OUM KALTHOUMأم كلثوم

STAR OF THE EAST

OUM KALTHOUMأم كلثوم

STAR OF THE EAST

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

In this presentation I'm going to tell In this presentation I'm going to tell you the story of a you the story of a legendary female legendary female singersinger, renowned throughout the Arab , renowned throughout the Arab World, but almost unknown in the World, but almost unknown in the Western World.Western World.

Her name was Her name was Oum KalthoumOum Kalthoum, and , and she was known as Kawkab El Sharq, she was known as Kawkab El Sharq, which means Star of the East.which means Star of the East.

She had an amazing life, which I'm She had an amazing life, which I'm going to tell you briefly about, from going to tell you briefly about, from childhood to later years.childhood to later years.

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

Her career crossed the cultural and Her career crossed the cultural and artistic life of Egypt artistic life of Egypt from the late 20's from the late 20's to the early 70'sto the early 70's..

So many years after her death, Oum So many years after her death, Oum Kalthoum is still by far the most Kalthoum is still by far the most recognizable name in Arab singing. recognizable name in Arab singing.

CHILDHOODCHILDHOOD

She soon proved to She soon proved to be a huge be a huge vocal vocal talenttalent..

When she was 12, When she was 12, her father, who was her father, who was the imam of the the imam of the local mosque, local mosque, started to bring her started to bring her along with his small along with his small musical religious musical religious groupgroup to sing at to sing at weddings and other weddings and other celebrations.celebrations.

Since he was a very Since he was a very conservative man, conservative man, he disguised her as he disguised her as a a boyboy..

YOUNG AGEYOUNG AGE

Despite this, the Despite this, the fame of her voice fame of her voice began to spread began to spread quickly.quickly.

At that time, Egypt At that time, Egypt was under was under British British colonialismcolonialism..

At 16, she was At 16, she was noticed by a famous noticed by a famous oudist (oud is a type oudist (oud is a type of lute) and by a of lute) and by a famous singer, who famous singer, who encouraged her to go encouraged her to go to to CairoCairo to expand to expand her horizons.her horizons.

MOVE TO CAIRO AND FAMEMOVE TO CAIRO AND FAME

In 1921 she saw Cairo for the first In 1921 she saw Cairo for the first time.time.

She was invited to sing at a wedding She was invited to sing at a wedding in a wealthy house, but at first they in a wealthy house, but at first they refused to let in a young girl dressed refused to let in a young girl dressed like a peasant.like a peasant.

Finally, in Finally, in 19231923, Oum Kalthoum , Oum Kalthoum moved to the capital.moved to the capital.

In the meanwhile, in 1919 Egypt In the meanwhile, in 1919 Egypt became at last free from British became at last free from British colonialism: the Declaration of colonialism: the Declaration of IndependenceIndependence was released in 1922. was released in 1922.

MOVE TO CAIRO AND FAMEMOVE TO CAIRO AND FAME

In the earlier 20's, music had become a In the earlier 20's, music had become a kind of general and massive kind of general and massive entertainment, thanks to the radio and to entertainment, thanks to the radio and to the gramophone: the gramophone: concerts were broadcastconcerts were broadcast at night, at home and in the cafes.at night, at home and in the cafes.

MOVE TO CAIRO AND FAMEMOVE TO CAIRO AND FAME

It was one of the It was one of the most extraordinarily most extraordinarily intense and vibrant intense and vibrant periods in Egyptian periods in Egyptian history.history.

Oum Kalthoum Oum Kalthoum immediately met immediately met great great successsuccess, but , but she needed further she needed further musical and literary musical and literary studies.studies.

For this reason, For this reason, she started taking she started taking classical singingclassical singing lessons, and lessons, and studying poetry.studying poetry.

MOVE TO CAIRO AND FAMEMOVE TO CAIRO AND FAME

In 1925 she was introduced to the In 1925 she was introduced to the great great poetpoet Ahmed RamiAhmed Rami, who wrote , who wrote 137 songs for her, and is the main 137 songs for her, and is the main character of the novel "I Loved You for character of the novel "I Loved You for Your Voice", by Selim Nassib.Your Voice", by Selim Nassib.

In the novel, largely biographical, we In the novel, largely biographical, we find out the poet loved her for 30 find out the poet loved her for 30 years of unreturned love.years of unreturned love.

THE “GOLDEN AGE”THE “GOLDEN AGE”In the 30's, her repertoire took a In the 30's, her repertoire took a specific direction: it was virtuosic, due specific direction: it was virtuosic, due to her to her powerful voicepowerful voice, and close to the , and close to the romantic and modern tastes of the romantic and modern tastes of the popular culture of the times.popular culture of the times.

But in the 40's her style underwent a But in the 40's her style underwent a dramatic turn in favor of specifically dramatic turn in favor of specifically Egyptian musical traditionsEgyptian musical traditions..

The use of The use of poetrypoetry and of the Egyptian and of the Egyptian dialectdialect, and her so typically powerful , and her so typically powerful voice touched for many decades the voice touched for many decades the deep heart of Egypt, causing in her deep heart of Egypt, causing in her audience an unbelievable emotional audience an unbelievable emotional involvement.involvement.

THE “GOLDEN AGE”THE “GOLDEN AGE”

During her concerts, During her concerts, which lasted up to which lasted up to six hourssix hours, the , the audience was so audience was so involved, that it involved, that it became, as a matter became, as a matter of fact, part of the of fact, part of the concert.concert.

For her, the direct For her, the direct relationship with relationship with the audience was the audience was critical: it was like critical: it was like an ongoing an ongoing dialogue, and a dialogue, and a continuous continuous improvisationimprovisation..

THE “GOLDEN AGE”THE “GOLDEN AGE”Her concerts resembled a collective Her concerts resembled a collective ecstatic ritualecstatic ritual: people cried, laughed, : people cried, laughed, rejoiced.rejoiced.

Her voice emitted 14,000 vibrations Her voice emitted 14,000 vibrations (frequency), while a normal voice is (frequency), while a normal voice is about 4,000, and had an extension of about 4,000, and had an extension of six octavessix octaves..

THE “GOLDEN AGE”THE “GOLDEN AGE”

She sang far from the microphone, She sang far from the microphone, holding in her left hand her famous holding in her left hand her famous silksilk handkerchiefhandkerchief..

The length of her songs ranged from The length of her songs ranged from 45 minutes to 45 minutes to two hourstwo hours and a half. and a half.

Her orchestra was made of 18 Her orchestra was made of 18 instruments or more: violins, cellos, instruments or more: violins, cellos, guitars, accordion, oud, tabla, and guitars, accordion, oud, tabla, and qanun.qanun.

LATER YEARSLATER YEARS

In 1952 a military In 1952 a military coup brought coup brought Gamal Gamal AbdelAbdel NasserNasser to power. to power.

The new leader The new leader called Thuma (her called Thuma (her nickname) and told nickname) and told her: "I wish you her: "I wish you resume your resume your career: you are the career: you are the link that unites all link that unites all Egyptians. Millions Egyptians. Millions are in need of your are in need of your voice ... ".voice ... ".

And she did And she did supportsupport the president from the the president from the beginning till the end beginning till the end of his government, of his government, throughout the whole throughout the whole Arab world and Arab world and outside.outside.

LATER YEARSLATER YEARS

When in When in 19561956 Egypt suffered severe Egypt suffered severe losses from the war waged by Israel, losses from the war waged by Israel, France and UK, and in France and UK, and in 19671967 suffered suffered another crushing defeat by another crushing defeat by IsraelIsrael, she , she gave her contribution in raising funds gave her contribution in raising funds for the reconstruction.for the reconstruction.

In the same year she was in Paris for In the same year she was in Paris for two concerts at the two concerts at the OlympiaOlympia music music hall: she received 100,000 Francs for hall: she received 100,000 Francs for each night of performance, the highest each night of performance, the highest wage in the history of this music hall, wage in the history of this music hall, and gave it all for the cause of and gave it all for the cause of reconstruction.reconstruction.

LATER YEARSLATER YEARS

The The health problemshealth problems which plagued which plagued Oum Kalthum throughout much of her Oum Kalthum throughout much of her adult life worsened as she aged.adult life worsened as she aged.

Her eyes became hypersensitive to Her eyes became hypersensitive to light, and in her later years she wore light, and in her later years she wore dark glassesdark glasses almost all the time. almost all the time.

She died of heart She died of heart failure in failure in 19751975..

LATER YEARSLATER YEARS

The crowds of ordinary The crowds of ordinary Egyptians who followed Egyptians who followed the the funeralsfunerals far far exceeded the number exceeded the number anticipated.anticipated.

Millions of Egyptian Millions of Egyptian mourners (the mourners (the queue extended for queue extended for 10 kilometers10 kilometers) took ) took the body from the the body from the shoulders of its shoulders of its official bearers and official bearers and bore it themselves bore it themselves by turns, carrying it by turns, carrying it for three hours for three hours through the streets through the streets of Cairo.of Cairo.

ALF LEILA WA LEILAALF LEILA WA LEILA

After this “mute” description, I'd like to After this “mute” description, I'd like to give you a touch of the magic of her give you a touch of the magic of her voice: here is a short excerpt from one voice: here is a short excerpt from one of her most famous songs, of her most famous songs, Alf Leila Wa Alf Leila Wa LeilaLeila (One Thousand and One Nights) (One Thousand and One Nights)..