Taqsim journey: appreciating temporal aspects in ‘Ud improvisation

Nizar Rohana is a Palestinian ud player and composer based in The Netherlands, distinguished for combining virtuosity within fresh contemporary compositions while maintaining the ud’s authentic language. In his podcast for Gaudeamus, he unravels the relationship between improvisation and composition in taqsim (Arabic improvised music), focusing on temporal aspects of taqsim and on the historical inventions by ud pioneers like Munir Bashir. Full list of musical fragments played in the podcast: 1. Riyad al-Sunbaṭi, taqsim hijaz 2. Simon Shaheen, Taqasim on the Beat 3. Nizar Rohana, taqsim nahawand 4. Salih Abd al-Hai, mawwal: adhak men al-fum 5. Muhammad al-Qasabji, taqsim nahawand 6. Muhammad al-Qasabji, taqsim bayati 7. Riyad al-Sunbati, taqsim nahawand 8. Munir Bashir, taqasim nahawand kabir 9. Nizar Rohana, Mufradat Nahawand Production: Soundtreks / Michiel van de Weerthof Curator: Jonás Bisquert www.gaudeamus.nl