Schools of Arabic Oud.
There are certainly different ways of thinking about the varied traditions of oud playing. One way that may be useful to start with is to think of four schools historically identified by region. The oud, of course, exists well beyond the regions I talk about here, in Turkey, Armenia, Greece, Iran and beyond, so I’m staying within the influence of the Arabic maqamat.
Egypt & The Levant Iraqi Modern The Gulf North Africa / East Africa
You should be able to find most of these musicians on YouTube or Instagram. I’ve included a few names I know to help students get started, but there are many more excellent players out there!
Egypt & The Levant.
مصر وبلاد الشام
The term 'tatribi' تطريبي can be used to describe traditional oud music from Egypt and neighbouring countries to the East: Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Jordan.
Tatribi music arouses tarab طرب, which is often translated as 'enchantment', naming music's power to soothe and delight, moving listeners emotionally.
Specifically, it's a label to identify the feeling from little 'erruptions' or moments in the music where the intensity of the performance catches you in 'the feels'.
As a musician, also perhaps as a listener, creating these moments requires knowing the style of maqam music that can also be called tatribi.
EGYPT
Egyptian music has been especially influential in the tarab genre.
From the 1920s Cairo was an important regional center for commercially recorded music, and in the 1930s a new genre of musical films, made in the city, became the height of fashion.
State radio broadcast the hits well beyond Egypt's borders, as well as hot-ticket live concerts.
From these origins came the most beloved stars of Arabic music, singers Umm Kulthum (1898-1975) ام كلثوم and Muhammed Abdel Wahhab (1898-1991) محمد عبد الوهاب , both of whom played the oud.
Notable oud players with an 'Egyptian' sound also include: Riyad al Sunbati (1906-1981) رياض السنباطي , Farid al Atrash (1917-1974) فريد الاطرش - who of course was not Egyptian, but a key figure in defining the style - Muhammed al Qasabji (1892-1966) محمد القصبجي, George Michel (1915-1998) جورج ميشيل, Nadra Amin (1906-1990) نادرة امين, and Dawud Husni (1870-1937) داوود حسني. Today, Islam al Qasabji اسلام القصبجي and Hazem Shaheen حازم شاهين continue the Egyptian spirit in their playing.
When we talk of 'the' oud schools, it's worth noting that musicians have always been influenced by the music around them, and it may be more accurate to think of players mixing different influences, whilst drawing from the heritage of the regional schools/local traditions.
It's in this spirit that we can say the areas geographically close to Egypt are also close musically when it comes to the oud, whilst reflecting local colors as well.
LEBANON
Oud players in the Lebanese tradition include: Bahij Miqati بهيج ميقاتي, Wadi' Safi (1921-2013) وديع الصافي, Saliba al Qatrib (1904-1994) صليبا القطريب, Charbel Rouhana (b.1965) شربل روحانا, Petro al Awwad باترو العواد and Cindy Latty سيندي لطي, who is also a great singer.
SYRIA
The traditional style of oud playing in Syria, renowned for its musical centres Damascus and Aleppo, can also be described as tatribi, for example in the music of Shehata Sa'ada شحاتة سعادة, Omar Naqshabandi (1910-1981) عمر النقشبندي and Asa'd al Shatir (1943-2014)اسعد الشاطر.
Syria has also been a centre for modernisation, in varying ways, including: Muhammed Qadri Dalal (b.1946) محمد قدري دلال, Amer Ammouri (b.1961) عامر عموري, Nazih Bourish نزيه ابو الريش, Osama Badawe اسامة بدوي and Rihab Azar رحاب عازار.
PALESTINE
Influential Palestinian oud players include: Ruhi al Khammash (1923-1998) روحي الخماش, Simon Shaheen (b.1955) سيمون شاهين, Ahmed al Khatib (b.1974) احمد الخطيب, Adel Salameh (1966-2019) عادل سلامة, Nizar Rohana نزار روحانا and historically Wasif Jawhariyyeh (1897-1973) واصف جوهرية.
JORDAN
The Jordanian tradition includes: Tawfiq al Nimri (1918-2011) توفيق النمري, Omar Abbad عمر عباد, Tareq al Jundi طارق الجندي, Alaa Shaheen علاء شاهين and Caroline Madi كارولين ماضي.
Iraqi modern.
العراق
The modern Iraqi School began with the foundation of a new Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad in 1936, headed by Turkish oud and cello virtuoso Sherif Muhaddin Haydar/Targan (1892-1967) الشريف محي الدين حيدر. The brothers Munir Bashir (1930-1997) منير بشير and Jamil Bashir (1921-1977) جميل بشير became the most famous players from the first wave of graduates, popularising the new school both in Iraq and internationally.
The modern Iraqi school is noteworthy for three main reasons: its philosophy or aesthetic of 'expressive' music; its region-wide influence of oud schools, particularly the Bait al Oud بيت العود franchise of Naseer Shamma نصير شمه; and lastly the design of the oud and its tuning, with Munir Bashir developing the increasingly popular floating bridge style of oud with maker Muhammed Fadel, and introducing the higher Fa-Fa tuning.
Where the 'tatribi' schools of Egypt and the Levant drew much of their inspiration from song traditions, with the goal of inducing tarab in listeners, the modern Iraqi school from its outset was more focused on an instrumental, soloistic style of playing, turning towards 'expressive' aesthetics, or 'ta'biriya' تعبيرية.
For oud composers this meant telling stories, painting pictures, evoking feelings and colours beyond the usual 'spirit' or ruh روح of the maqams.
Since the early days the modern Iraqi school has therefore been controversial: supporters arguing for its technical superiority and expressive openness and creativity, and critics complaining of a loss of traditional sensitivity, to tarab and the maqam spirit, in - what they characterise as - a mechanical way of playing.
I've found it useful to notice both tatribi and ta'biri aesthetics - for recognizing the aims of players and reflecting on their style. But I would caution against drawing a hard line between these camps as performers often fall somewhere between the two caricatures.
I do, however, notice that players graduating from Bait al Oud schools tend to have a sound and style, with refined technique, associated with the school. For example, in Egypt: Nancy Farouk نانسي فاروق, Salma Mokhtar سلمى مختار, Islam Taha اسلام طه, and Mario Saied ماريو سعيد amongst others (of course varying depending on the repertoire they are playing). To be clear, this is not to say they play ‘Iraqi’, rather they play in the modern style. And this is the perfect example of the problems with trying to reduce playing styles to labels. Though it can be useful to notice these trends as an oud student.
An Iraqi musical identity has also been cultivated with many contemporary players drawing from local traditions like the Iraqi Maqam المقام العراقي (the urban art-song tradition of Iraq) or the rifi atwar الاطوار الريفية (a Southern and country genre). Both of these overlap the shared maqam language of classical Arabic music but also use unique maqams not found elsewhere. Rhythms like the jurjina جرجينا have also become strongly associated with Iraqi genres.
Whilst Kurdish music is not something I have researched, I suspect there is a long history of Iraqi Kurdish musicians and musicians in the North of Iraq exchanging influences. My teacher Ahmed Mukhtar احمد مختار, for example, included Kurdish dance rhythms in his repertoire.
Iraqi players include: Saad Mahmood Jawad سعد محمود جواد, Khaled Muhammed Ali (b.1960) خالد محمد علي, Ali Hassan علي حسن, Sami Naseem (1966-2024) سامي نسيم, Amal Ahmed Mena امال احمد مينا and Sadiq Jaafar صادق جعفر.
There are also Iraqi players, particularly from older generations, who remained close to the tatribi ideals, whilst using Iraqi colours: Azzuri Haroun [Azuri Aharun] (1903-1995) عزوري هارون, Da'ud al Kuwaiti (1910-1976) داوود الكويتي and Salim al Nur (1920-2014) سليم النور. All of whom, due to the politics of the time, were forced to move to Israel after its founding in 1948.
The Gulf
الخليج
Whilst it's easy to identify a 'khaleeji sound', and to notice shared techniques, rhythms, melodies and phrases, khaleeji music is extremely diverse.
The richness of khaleeji-style oud playing follows the equally rich local traditions - of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the South of Iraq - themselves resulting from centuries of cultural exchange as the Arabian peninsula has been - and continues to be - a maritime and trading powerhouse, attracting migrants (some of whom put down deep, dynastic roots) from Africa, Iran, India, and the length of surrounding coastline, all meeting with desert beduoin traditions.
All of these influences can be found in the music today, leading to some perhaps unexpected similarities, for example to Latin American and Cuban musics, with rhythms like the Rumba and others echoing the clave patterns of a common African ancestry.
Khaleeji oud players today draw inspiration not only from the tatribi and modern schools, but also from traditions including the khobaiti خبيتي and samri سامري traditions of Saudi Arabia, the Song of San'a الغناء الصناني and Hadhrami حضرمي traditions of Yemen, the Madimah sea art فن البحري المديمة of Oman, the UAE's 'Ayyala عيالة and Shillat شلات, the Sawt صوت traditions of Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, and pearl-diving Aghani Alghus اغاني الغوص traditions known by various names, and the khashaba خشبة of Southern Iraq to name but a few.
SAUDI ARABIA
Some of the biggest names in the region have come from Saudi Arabia, including: Muhammed Abdu (b.1949) محمد عبدو, Abade al Johar (b.1953) عبادي الجوهر, Talal Madah (1940-2000) طلال مداح, Al Sharif Hashim al Abdali (1880-1941) الشريف هاشم العبدلي, and most recently Dufish Abu Fahad الدوفش ابو فهد and Mohannad Talal مهند طلال.
YEMEN
Yemen has a rich musical heritage, with region-wide star oud players including: Aref Juman عارف جمن, Ahmed Fathi احمد فتحي, Hussein Moheb حسين محب, Hamoud as Samah حمود السمه, Haitham al Hadrami هيثم الحضرمي and Faisal Alawi فيصل علوي amongst others.
OMAN
Players from the Omani tradition include: Hamad Halis al Sinani (1891/1900-1986) حمد حليس السناني and his son Awad bin Hamad Halis عوض بن حمد حليس , Fathi Mohsin al Balushi فتحي محسن البلوشي, Nibras Yousuf نبراس يوسف, Amal Waqar امل وقار, Salim al Maqrashi سالم المقرشي and alJulanda الجلندى.
UAE
Oud players from the UAE include: Harib Hassan (1924-2008) حارب حسن, Eid al Faraj (b.1949) عيد الفرج, Faisal al Saari فيصل الساري, Ahmed ali al Mansoori احمد علي المنصوري, Jaber Jasim (1952-2001) جابر جاسم and Shamsa al Jasmi شمسة الجسمي.
QATAR
Qatar plays a strong role in promoting khaleeji music via the grand Katara oud festivals and with Sout al Khaleej radio. Qatari players include: Ali al Khalosi علي الخلوصي, Abd al Aziz al Haydus عبد العزيز الهيدوس, Muhammed al Sullaiti محمد السليطي, and Khaled Dalwan خالد دلوان.
KUWAIT
Kuwaiti players include: Abdallah al Fadala (1900-1967) عبد الله فضالة, Dr Hamad Bourseli د. حمد بورسلي, Awad Dokhi عوض دوخي, Dr Ahmed al Salhi احمد الصالحي, Hashim al Qallaf هاشم القلاف, Abdel Aziz al Dhoihi عبد العزيز الضويحي and Bedr Hamdan بدر حمدان.
BAHRAIN
Players from the Bahraini tradition include: Yusuf Jasim (Funi) (d.1998) يوسف جاسم فوني, Ahmed al Jumairi احمد الجميري, Nabeel Bomshary نبيل بومشاري, Muhammed bin Faris (1895-1947) محمد بن فارس. Muhammed Zuwayd (1900-1982)محمد زويد, Muhammed 'Ais Alaya (1919-2004) محمد عيس علاية and @yad.oud.
North Africa
شمال افريقيا
Oud styles in North Africa - Libya, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco - are also diverse, with players variously influenced by tatribi styles, ta'biri styles, as well as a noticeable influence of Turkish players and composers, for example the composer/qanun player Göksel Baktagir and oud player Yurdal Tokcan.
What distinguishes this region, however, is the influence of rich local traditions including Gnawa ڭناوة, with its Saharan and sub-Saharan characteristics, Tuareg طوارق and Amazigh أمازيغ (Berber بربر) music, Rai راي, and a variety of Andalusi اندلسي traditions.
Each country has its own heritage associated with the music that originated in Arab/Muslim Spain (c.711-1492), 'relocated' following the final surrender of the Nasrid Emirate of Granada.
Andalusi music is diverse, and the traditions from one country to the next can be quite different. But what they have in common is a conceptualisation of melodic colors that can be thought of as 'cousins' of the maqamat, these are the Tab' طبع (sing.) Tabu'a طبوع (plural). They are like maqams, but use different combinations of notes and have their own phrases and implied structures. For oud players they offer an additional local palette of colors and materials.
MOROCCO
Oud players from Morocco include: Said Chraibi (1951-2016) سعيد الشرايبي, who is famous for his interpretation of traditional Andalusi colors via a modern soloistic aesthetic, Omar Tantawi (1929-2015) عمر الطنطاوي, Nasser Houari ناصر هواري, Driss el Maloumi ادريس الملومي, Younes Fakhar يونس فخار and Ahmed el Maai احمد الماعي.
TUNISIA
Zied Gharsa زياد غرسة is a particularly big name in the field of the Tunisian Malouf, Nada Mahmoud ندى محمود, Ahmed al Qal'ai (1936-2008) احمد القلعي, Ali al Saraiti (1919-2007) علي السريتي, Bechir Gharbi بشير غربي, Anouar Brahem انوار ابراهيم and for an example of the Tunisian 'oud Arabi', an instrument associated closely with the Andalusi traditions, see Zied Mehdi زياد مهدي.
ALGERIA
Oud players from Algeria include: Alla Foundou (b.1946) علا فوندو, whose unique style, to my ear, draws from sub-Saharan musical heritage, Abdel Karim Dali (1914-1978) عبد الكريم دالي Ahmed Wahby (1921-1993) احمد وهبي, Cheikh Salim Fergani (b.1953) الشيخ سليم فرقاني, whose father Muhammed Taher Fergani (1928-2016) محمد الطاهر الفرقاني, a violin and oud player, is an important name in the Algerian Malouf genre, Riadh Boualam رياض بوعلام and Saliha Ould Moussa ولد موس صليحة.
LIBYA
Oud players from Libya include: Muhammed al Dahmani (1931-1985) محمد الدهماني, Hisham Errish هشام عريش, Hassan Araibi حسن عريبي, Ibrahim Ashraf ابراهيم اشرف, Nouri Kamal نوري كمال and Muhammad Hassan محمد حسن.
East Africa
شرق أفريقيا
Though it’s not a region I know a lot about, I wanted to finish by mentioning that the oud is also popular in East Africa. The traditional music is often oriented more toward pentatonic, or five-note, scales rather than the Arabic maqamat, though they are still played.
SUDAN
Oud players from Sudan include: Muhammed Alamin محمد الامين, Ahmed al Mustafa احمد المصطفى, Abd al Karim al Kabili عبد الكريم الكابلي, Saleh Mustafa صلاح مصطفى, Ashraf Awad اشرف عوضو, Abdel Aziz Muhammed Daud عبد العزيز محمد داؤود, and Sulafa Elyas سلافة اليس. There is also a Beit al oud in Sudan.