In this addition to the distinguished Garland Encyclopedia of World Music series, specialists present the major musical traditions of North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia, together with personal accounts of performers, composers, teachers and ceremonies.

Audio Examples, Maps, About The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Preface, Guide to Transliteration and Pronunciation, Contributing Authors, Part 1: Introduction to the Musics of the Region, Part 2: Understanding Musics of the Middle East: Issues and Processes, Section 1: Theory, Composition, and Performance, Section 2: Music in Religious Expression, Section 3: Popular Music and the Media, Section 4: Gender and Music, Section 5: Learning and Transmission, Section 6:Historical Roots, Part 3: Music Cultures and Regions, Section 1: North Africa: The Maghrib, Section 2: The Eastern Arab World: The Mashriq, Section 3: The Arabian Peninsula, Section 4: Armenia, Section 5: Kurdistan, Section 6: Turkey, Section 7: Iran, Section 8: Central Asia, Section 9: Israel, Glossary, A Guide to Publications on Middle Eastern Music, A Guide to Recordings of Middle Eastern Music, A Guide to Films and Videos of Middle Eastern Music, Notes on the Audio Examples, Index