ooses a melodic mode, offers interpretation of the mode, and in pitch, and modulates to other modes. Eventually the instrumentalist descends to close in the original mode. Musical accomplishment lies in the musicians technical virtuosity, creativity, and subtlety in suggesting other modes, other compositions, or even the music of other artists.Performances considered traditionalwhether they are neoclassical events in concert halls, entertainment in hotels, or television programmesusually include both song and instrumental performances, although often not played in unison, that last about an hour and are arranged to reach a high peak in a vocal performance. Such collections of piecesmetrical and non-metrical, vocal and instrumental, simple and complex, and often unified by modeare central to Arab music. Examples include the North African nawbah, thought to have originated in Andaluca, and the eastern Mediterranean waslah musical forms, which were previously the standard of entertainment for small gatherings of elite Arab men. While the general principles have remained the same, the tradition of Arab music has changed throughout the centuries. Distinctive local practices have evolved and become important to the cultural identity of their respective societies. For example, the North African cities of Fs, Tlemcen, Tetuan, and Tunis have distinct versions of the Andalusian nawbah that help define local culture and are closely associated with the histories of their regions. Melodic modes of the same name are tuned slightly differently in Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and the countries of North Africa. Music of these regions is distinguishable by pitch. Rhythmic modes also have varying articulations in different locales, and the styles of melodies and renditions differ. Sung poetry, particularly informal verse, changes with local dialects. The Iraqi maqam is not simply a melodic mode, but an unfolding of pieces in a particular mode. The w...
