On and From Tarab

There is no word in English that accurately translates the word Tarab from Arabic to English, which makes it very difficult to define. Tarab is used in Arab culture to describe the emotional effect of music, but it is also associated with a traditional form of art-music. The word ‘Tarab' refers to an older repertoire, which is rooted in the pre World War I musical practice of Egypt and the East-Mediterranean Arab world and is directly associated with emotional evocation. Tarab sessions are known to last hours where both enchantment and ecstasy play an important role within the Tarab performance.