Fabricating the National Musical Imaginary
in 20th Century Egypt
Oxford Maqam Big Band concerts presented a selection of Egyptian film classics from the 1950s and 1960s with recreations of the original jazz orchestrations by Andrea Rider, Ali Ismail and Kamal al-Tawil for a 16 piece takht (traditional Arabic ensemble, vocalists, oud, qanun, violin, riqq) plus the jazz big band.
The originals have long since been lost, and contemporary performances in the Arab world have effectively turned these into classical music, lacking the Latin and jazz sounds of that particular era.
Or they have simply been forgotten.
As well as being an incredibly rare opportunity to hear this music performed live and from such gifted musicians, these concerts also remind us of the progressive feel of songs of Abd al-Halim Hafiz, Shadia and others too often thought of today, simply, as ‘tradition’.
The originals have long since been lost, and contemporary performances in the Arab world have effectively turned these into classical music, lacking the Latin and jazz sounds of that particular era.
Or they have simply been forgotten.
As well as being an incredibly rare opportunity to hear this music performed live and from such gifted musicians, these concerts also remind us of the progressive feel of songs of Abd al-Halim Hafiz, Shadia and others too often thought of today, simply, as ‘tradition’.
King’s Philharmonic,
conducted by Bertram Yap & Raymond Hung
with Oxford Maqam & Heavy Shift
Arrangements: Peter Lam (Lahn al-Wafa), Rina Akahane (Ahwak), Brian Chui and Martin Stokes
(Majnun Layla), Martin Stokes (Tekhounouh, Beyni wa Beynak Eih).
Notations of these arrangements to be made available for public use via this website.
Thanks to: The Music Department at KCL, the KCL Big Band, Joe Fort and the Chapel Choir, poster designer Omar Sherif and, most especially, to the organization machine, Brian Chui.
The vocalists:
Tarik Bashir as Abd al-Halim Hafiz (and others)
Yara Salahiddeen as Shadia (and others)
The instrumentalists:
1st violins
Emmerlyn Ong (leader)
Althea Goldsbrough
Chau Yin Chan
Anna Rodrigues
2nd violins
Rina Akahane
Marisol Hillier
Giles Lewin
Violas
Sophie Frankford
Wai Bun Chain
Isabella Basset
Cellos
Will Langstone
Dominic Veall
Bass
Oli Steadman
Flute
Kitty Bao
Oboe
Elizabeth Bunday
Clarinet
Claudia Baum
Saxophones
Rosie Goodall
Claudia Baum
Daniel Woodfield
Matthew O’Keefe
Horn
Billy Marshall
Trumpets
Josie Ashdown
Jonathan Huff
Tom Hodgson
Trombone
Todd Harris
Euphonium
Dan Flew
Piano
William South
Chorus
Lucy Baxandall
Joe Fort
Rosie Goodall
Todd Harris
Alexander Jasper
Matthew O’Keefe
Ruth Lovett
Takht
Wael Abu-Bakr Violin
Giles Lewin Violin
Tarik Bashir Oud and voice
Yara Salahiddeen Voice and percussion
Martin Stokes Qanun
Farouk al-Safi Riqq