Top Oud Players: Exploring the Instrument’s Global Styles

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The oud, a short-necked, fretless stringed instrument, holds a revered place in music history as the ancestor of the European lute and guitar. Its legacy spans over 5,000 years, deeply rooted in the cultures of the Middle East, Mediterranean, North Africa, and Persia. What defines mastery in oud performance extends beyond mere technical skill; it encompasses deep musicality, new ideas in composition, strong emotional expression, and a commitment to preserving and growing this ancient art form. The fretless neck, allowing for microtonal scales (quarter tones), is central to its expressive range within modal systems like Arabic maqam, Turkish makam, and the Persian dastgah.

Pioneers: Shaping the Oud’s Lasting Impact

The history of the oud is marked by virtuosos who completely changed its role and how people saw it.

  • Munir Bashir (Iraq): Often called “The King of Oud,” Bashir (1930-1997) was key in making the oud a solo concert instrument, moving it beyond its traditional group role. His playing focused on deeply personal solo improvisation (taqsim) within pure Arabic modal systems. His album Mesopotamia shows his traditional style, and he started a unique tuning that bears his name, even adding an extra string for a richer sound.
  • Farid El Atrache (Egypt/Syria): A huge Syrian-Egyptian artist (1910-1974), El Atrache was a celebrated singer, composer, actor, and oud player, known widely as the “king of oud” in his time. Over four decades, he recorded 500 songs and starred in 31 Egyptian musical films. His performances often featured the mawal, a popular Egyptian folk improvisation, and his emotional, lively style greatly shaped the Egyptian oud school.
  • Riad Al Sunbati (Egypt): A world-class Egyptian composer, singer, and oud player (1906-1981), Sunbati created over 500 pieces. He worked with Umm Kulthum more than anyone else, writing over 200 songs for her, including “Al-Atlal,” often called the “Crown of the Arab Song.” His unique taqsims are widely studied as examples in Middle Eastern music schools. He received the prestigious UNESCO International Music Prize in 1979, the first from the Middle East to do so.
  • Mansour Nariman (Iran): Known as the “father of the oud (barbat) in Iran,” Mansour Nariman (1935-2015) was a central figure in the instrument’s modern comeback in his home country. After centuries where the oud was less common in Persian classical music, Nariman worked his whole life to bring it back. He created a full method for teaching the instrument, carefully writing down and changing the complex Radif (the traditional songs of Persian classical music) for the oud. His constant work in performing, composing, and especially teaching, set the stage for a new group of Iranian oud players, making sure the instrument had its proper place in Persian musical traditions again.

Contemporary Virtuosos: Worldwide Appeal

Today’s oud masters not only respect tradition but also explore new possibilities, bringing in different music styles and making the oud popular around the world.

  • Naseer Shamma (Iraq): Recognized as one of the most famous and influential oud players globally (born 1963), Shamma combines superb skill with expressive playing. He includes European classical music influences, earning him the nickname “the little Ziryab.” A key part of his impact is founding “The Arab Oud House” in Cairo in 1999, which has since grown to many cities, helping to develop new generations of players. He has received over 70 international awards, including the 2012 International Gusi Peace Prize, and serves as a UNESCO Artist for Peace.
  • Rahim Al Haj (Iraq): Trained by Munir Bashir, Al Haj (born c. 1968) is a world-class composer who mixes traditional Iraqi maqams with modern touches. His music often talks about themes of exile and hope. His albums Friendship and When the Soul is Settled were nominated for Grammys, and he received a National Heritage Fellowship in 2015. He often works with musicians from other genres, using music to build understanding between cultures.
  • Ara Dinkjian (Armenian-American): Born in the USA (born 1958), Dinkjian’s compositions are known worldwide and played by famous artists. He started the instrumental group Night Ark and wrote the multi-platinum hit “Dinata,” used in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. His work smoothly blends ethnic folk, pop, classical, and jazz.
  • Yurdal Tokcan (Turkey): Considered one of the best Turkish oud players globally (born 1966), Tokcan easily combines older traditions with many new playing methods. His album Passion shows his amazing technical skills and clear playing in emotional improvisations.
  • Simon Shaheen (Palestinian-American): A highly skilled oud and violin player, Shaheen charms listeners with his amazing technique, melodic creativity, and unmatched grace. He expertly mixes Arab, jazz, and Western classical styles, aiming to introduce Arab music to Western audiences. His band Qantara’s album Blue Flame was nominated for 11 Grammy Awards. He received the National Heritage Award in 1994 and spends a lot of time teaching younger generations through groups and music workshops.
  • Anouar Brahem (Tunisia): A highly praised Tunisian oud player and composer (born 1957), Brahem has been important in making the oud a significant instrument in Ethno-jazz, mixing Arabic classical, folk, and jazz. His many albums with ECM Records include highly praised ones like Thimar and Blue Maqams, the latter featuring jazz legends Jack DeJohnette and Dave Holland. His album Le Voyage de Sahar won him the prestigious Edison Award.
  • Joseph Tawadros (Australian-Egyptian): An Egyptian-born Australian oud master (born 1983), Tawadros is known for his new approach and his successful mix of traditional Middle Eastern music with jazz, improvisation, and various folk styles. He has released over 20 albums and has won 8 ARIA Awards for “Best World Music Album.” In 2016, he was honored with the Member of the Order of Australia (AM).
  • Negar Bouban (Iran): A leading Iranian oud player and music expert, Negar Bouban is praised for her deep understanding of Persian classical music (Radif and dastgah) and her skill in improvisation. She has been key in the modern return of the oud (barbat) in Iran, bringing it into modern groups and looking into its potential beyond old ways. Her work often explores the deeper meaning and feelings of Persian musical traditions.
  • Hossein Behroozinia (Iran): A highly respected Iranian oud (barbat) player and composer, Hossein Behroozinia played a big part in bringing the instrument back into Iranian music schools. He is known for his unique playing style, including using all four fingers on the fretboard, and his compositions often use traditional Persian melodies. His album Koohestan is a classic in modern Persian oud music.

Schools of Oud Playing: Regional Styles

The oud’s wide use has led to different regional “schools,” each with unique playing styles and instrument types.

  • The Iraqi School: Known for its traditional and skilled style, focusing on exact notes and detailed melodic parts. Iraqi ouds have a deep, rich sound that’s also notably bright. Important players include Munir Bashir and Naseer Shamma.
  • The Egyptian School: Known for its emotional and lively sounds, this school greatly shaped modern Arab music. Egyptian ouds are usually the biggest, producing a warm, thick sound, often decorated with mother-of-pearl. Farid El Atrache and Riad Al Sunbati are classic examples.
  • The Levantine School: This school includes the music of Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, and is known for its poetic and romantic oud playing. The Levantine style uses delicate melodies and touching sounds to show deep feelings. Syrian ouds are popular, combining Turkish and Arabic sound qualities with careful craftsmanship.
  • The Turkish School: This oud school is known for strong Ottoman influences and a mix of Eastern and Western music, creating rich and complex sounds. Turkish players are highly respected for making many different sounds using varied and often complex playing methods. Turkish ouds are generally smaller and lighter than Arabic ones, making a brighter, clearer sound, and are often tuned a whole step higher, allowing for fast, detailed melodies. Yurdal Tokcan and Sherif Muhiddin Targan are well-known players from this school.
  • The Persian (Iranian) School: While the old Persian barbat is considered an ancestor of the modern oud, it was less common in Iranian classical music for centuries, with instruments like the tar and setar becoming more important. But there’s been a big comeback led by figures like Mansour Nariman. The modern Persian oud (often still called barbat) has a slightly different, more slender body, a longer neck, and a distinct sound. Persian players focus on the fine points of the dastgah modal system and often play with more melody and less rhythm, highlighting the instrument’s song-like qualities.
  • Other Variations: The Armenian Oud is similar to the Turkish oud, while the North African Kuwītra is a longer-necked, narrower-bodied type with a wider range and special tuning suited to Maghreb styles.

Defining Oud Mastery: Beyond Technique

True oud mastery goes beyond just skill, including a complete artistic vision, deep musicality, original works, emotional connection, and the ability to connect different cultures.

  • Improvisation (Taqsim/Dastgah) and Maqam/Makam Mastery: A deep control of solo improvisation within traditional modal systems is most important. This needs strong music knowledge and the natural ability to handle complex song structures and microtonal intervals. Munir Bashir shows mastery in Arabic taqsim, while Iranian players like Negar Bouban show deep understanding of the dastgah system.
  • Original Works: Many important oud players are also very active and creative composers, making the instrument’s collection of songs bigger and pushing its artistic limits. Naseer Shamma and Rahim Al Haj are known for their new works, which mix tradition with modern ideas and express deep stories. Hossein Behroozinia’s compositions have defined the modern Persian oud sound.
  • Educational Impact: A crucial, often overlooked, part of true oud mastery is the ability to teach and guide the next group of musicians. Naseer Shamma’s “The Arab Oud House,” Ramy Adly’s “School of Oud Online,” and Simon Shaheen’s music workshops show this dedication. In Iran, figures like Mansour Nariman were essential in bringing back oud teaching.
  • Cultural Ambassadors and Collaborations: Master oud players often act as cultural representatives, introducing the instrument to different audiences around the world, which helps build understanding and appreciation between cultures. Artists like George Mgrdichian, Anouar Brahem, and Joseph Tawadros have smoothly brought the oud into jazz, pop, and other global styles, showing its flexibility.

Conclusion: A Living Tradition

 

Finding the “best” oud player shows a rich collection of mastery, where each amazing artist adds something unique to the instrument’s deep history. From early innovators who made the oud a solo concert instrument to modern artists who mix its old sounds with new music, and the dedicated people who brought back the Persian barbat, the oud continues its amazing journey. The dedication of masters to teaching and their role as cultural representatives make sure its detailed knowledge and deep musical understanding are passed on. The oud’s natural ability to show deep feeling, along with its great flexibility, firmly establishes it as a timeless instrument, always making the global music world richer.