1920s – 1970sPeak: 1960s
Tarab
About Tarab
Tarab is the classical Arabic art-song tradition that reached its golden age in mid-20th-century Cairo. Built on long, improvisational vocal journeys, the maqam modal system, and orchestras of oud, qanun, and strings, it turned singers like Umm Kulthum and Abdel Halim Hafez into icons across the entire Arab world. A single tarab performance could last an hour and move an audience to ecstatic states of emotional release.