layālī

music

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

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The term "lay" can refer to a song or a musical composition, often with instrumental accompaniment. It can also describe a rhythmic series of musical tones arranged to create a pleasing effect, similar to melodies or tunes.1

In the context of Islamic music, a layālī is a type of unmeasured improvised piece. In this form, the singer emphasizes the characteristics of a specific maqām (a musical mode) by vocalizing long, expressive syllables. This is similar to an instrumental improvisation called taqsim.2

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Islamic arts
Musical forms
…improvised pieces, such as the layālī, in which the singer puts forth the characteristics of the maqām, vocalizing long expressive syllables. An equivalent instrumental improvisation is called taqsīm, and this in some cases may be accompanied by a uniform pulsation, called taqsīm ʿala al-wuḥdah. The category of metrical songs embraces…
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…improvised pieces, such as the layālī, in which the singer puts forth the characteristics of the maqām, vocalizing long expressive syllables. An equivalent instrumental improvisation is called taqsīm, and this in some cases may be accompanied by a uniform pulsation, called taqsīm ʿala al-wuḥdah. The category of metrical songs embraces…
Read More