An overview of classical/art musics from two regions of the Middle East - the Arab world and Turkey. These two historically connected musical traditions flourished in the time of the Ottoman Empire. The episode begins with a discussion of the term "Middle East", and features a number of examples of Arab and Turkish classical musics, including the instrumental form "Semai", the poetic song form "Muwashah", and the modal improvisation known as "Taksim / Taqasim".