TY - JOUR TI - Arabic music and the piano: the use of the piano in Lebanon and Egypt during the golden age of Arabic music DO - https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-9hbc-ak98 PY - 2021 AB - During the 1930s, Egyptian and Lebanese composers began to incorporate the piano into their works. Because the piano also brought equal temperament, which is distinctly different than the tuning system used in Arab folk music, this new instrumental combination made a deep impact on the musical structure itself. The story of how the piano was introduced to the Arab World, however, is not well known. In this dissertation, I discuss the introduction of the piano (and consequently of equal temperament) into Egyptian and Lebanese Arabic music of the 1930sā€“60s. I also compare Western and Arabic music theory and explore how the piano influenced the composition of Arabic music. The study is in two parts: 1) an analysis of Egyptian and Lebanese music from 1930ā€“60 that features the piano alongside traditional Arabic instrumentalists and vocalists, and 2) a biographical study of musicians that brought Western elements into Arabic music. The fusion techniques developed during the period 1930ā€“60 continue to inform compositions created by Arab musicians in the United States and elsewhere. In the fourth chapter, I provide an overview of Arabic music in the United States in the 21st century. My research concludes with an original composition entitled Memories of Homs, for Arabic ensemble and piano. The last chapter is an analysis of this work. This topic is especially meaningful for two reasons: the piano is a dominant element in my musical career, and my Syrian heritage continues to shape my overall musical experience. KW - Piano music -- Lebanon -- 20th century KW - Piano music -- Egypt -- 20th century KW - Music LA - English ER -