The influence of Islamic music and musical instruments on European music in the Middle Ages in Orientalist studies

Abstract

 Muslims contributed to the development of many aspects of human civilization, and their imprint is evident in many achievements in medicine, astronomy, science, physics, engineering, and more.However, their contributions were not limited to the scientific field; they extended to the artistic field of painting, architecture, and music. Art flourished at the height of Islamic civilization during the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates, and then in Andalusia.This study reviews the reasons for the influence of Islamic music and its instruments on music in Europe, according to Orientalists, the ways in which this influence spread to them, and the most famous figures credited with transmitting Islamic music to Europe.Islamic music is distinguished by its long history and mutual influence with other musical styles around the world, demonstrating the rich cultural interaction that occurs across geographical and cultural borders between peoples and countries.Initially, Islamic music was influenced by Persian influence, particularly in the use of complex melodies and rhythms. Conversely, Islamic music influenced the development of music in Spain during the period of Islamic rule in Andalusia, and its influence subsequently extended to Europe.Islamic music has played a significant role in influencing Western music throughout history. There were no borders separating Islamic countries; rather, they were geographically open to trade, war, occupation, movement, and influence. When they gained power, they expanded toward Europe and Andalusia, taking with them all the civilization they had gathered from ancient nations, as well as the innate creativity and innovations Islam achieved in the cultural, scientific, and artistic fields throughout the Islamic era, from east to west.