Describe and discuss the performance of “Batal al-Bab” as it is performed by vocal soloists Salah Ba’bad and Khula al Siyabia with ‘ud soloist Salim Magrashi

What will be an ideal response?

• Complementary male and female soloists and choruses
• The piece is strophic
• "The instrumental introduction is roughly the same as the instrumental interludes, although different instrument are featured during each interlude. . ."
• "While the lush violins, the chimes, and the synthesizer suggest that this recording is . . . world pop, the incredible plosive plucking technique of Salim Maqrashi's ‘ud playing defines it as music from the Gulf. . . . [It is] the Salalah-based bar'a style."
• The bar‘a rhythm can be counted in 2/4 (1+2+1+2+) or a quick 4/4 (12341234). Let's count it in two: 2/4 (1+2+1+2+).
• "Since the rhythmic pattern is chugging along in 2 (1+2+1+2+), but the lines of poetry are sung in groups of 10 beats, the beginning of each line falls alternately on a different beat of the bar‘a rhythmic pattern (Transcription 10.9).