If you ever find yourself in a position in which you need to bring music appreciators and history buffs together, all you need to do is mention the oud.
The instrument is basically a living textbook (songbook?) of Middle-Eastern, North African, and Western European musical traditions. At first glance, it looks a lot like the lute — those long-necked and fretted string instruments you always see in raucous Renaissance paintings. But the fretless oud is much older and happens to be the direct ancestor of the European lute. The oud, which itself is derived from even older instruments from the same region, spread throughout early Islamic empires — including to Al-Andalus (present-day Portugal and Spain). There, the oud continued to develop, eventually evolving into the lute before making its way into wider European musical traditions. It has proved to be yet another musical thread linking seemingly disparate artistic traditions, which makes it all the more fascinating.
Last week, Yemeni musician Ahmed Alshaiba dropped by the TED studios to perform a few selections on his oud and answer some listener questions about the ancient instrument. It’s a beautiful set — perfect for playing as you continue your work at the computer.
And here's some bonus oud! Mozart's "Rondo alla Turca":
And here's Sherine Tohamy, New York University Abu Dhabi professor and the first woman to graduate from the Arab Oud House, leading her students in concert: