TAQSIM

by Dr. Raja Zulkarnain From 9th September to 30th September, the Maybank Foundation will host a Cultural Art Showcase & Bazaar 2024 (CASB) at the Maybank Art Gallery, Menara Maybank, with Rumah Gambus being one of the five main exhibitors. This unique event promises to captivate lovers of gambus cultural heritage and music with its rare and meticulously curated artifacts, all from my personal collection , which I have been assembling since 2001. One of the exhibition's standout highlights is the black eagle quill  risya  (gambus pick) from Jordan, making its debut appearance in Malaysia. This  risya  is no ordinary gambus pick; it’s crafted from the quill of a black eagle, a bird revered in Jordan for its strength and majestic presence. The process of creating such a pick is a delicate and painstaking art, passed down through generations of master artisans. The quill is carefully shaped and treated to achieve the perfect balance and flexibility required to bring ...

The term "gambus" in Malay culture refers to a stringed instrument widely recognized for its historical and cultural significance in Southeast Asia. However, the term "gambus" is often used interchangeably with the " oud ," a distinctively different stringed instrument originating from the Arab world. This phenomenon raises questions about the linguistic and cultural reasons behind this conflation. This article seeks to explore possible reasons for this interchangeable use, analyzing historical, cultural, and linguistic factors. Furthermore, it proposes a new hypothesis to explain this phenomenon. The Arabic  oud  and the Yemeni’s gambus share common ancestry as lutes, but they differ in construction, tuning, and playing techniques. The  oud , with its pear-shaped body and fretless neck, is a central instrument in Arab music, while the Yemeni’s gambus in the Malay world, particularly in Sabah, has evolved with variations in size, shape, and use. The gambus...

Learning the maqamat has long been a challenge for Malays, due to historical cultural and linguistic differences that have created significant barriers to understanding and mastering these complex modes. Today, these challenges persist, exacerbated by a lack of accessible resources and formal education on maqamat within the Malaysian context. However, with a growing interest in preserving and embracing diverse musical traditions, now is the time to overcome these obstacles. By fostering deeper cultural exchange and providing dedicated learning opportunities, we can empower local gambus players to master maqamat and enrich their musical heritage. by Dr. Raja Zulkarnain RMY  Learning maqamat, the intricate system of melodic modes in Arabic music, can be both fascinating and challenging. As students embark on this journey, they often encounter various misconceptions and difficulties that can hinder their progress. One prevalent misconception is that maqamat are merely scales. While th...

by Dr. Raja Zulkarnain In the vibrant heart of Cairo, where life’s symphony plays amidst the echoes of ancient grandeur, the legacy of Umm Kulthum, Egypt’s most venerated musical icon, thrums as deeply as the strings of my oud . Born on May 4, 1904, Umm Kulthum, or “ Kawkab al-Sharq ” (Star of the East), began her ascent to stardom in the early 1920s, her voice becoming the soulful conduit for the emotions and stories of a nation. Her music, a tapestry of love, loss, and longing, resonated with millions, transcending the Arab world to find a special place in the hearts of Malaysians. Umm Kulthum’s powerful, political music shattered gender norms and established her as a social phenomenon, earning her the moniker “Egypt’s fourth pyramid.” Her influence reached global proportions, touching Western legends like Bob Dylan and Robert Plant, who deeply admired her. In Malaysia, her melodies and profound poetry bridged cultures, uniting diverse communities in a shared appreciation for her ar...

“As the Nile serenades the stones of the pyramids, my oud harmonizes with the heartbeat of Cairo, a city where every melody tells a story of convergence between yesterday and today. Under the golden Cairo sun, where ancient echoes meet modern melodies, my oud’s strings found their truest tune within the timeless rhythm of Egypt’s heartbeat. Amidst the bustling streets of Cairo and the whispers of its ancient sands, my journey with the oud was not just about music, but about embracing the soul of Egypt, learning to live as one with its people, and discovering the profound simplicity in their vibrant culture.” by Dr. Raja Zulkarnain The enduring legacy of ancient Egyptian music is a chronicle of influence and innovation that spans millennia. From the Neolithic period, where music and chanting were integral to magic and rituals, to the Predynastic period, Egyptian music began to take shape. By the Old Kingdom, around 2686–2181 BCE, music was already a well-established art form, deeply emb...

by Dr. Raja Zulkarnain RMY The  oud , a pear-shaped stringed instrument, has a rich and diverse history that spans centuries and continents. Its journey from antiquity to the Malay Peninsula reflects cultural exchange, artistic evolution, and the enduring allure of music. In this introductory article for the  Taqsim  blog, we swiftly delve into the origins of the  oud , trace its path across civilizations, and explore its significance in the context of Malaysia. The  oud , also known as the  ʿūd  (Arabic: عود‎), holds a special place in the chronicles of musical heritage. Its distinctive resonance has echoed through the corridors of time, captivating listeners from Baghdad to Andalusia, from Persia to the Arabian Peninsula. As we embark on our exploration, let us unravel the threads that bind this ancient instrument to the vibrant cultural tapestry of Malaysia. The  oud ’s origins are shrouded in the mists of antiquity. Its earliest traces lead ...