Waslah
Encyclopedia
A wasla is a set of pieces in Arabic music. It comprises eight or more movements such as muwashshah
, taqsim
, layali
, mawwal
, qasida
, dawr
, sama'i
, bashraf
, dulab
, and popular songs.
The term is also used to refer to a segment of Sufi music.
Muwashshah
Muwashshah or muwaššaḥ can mean:...
, taqsim
Taqsim
Taqsim is the name of a melodic improvisation style that could be metric or non-metric, which usually precedes a composition in Arabic, Turkish, Greek, and other Middle Eastern music. The taqsim is usually performed by a solo instrument, yet sometimes the soloist can be backed by a percussionist...
, layali
Layali
Layālī is a style of unmetered modal improvisation, based on a maqam, performed by a singing voice in Arabic music. It is similar to the taqsim, which is performed by a solo instrument....
, mawwal
Mawwal
In Arabic music, the mawwāl is a traditional genre of vocal music that is usually presented before the actual song begins. It is characterized by spelling vowel syllables longer than usual...
, qasida
Qasida
The qaṣīdaᵗ , in Arabic: قصيدة, plural qasā'id, قــصــائـد; in Persian: قصیده , is a form of lyric poetry that originated in preIslamic Arabia...
, dawr
Dawr
A dawr is a genre of Arabic vocal music sung in regional or colloquial Arabic...
, sama'i
Sama'i
A vocal piece of Ottoman Turkish music composed in 6/8 meter, or usul semai, or yürük semai. This form and meter is often confused with the completely different Saz Semaisi, an instrumental form consisting of three to four sections, in 10/8 meter, or usul aksak semai...
, bashraf
Pesrev
Peşrev , Pişrev , peshrev, or pishrev; called bashraf بشرف in Arabic; is an instrumental form in Turkish classical music. It is the name of the first piece of music played during a group performance called a fasıl...
, dulab
Dulab
A dūlāb is a short instrumental composition used as an introduction in Arabic music, which serves to introduce the maqam. It is generally performed in unison by a full ensemble....
, and popular songs.
The term is also used to refer to a segment of Sufi music.
Other sources
- Racy, Ali Jihad (1983). "The Waslah: a Compound Form Principle in Egyptian Music", Arab Studies Quarterly, v. 5, no. 4, pp. 396-403.