A Study of Umm Kulthum
Arabic and Islamic Tradition reflected in her songr epertory
2000 Volume 65 Issue 1 Pages 42-61
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2000 Volume 65 Issue 1 Pages 42-61
Umm Kulthum (1904?-1975) is one of the greatest Egyptian singers in the modern history of Arabic music. Even today, 25 years after her death, her songs are still gaining in popularity.
A number of famous poets and composers wrote poems and music especialy for her. Such poems were written in both literary Arabic and spoken Egyptian dialects.
Her song repertory consisted of 300 songs sung through the fifty years of her career; many of them are characteristic of the singer. Most of the masterpieces, however，“’inta ‘umri” (You are my life),“al-atlal” (The ruins), and “hadhihi laylati” (this is my night), etc.came later in her career, when she was in her 60’s.
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