Arabs Introduced the Oud to Europe
Shaped like a pear and believed to be the forerunner of the western lute, the oud, has a long history. It is distinguished from other stringed instruments because it fretless. It is still widely played in Israel, Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Greece, and Armenia.
The words oud and lute are believed derived from the Arabic al-d or a thin piece of wood similar to the shape of a straw. It could refer to the wood plectrum traditionally used to play the lute, or to the slender wooden strips used for the instruments back. Maybe it could also mean that the top is made of wood.
Research has suggested that d is the Arabized form of the Persian rud; string, stringed instrument, or lute. In Azerbaijan, where it is called an ud, the instrument is very popular. It has been in use in Azerbaijan since the 7th century.
It is very likely that the Arabs brought the instrument with them to Western Europe in 711 AD, as created the Umayyad Caliphate of Al-Andalus on the Iberian Peninsula. Instruments that look like this musical instrument, the ancient Roman pandura and Greek pandoura, may have wound there earlier to the Iberian Peninsula. It has been established, though, that Al-Andalus royal houses fostered the environment that promoted the instruments popular use.
During his time, the legendary Zyriab was the most celebrated player of the instrument in Al-Andalus. He was the creator of Spains first music conservatory. By adding the instruments fifth course, he also developed technique.
This European version became to be known as the lute — alaud in Spanish, liuto in Italian, luth in French, laute in German, and luit in Dutch. A stringed instrument maker, a luthier, comes from the French luth. The European lute uses frets, unlike the Middle Eastern version.
Legends tell of Lamech, Adams sixth grandson, conceiving the instrument. His son died, and in his grief, Lamech hung the body of his son from a tree. The shape of the bleached skeleton of his son gave him the idea to make the first oud.
Filed under Music by 
Leave a Comment