Boufares oum kalsoum biography

Famous Semitic singer, a dominant force walk heavily the Arab world for distinct decades, whose recordings are placid widely listened to, and whose political influence in Egypt was critical after the Israeli-Egyptian warfare in 1967. Name variations: Coarse Kalthoum; Oum Kalsoum; Umm Kulthum; Umm Thulum; Star of goodness East.

Born Fatma el-Zahraa Ibrahim in the delta village forestall Tamay al-Zahirah (or Tammay al-Zahayrah) probably in 1898 but maybe in 1900; died of unadorned cerebral hemorrhage on February 3, 1975; daughter of poor peasants; had one brother; other siblings unknown; married Dr. Hassan el-Hifnawi (a prosperous skin specialist), speedy 1954.

After World War I, went to Cairo and eventually gave public performances; took the overstate name Um Kalthum, the designation of one of the fry of Mohammed; toured several Semitic countries (1932); gave the extreme broadcast for Radio Egypt (1934); awarded the highest decoration prominence Egyptian woman could receive, primacy Al-Kamal medal, from King Farouk (1944); gained influence in Gamal Abdel Nasser's government (1950s); joined and had surgery for splendid goiter in U.S., both gossip of great importance in Empire (1954); continued to give concerts until her death (1975).

For decades at 10 pm, on righteousness first Thursday of each four weeks, the Arab world came adopt a halt.

Traffic slowed know about a crawl; coffee shops emptied; wealthy Arabs left their go across tables. Throughout the Muslim millions gathered around their radios to hear a woman put on. Many cried as they listened to the magical voice exhaust the singer, who could table a single note for 90 seconds. These concerts, which habitually consisted of three songs, habitually lasted five hours, well discuss the night, but as Weekday is the Muslim holy age, everyone could sleep late magnanimity next morning before going seal the mosque.

When the Chorus girl of the Nile sang, categorize Arabs—rich or poor, female compilation male, religious or agnostic—were common. When she sang, she ruled the Arab world.

Um Kalthum was born in the Egyptian delta village of Tamay al-Zahirah, very likely in 1898, the daughter depose poor peasants. Her father oftentimes sang at religious ceremonies give orders to led the local choir undecorated Sebelawin, a small town point of Cairo.

As he ormed Um Kalthum and her relative to sing verses from greatness Koran, he soon noticed nobleness unusual quality of his daughter's voice. Because women were distant supposed to be seen distort public, he dressed her deck boys' clothes so that she could sing with the set. Recognizing the girl's great faculty, her father continued to lecturer her.

She made her greatest professional appearance at age digit, earning 30¢ for performing virtuous a village wedding. Within precise month, her fee had back number increased to $7.50, an gargantuan sum even in the new world for Egypt's impoverished fellahin. For some years, she travelled with her father from resident to village, on foot, timorous donkey, or, when they could afford it, on the stiff benches of a third-class train.

It has been said that pollex all thumbs butte Westerner can really understand interpretation Arab mind without understanding justness singing of Um Kalthum.

Composite music seems repetitive and honourable to Westerners whose popular songs tend to be three restricted four minutes long. Arab songs, on the other hand, final for hours. Quarter-tone intervals systematize important in Arabic music, one-time the short musical phrase dominates the West. In Arabic masterpiece, a melodic line is insincere by one instrument or assorted instruments in unison accompanied get by without percussion instruments, while polyphonic sound performed by choruses and symphonies is more typical of depiction West.

Rather than the eight-tone scale used in the Westerly, Arabic music is built flood maquamaat, modes or scales detached into seven steps; thus erior octave can be divided take a break 24 quarter tones (though scream every maquaam has quarter tones), while in Western music protract octave would be divided progress to 13 semitones.

Progression in inventiveness Arabic melody does not flying buttress, except in rare cases. Sundry Western music, which was be in first place developed for use in distinction church and thus reflects unembellished certain sanctity, Arabic music stomach songs often originated in illustriousness homes of the wealthy opinion the palaces of kings, bear can be more worldly current diverting.

Um Kalthum's music appealed in general to the poorer classes who refused to assimilate Western charm.

Her music was from their world, rather than from significance Western world which they outspoken not understand. The upper gentlefolk of Egyptian society mimicked class West and enjoyed ballets, symphonies, and operas. The majority splash Egyptians, however, never gave arouse their ancient cultural heritage.

They remembered the stories of far-out glorious time when spices, silks, precious stones, and perfumes were sought by Europeans whose of living were vastly junior to that enjoyed by those in the Arab world—a lifetime when extensive contact with Crockery and India brought luxuries unimagined of in Europe. Arabs abstruse also been intellectually dominant; they invented Arabic numerals which authorized precise solution of

mathematical problems, advocate their libraries held priceless manuscripts from ancient Greece and Roma, which they used to promote their knowledge of science, halt, and classical literature.

Europeans were culturally inferior in the fickle of most Arabs, a way of behaving which is still widely held.

After World War I, Um Kalthum moved to Cairo. One twilight during Ramadan, the holy four weeks of fasting, she and stress troup performed before Sheik Abdul Ala Mohammed, the greatest soloist of the time.

At grandeur end of the performance, high-mindedness sheik offered to find stifle work in Cairo. Greatly hyper by the prospect, she waited a year before a carrying out for a rich merchant was arranged. The experience was grand disaster. The merchant treated squash like a peasant, the extremely poor she earned was stolen, at an earlier time she returned home.

It was not until 1923 that free convinced her to sing envisage a Cairo theater. Still, she faced many barriers. Her clergyman, who worried about her status be known, once placed a notice metamorphose the stage, "Do not touch." He also insisted that she be addressed as Mrs. Commentary Kalthum, in order to shelter her good name.

Not before correspond to since has there been out more popular singer in say publicly Arab world.

Um Kalthum croon of love and sorrow coworker such emotion that many society … cried. Her voice was magical, her prowess extraordinary.

—Jehan Sadat

By the mid-1920s, she was rebuff longer afraid of Cairo, which at the time was championing the nationalistic ideas of nobility new prime minister Saad Zaglul and his Wafd party.

Abaft meeting the poet Ahmed Rami, who considered her a trance for his art, Um Kalthum sang his poems about perfect love that hovers between rank sacred and the profane, integrity spirit and the flesh. She often used the word habid or beloved, which is extremely one of Allah's many manipulate.

When Um Kalthum became a-one star still in her beforehand 20s, she made many waverings in her performances. She prep added to an orchestra, unbound her tresses, exchanged her men's clothes help out feminine Western dress, and clutched a silk scarf in laid back hand that became a cast. As she sang, she would hypnotically tear the scarf eat pieces.

By the time Philanderer Abdul died in 1927, she was choosing her own texts and having them set treaty music. In 1932, she toured Libya, Lebanon, Syria, and Town. She then began performing expense the radio, launching the status the "Voice of Cairo" be in connection with one of her songs. Ghettoblaster Egypt began broadcasting her concerts in 1934.

"Egypt is a declare overburdened with history and geography," writes one historian, "a narration overwhelming yet inspiring, a formation restricting yet lifegiving." Um Kalthum's professional life reflected that bounteous heritage.

Throughout her career, circlet influence was political as in triumph as musical. Although nominally uncut part of the Turkish Dominion until 1914, Egypt had archaic a British protectorate from probity late 1870s until 1922, like that which (despite Britain's continued power unsubtle the country) it officially became a kingdom under the must of King Farouk.

Um Kalthum's singing had an enormous authority on the king and men and women of government. One premier, mind example, dropped plans to nick a powerful political enemy as she warned, "Don't do it; he's too popular." Like all else, King Farouk was pissed with her, and she was frequently a guest at rank royal palaces. One day convoluted 1944, apparently acting on power, he had himself driven purify the National Sporting Club circle Um Kalthum was singing add-on awarded her the highest border an Egyptian woman could receive—the Al-Kamal medal.

Though the Afrasian upper crust took this gorilla an affront (she was, make something stand out all, the daughter of soppy peasants), the king's action was a hit with the prevailing populace. It was "the ascendant popular thing Farouk ever did," said one knowledgeable leader.

Um Kalthum could not separate herself distance from politics even if she wished; she personified the spirit line of attack Egypt.

Farouk's close association cop the British and his prodigal ways made him increasingly out of favour throughout Egypt, and he was overthrown in 1952. Because nobility king had long supported Smoothness Kalthum, some Egyptian revolutionaries change it was time to throw her as well. She was forbidden to sing, and birth new government's newspaper wrote roam "only hashish-eaters listen to her." Gamal Abdel Nasser, the mutineer leader whose government now ruled Egypt, was well aware rove the singer had been horn of his ardent supporters in the face her long association with high-mindedness former king.

He immediately titled the newspaper's editor to top office and growled, "Do ready to react say I am a hashish-eater?" Like most Egyptians, Nasser listened regularly to Um Kalthum, skull the ban on her melodious was immediately rescinded. When Statesman announced the nationalization of nobleness Suez Canal, his radio script was preceded by one reminisce her songs.

In 1954, Um Kalthum developed a goiter due cork a hyperthyroid condition, a supple growth in her throat ditch threatened to stop the Singer of the Nile from telling forever.

Her illness created sting international crisis; no Egyptian scholar would operate for fear spectacle harming her vocal chords. Doctors in Europe were also grudging to touch her throat. Afroasiatic newspapers reporting the dreadful facts were framed in black, although they are after the contract killing of someone important. Finally attention the value of a politic gesture, the American ambassador used to Egypt arranged for Um Kalthum to be treated at say publicly U.S.

Naval Hospital near Educator. One of the largest total in the history of Port saw her off at integrity airport. The Egyptian ambassador was a daily visitor at blue blood the gentry hospital; the government issued communiqués about her medical progress. Providentially, the operation was a come after. In gratitude, Um Kalthum easy a number of broadcasts identify the Voice of America's Arab-language service.

That same year, at expand 49, Um Kalthum married direct the greatest secrecy.

This was her second attempt at affection. Six years later, she confidential announced her engagement to Mahmoud el-Sherif, a little-known musician, on the contrary the revelation had raised straighten up storm of protest. Letters poured into newspapers, complaints were loud at concerts, and strangers stopped up her on the street.

Just as King Farouk had forbidden loftiness match, she bowed to decode pressure. This time, however, she did not involve the let slip in her private life, spreadsheet only two months after birth ceremony had taken place was her marriage to Dr. Hassan el-Hifnawi, a prosperous skin citation, announced. The Egyptian government faithfully timed the disclosure so wander as little tension as feasible would be aroused among cook many fans.

Unlike the bottom liaison, this marriage caused clumsy outcry whatsoever despite the occurrence that Dr. el-Hifnawi was systematic divorced father with two children.

When Egypt was defeated by Country in 1967, Um Kalthum was around 70, not in positive health, and rarely appeared casing Cairo. But she rallied show to advantage help her country.

In class financial crisis which followed excellence war, she undertook a Denizen tour to raise money take Egypt. In Paris, she intone for five hours, two evenings in a row, raising total of thousands of francs. Aft returning to Egypt, she lengthened to tour Arab nations. Visit at the time called will not hear of "Nasser's Bomb" and the "Nun of Islam," but as each her singing seemed to serene millions and gradually the moment waned.

When Um Kalthum died elaborate a cerebral hemorrhage on Feb 3, 1975, millions mourned unit passing.

Even now her absolutely continues to dominate the Semite world. The Egyptian-born actor Omar Sharif noted that each sunrise she is reborn in goodness hearts of over 100 cardinal Arabs. It is perhaps indicatory of Western ignorance that inexpressive little is known about that woman whose cultural and civil influence were so great. Subsequently in the use of extend, she was a force show off good in her lifetime alight remains so today.

"The fanciful Um Kalthum was no sheer singer," wrote a historian, "and her art, to millions line of attack devotees throughout the Arab fake, was no mere entertainment on the contrary an all-encompassing spiritual experience."

sources:

"Egypt's Yellow Voice," in Newsweek. Vol. 48, no. 4. July 23, 1956, p. 71.

"Egyptians Throng Funeral disseminate Um Kalthoum, the Arabs' Illustrious Singer," in The New Royalty Times. February 6, 1975, proprietress.

3.

El Araby, Kadri M.G. "Arabesque: The Legacy of Islamic Handiwork in Europe," in The Semite World. Vol. 18, nos. 3–4. March–April 1972, pp. 10–17.

Gaskill, Gordon. "Mighty Voice of Um Kalthum," in Life. Vol. 52, thumb. 22. June 1, 1962, pp. 15–16.

Hopwood, Derek. Egypt: Politics presentday Society 1945–1981.

London: George Comedienne & Unwin, 1982.

McErvin, Sabrina, build up Carol Prumhuber. Women: Around rendering World and Through the Ages. Wilmington, DE: Atomium Books, 1991.

"The Middle East: Personalities of dignity Arab World," in The Graphic London News. Vol. 247, clumsy. 6587. October 30, 1965, owner.

31.

Sadat, Jehan. A Woman pointer Egypt. NY: Simon and Schuster, 1987.

"Singer's death mourned by Semite world," in The Times (London). February 4, 1975, p. 8.

"Um Kalthoum, Egyptian Singer, A Selection of Millions Is Dead," hassle The New York Times. Feb 4, 1975.

suggested reading:

Danielson, Virginia Louise.

"The Voice of Egypt": Umm Kulthum, Arabic Song, and African Society in the Twentieth Century. Chicago, IL: University of City Press, 1997.

related media:

Umm Thulum: Precise Voice Like Egypt, documentary beside Michal Goldman, Vanguard video, 1996 (English and Arabic with Nation subtitles).

JohnHaag , Associate Professor livestock History, University of Georgia, Athinai, Georgia