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Women of Egypt 1924-31: Pioneers of Stardom & Fame ( Umm Kulthumm, Fathiyyah Ahmed, Munira al-Mahdiyyah. ...)

Topic World Series TSCD931


Topic
Egitto

 

Compilation and text by Amira Mitchell A CD compilation of fantastic Arab women, stars of Egyptian theatre and song who recorded in the nineteen twenties and early thirties. Taken from original 78rpm recordings of the time and remastered to the highest standards, this collection features among others the legendary Umm Kulthum. Between 1890 and 1920, theatres and European-style cabarets sprang up all over Egypt. Performers flocked there from all over the Arab world and from Europe. Isadora Duncan, Pavlova and Mistinguette included Cairo in their world tours. At their peak, the most famous female Arabic women singers were earning as much, if not more, than their male counterparts. The 1920s was the heyday of this music and its recordings and these performers can be seen as having struck a blow for the emancipation of women. The Wall Street crash and the associated economic downturn marked the end of the recording industries’ boom years, leaving us a legacy of remarkable performances of immense power. Winner of The German Critics’ Award (Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik). The award was inaugurated in 1963 to set the “most rigorous standards for supreme achievement” in the field of recording.
Oum Kalthoum wasn’t the only diva on the divan... This intriguing compilation harks back to seemingly simpler times in the Middle East, when you could tell a gentleman by the angle of his fez. Many Western listeners will be aware of Oum Kalthoum, Egypt’s arch-diva who dominated Arab music through the middle years of the 20th century, and eclipsed all around her. However, when she started singing in the 1920s, there was a host(ess) of other actress/singers performing in the Cairo theatres – it’s interesting to see how she compares to the competition. The recording of her singing Al Qasabji’s ‘Qal eh ya Hilif’ is immediately recognisable and characteristically dark, but it’s some of the other artists – many of whom are now all but forgotten – who really stand out. The 20s and 30s were critical years in the development of Arab music, and this selection of songs perfectly captures that creative ferment. Badi’ah Masabni’s sashaying vaudeville is a textbook example of how some of the racier performers brought Western sounds and styles into their music, and contrasts starkly with the more traditional style of Settoutah Ezzat, or Sekinah Hassan’s stark religious fervour. Amira Mitchell’s accompanying liner notes offer a fascinating insight into the lives and times of these women, along with some delightfully evocative photos and cartoons. This is a rare CD that manages to inform, educate and entertain. Bill Badley (Songlines # 39)