The Music Of Jordan
As we celebrate our national Independence Day on 25 May, it is a great opportunity to talk to your child about traditional Jordanian music, folk songs and the Jordanian national anthem; after all, they inspire us and remind us all of the greatness of our country.
Wealthy in heritage
Even though we are all familiar with “Al Salam Al Malaki Al Urduni” (the Jordanian national anthem) and though most of us listen to traditional Jordanian music, few realize that Jordanian folk music existed long before the Jordanian State. This is because Jordan was occupied by many civilizations: the Assyrians, Nabateans, Egyptians, Persians, Grecians, Romans and the Byzantines. Jordanian music has been influenced by the geography and language of this history.
As Jordan is largely desert, it is no surprise that the country’s music has a strong Bedouin influence. Before the establishment of Transjordan, national songs were practically nonexistent. Folk songs tended to be related to topics such as family, love, death, honor and even the harvest. In 1924, when Emir Abdullah I established Jordan as country, Jordanian national music was born. Emir Abdullah I, a great poet himself, encouraged art in all its forms.
The Jordanian folk song
According to Emil Haddad of the Higher National Committee of Amman Capital of Arab Culture 2002, the Jordanian folk song flourished during His Majesty the late King Hussein’s era because of the many important milestones to celebrate—the arabization of the Jordanian Army and King Hussein's wedding, for example. The king’s courage and illness were also the topic of many traditional folk songs. In more recent times, His Majesty King Abdullah II’s accession to the throne was
also an occasion to be commemorated by song. The popular Jordanian Song Festival, launched in 2004 under the patronage of Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al- Abdullah, has encouraged local musicians and songwriters.
The national anthem
The Jordanian national anthem was composed for the occasion of the Kingdom's independence on 25 May, 1946. It consists of a poem written in 1937 by Former Prime Minister Abdul-Mone'm Al Rifai (1917 - 1985) that was set to music by Abdul-Qader Al-Taneer (1901 - 1957). Much like a country’s flag, an anthem expresses, musically, what a country stands for and what unites it. The Jordanian national anthem form fits both the Arab fanfare style and European hymn style of national anthems. Below are the different types of anthems, as detailed by the Canadian music scholar David Kendall:
1.Latin American epic anthems: Used in South America. They are typically long and have an epic quality, containing many verses with both fast and slow sections.
2.Western hymn: Jordan's national anthem has some of the qualities of a Western hymn. Set to smooth, stately music, this is the oldest type of anthem; examples of countries with this type of anthem are the United Kingdom and Canada.
3.European march: Characteristic of the non-monarchical European nations, especially the socialist nations—nations born in revolution. The music is set to a march and the lyrics often depict war. Examples of countries with this style include France and the USSR (1922 - 1992).
4.Eastern folk: Usually folk music and native instruments are used for this type of anthem. It is common in Japan and India.
5.Arab fanfare: This type is common in the Persian Gulf countries, especially ones ruled by royalty. It is short in length and often has no words. Along with Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain use this style.
Did you know?
No law that states that a country must have an anthem. Under the Taliban, Afghanistan had no national anthem because music was banned. Great Britain was the first country, in the eighteenth century, to adopt a national anthem. Up until the twentieth century, national anthems were rare. There are many anthems without words, including the national anthems of Spain, Abu Dhabi and Afghanistan. The most common words used in anthems are: ‘Our’, ‘land’ and ‘God’.
Suggested titles of books and CDs:
The Jordanian Song by Dr Mohammed Ghawanmeh. A series of CDs called Survey of Jordanian Heritage, produced by The Higher National Committee of Amman Capital of Arab Culture, 2002.