By Jennifer L

Music and dance interpretation of classical egyptian music

My head is swirling with Egyptian music at the moment, especially the ones once sung by the legendary Egyptian singer, Oum Kalthoum.

Enta Omri became my choice of a new veil dance for my Bracklesham and Witterings class. Composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab in 1964, Enta Omri means You are My Life. The song comprises predominantly the melodic sound of Oud, a pear shaped stringed instrument commonly used in Middle Eastern music.

One translation I derived online is that Enta Omri a song about a new found love which have make life worth living.

‘I started now only, to love my life

I started now to fear, to fear that life would run’

There are many musical interpretation of Enta Omri, my favourite is in Hossam Ramzy’s The Best of Om Kolthoum

and Julia Acerbo beautiful dance interpretation of Enta Omri

The other music I have heard for quite a while and not know that it’s an Oum Kalthoum classic is 1001 nights, Alf Leila Wa Leila

It was composed by Egyptian composer, Baligh Hamdi in 1969. The instruments in this music comprises of tradition Middle Eastern instruments; ney, oud, qanoun, tabla, sagat and European instruments; violin and accordion. Though it’s a love song, this beautiful song resonate the folkloric tales as told by the wise and beautiful Scheherazade in Arabian Nights.

Here is another dance interpretation of Alf Leyla Wa Leyla, performed by renowned belly dancer, Aziza

And musical interpretation of One Thousand & One Nights (Alf Leyla We Leyla) by Said Mrad.