An Arabesque is a type of music which uses melodies to create the atmosphere of Arabic architecture. The term and themes are borrowed from the art term arabesque, rather than stemming from Arabic music. It is a highly ornamented style. The name has origins in the middle of the seventeenth century, it is derived from the Italian word ‘arabesco’ which is translated to ‘in Arabic Style’, from the noun ‘Arabo’. The French translation became ‘arabesque’, and this term peaked in popularity in the middle of the nineteenth century.
Western interpretations of the Arabic style was characterised by Islamic art, and then implemented in the musical sphere. The art form entails rhythmic linear and intricate geometric patterns to decorate motifs which consists of foliage, fruits or tree leaves. These patterns were found within Islamic architecture, in mosques and palaces. These lines found within nature and Islamic art are mirrored within the melodies of arabesque music, described as “highly ornamental”.
The arabesque emerged in the West as a part of the Classical Movement in music. The Classical Movement was defined by the return to classical forms of art from Greece and Rome, and in this case, Arab classical culture. It drew on the simplicity of the art and architecture to “avoid extravagant excess” in the music. Despite returns to classical simplicity, the arabesque is a decorative piece with ornamentation.
It uses three compositional devices. The decoration of a theme using counterpoint; the use of ‘grupetti’ (turns) to decorate themes; and harmonies that rapidly change without rushing the piece forward. These devices create the effect of ‘Frozen Music’.
Lots of famous composers who composed pieces in the arabesque style, like Claude Debussy, were influenced by visual arts and culture. Debussy composed his arabesques with French salon culture in mind. The French salon was interested in the ‘other’ including elements of Arabic culture; the arabesque performed in the salon was a product of this interest. Debussy’s circle was heavily influenced by the arabesque in literature and visual arts. The peak of popularity for composing arabesques in the late 1800s demonstrates this. The arabesque, however, was not seen at the time as the most sincere form of musical expression; German poet Schlegel referred to the arabesque as “not a work of high rank”.
