subject: Music: Core of Life and Culture [print this page] Music is a core of life in any cultureMusic is a core of life in any culture. It may be of various genres but somehow, the music still remains to be the declaration and expression of the nation's voice. Palestinian music can be considered as a stem of Arabic music but it also has distinct features to call it Palestine's own. Tour to Israel is never the same without the sensational feel of the land's promising music.
The traditional folk music can still be traced within the Palestinian culture. This can be accented with the sounds coming from oud, which is a kind of lute, daf, likened to a tambourine, and ney, which is a wind instrument like the flte. Palestinians remains to be faithful with their tradition as they preserve their folk songs well. This Palestinian musical genre can be heard in private occasions and some home-grown festivals.
However, since modernity has penetrated the region, metallic Arabic pop can also be heard playing around Palestinian Territories. This can be traced from the influence of Cairo music.
In the local scene, tourists, while spending their Israel vacations, may meet the rap music that has phenomenally diffused in the music industry. Some of the famous rap groups are Gaza's first hip-hop group, PR, which stands for Palestinian Rappers and Dam Rap, the proponent of rap in the region. The rap usually portrays the lives and experiences of Palestinians and Israelis. The rap music can be heard in Hebrew, Arabic and English languages. It is interesting to note that Dam Rap started its roots in the poor city of Lod, near the Ben-Gurion Airport. Others are the Subliminal, The Shadow and Shabak Samech, Assaf Amdorsky, Aviv Geffen, Smadar Levi and Keren Peles.
Israel is are great fans of Eurovision Song Contest. In fact many contestants of this singing tilt come from this country. Any foreign visitors, while on tour to Israel, may hear the local radio featuring songs from Israeli tickets to the Eurovision. They are classified in various categories of musical genres. One is the Israeli rock which is characterized by its Hebrew lyrics. Famous institutions of this genre are bands like Machina and singer Shalom Hanoch. Another popular genre is the Eastern music. Mizrahi, another name for this type, is generally influenced by Arabic melodies from North Africa and Yemen and is sung in Hebrew. Israeli singers like Zahava Ben are prominent for singing Mizrahi in the region as well as in Egypt.
The most famous musical genre in Israel is the anthemic style. Songs of this type are characterized to have inspirational lyrics. Idan Raichel is the most famous singer of this anthemic music. His songs are remarkable for the mixture of the pop and Ethiopian melody. Other prominent singers under this genre are Shlomo Artzi, Arik Einstein, Judith Ravitz and Matti Caspi.
Aside from the contemporary musical genres, Israel is also famous for its classical music. This could be traced from a huge number of European immigrants who came to Israel to escape the terrors of World War II. Included in this flight are some great artists and musicians. Famous to stage the classical music is the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra which is housed at the Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv. This is a world renowned orchestra that features year-round performances. One of which is the Philharmonic in Jeans' concert which is a must watch during the tour to Israel.
Khezmer, another musical genre, is currently reinventing itself in the Israeli musical scene. It is characterized to be in a traditional soulful theme conveying feelings of glee, despair and other emotions. Its roots can be traced in Jewish regions of Eastern and Central Europe. A celebration called Klezmer Dance Festival draws thousands of young music lovers in Tsfat yearly. This event is a must-attend while on tour to Israel.
