Hand percussion and
bodhran - Beginning;
Intermediate; Advanced
SKU: MB.22062M
Composed by Michel Merhej
Baklouk. Squareback
saddle stitch,
Percussion: Hand
Percussion and Bodhran,
Method. World Music. Book
and online audio. 128
pages. Mel Bay
Publications, Inc
#22062M. Published by Mel
Bay Publications, Inc
(MB.22062M).
ISBN
9781513460536. 8.75 x
11.75 inches.
Built
around the life and
teachings of master
percussionist, Michel
Merhej Baklouk, this book
has been designed as a
biographical tribute, a
teaching manual, and a
resource guide for anyone
wishing to develop a
deeper understanding of
the role that percussion
plays in Near Eastern
Arabic music. This book
differs from most
technique manuals in that
it includes historical
information about Arabic
music as it pertains to
the life and work of a
single artist, Michel
Merhej Baklouk.The book
is composed of three
parts: Introduction,
Lessons, and Reference
Information. Each part is
written to stand on its
own as well as fit with
the whole so that readers
can approach the book
either as individual
articles and lessons, or
in its entirety, to be
read from cover to cover.
By presenting Michel's
work in this way, we hope
to appeal to a wider
audience, percussion
students at varying skill
levels and from varying
music disciplines and
backgrounds, students of
music and Middle Eastern
studies, or anyone else
interested in twentieth
century Arab music and
culture.The first part,
Introduction, contains
several essays about
Michel's life, his
teaching philosophy,
pedagogical practices,
musical aesthetics and
performance practices.
Although these sections
may be read
independently, they are
also designed to help
percussion students apply
the book's lessons to
their own playing and
musical
interpretations.The
technical focus of this
book is on the riqq;
however, students of
Arabic music (beginning
through advanced) can
adapt the practical
exercises to gain mastery
of the percussion
instrument(s) of their
choice.The second part,
Lessons, begins with
information about how to
hold the percussion
instrument (case in
point: the riqq) and how
to practice effectively.
It then presents the body
of exercises that Michel
developed for his
students. These exercises
have been taken directly
from Michel's notated
lessons, which he
developed into units
corresponding to levels
of proficiency, or
academic years as he
taught them at the
Conservatory in Beirut;
however, for the purposes
of this book, the
exercises are reorganized
to correspond to subject
matter and only roughly
mirror Michel's
conservatory sequence.
Unit 1, Technique
Building Exercises, is
aimed at novice players
or anyone who is new to
reading music. Units 2
through 5 focus on
specific rhythmic
structures with
increasing complexity.
Students should master
each unit of exercises
before proceeding to the
next unit. The third
part, Reference
Information, includes a
notation reference, a
list of rhythms, a list
of further reading
recommendations, and a
glossary of Arabic music
terms, many of which are
used in the text. All
Arabic words in this book
appear in italics, except
proper names, and with
the exception of some
proper Arab names, the
text is essentially
written in the standard
system of transliteration
used by the Library of
Congress and most
academic literature
Throughout the book you
will see quotations from
Michel offset in the
text. These prosaic
tidbits may be words of
wisdom, interesting
anecdotes about Michel's
life, or insights into
his work and world of
music.Each provides a
glimpse into the
personality of this
exceptional musician. As
a technical manual for
students of Arabic
percussion, Classical
Riqq Technique provides
specific exercises and
explores important
concepts, some of which
are rarely taught, even
in private lessons. At
the same time, this book
strives for a broader
goal, to present and
preserve classical
percussion from the
perspective of a master
who not only lived in but
also influenced the
golden age of Arabic
music. Includes access to
online audio.
