Search - Om Kalsoum :: Ana Fe Entezarak

A classic performance by a classic performer

albert_andalous | Philadelphia, PA United States | 07/06/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This piece, composed by Zakariya Ahmad, begins slowly, with little more to recommend it than a simple, though haunting, melody. At times Oum Kalthoum's vocals here seem a bit harsh, to my non-Arab sensibility. However, the song winds its way through some wonderful vocal passages. There are moments when the music wafts over the listener like incense. At the peak of the performance, the musicians seems to bend time, directing the listener's attention in a trance-like way. The interplay between Oum Kalthoum's improvisation on the composed song and the responsive small ensemble is remarkable. Meanwhile, the audience punctuates the performance with cries of enthusiasm, enhancing, rather than detracting from, the overall impact of the recording. At times, the few notes from Mohammad el-Qassabji's oud, are worth more than entire CDs by less expressive oudists. The kanun and ney are also particularly outstanding, as well."