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Sample Track 1:
"Ya Bahgat er-Roh" from The Songs of Sayyed Darweesh: Soul of a People (Xauen Music)
Sample Track 2:
"Bint el-Youm" from The Songs of Sayyed Darweesh: Soul of a People (Xauen Music)
Buy Recording:
The Songs of Sayyed Darweesh: Soul of a People (Xauen Music)
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CD Review

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Pitchfork.com, CD Review >>

Chicago Classical Oriental Ensemble
The Songs of Sheikh Sayyed Darweesh:
 "Soul of a People"[Xauen]

Sheikh Sayyed Darweesh was an Egyptian composer who lived just 31 years in the early 20th century, and he is credited with creating a populist style of Arab music that spoke to the desires of the people and made songs more accessible for ordinary people. He was a leader of the pro-independence movement in the waning days of British colonialism, ironic as he was the one who introduced Western polyphony to Egyptian music. Today, his "Biladi, Biladi" ("My Homeland, My Homeland") is the national anthem of Egypt, and he holds a rightfully honored place in Egyptian society, in spite of his premature death from a drug overdose in 1923. This is a modern recording of some of his best-loved songs, and this music has the epic sweep and pentatonic melodies that most Westerners have filed in their mental codices as "oriental." The man was a powerful songwriter: How's "I swooned, and that was the end of me" for an opening line? This is a great disc, but I have to say that I'd give a lot for a compilation of Darweesh's original 78s. 05/30/06 >> go there
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