized by its use of the sword and its exchange of poetry between men. Men leap into the air, carrying a heavy sword, and must not falter upon landing. The men also throw the sword into the air and catch it as it comes down-a show of strength and prowess. the Razha was used as a way to express the needs of the people in the tribe and also to announce war, victory, muster troops or mediate between warring factions.[5]
Al Razfa, also known as the Yowlah is performed by men of all ages and classes during social occasions, such as weddings and national festivals. Male performers form two facing lines with dancers filling the space between. Led by the main singer, the two rows create a dual chorus, singing chants in an anti-phonal manner to the accompaniment of drums and other instruments. Many chants are verses of traditionalNabati poetry, carefully selected to match the occasion. The dancers perform choreographed movements to the music while holding wooden replica of rifles in their hands. Sticks, also known asassa are more commonly used in place of the rifles. The music and poetry performed during the dance is referred to asHarbiya music, with Omani Harbiya groups like Abna Al Mazarie and others frequently performing at weddings, cultural festivals, national celebrations, and community gatherings.[6]
