Wednesday, Dec 24, 2008
Gulf News
Dubai: Farida Mohammad Ali is often called Iraq's Um Kalthoum.
Her presence on stage is so powerful, that one cannot help but remember giants in the field of Arab singing, such as Nadhum Al Gazal, Um Kalthum, and Abdul Wahab, among others.
Farida, whose name in Arabic means 'unique', sings a type of Arabic music structure called maqam, which is difficult to perform. Few female singers have tried to make it in this musical style.
But Farida, who was born in the Iraqi city of Karbala in 1963, and graduated and taught at the Iraqi conservatory, has excelled in this form of music.
Al Maqam Al Iraqi is a 400-year-old form of Arab music found in Iraq and often considered the most perfect form of composition.
A complete maqam concert is known as fasl - chapter - and is named after the first maqam: bayat, hijaz, rast, nawa, or husayni.
Instruments
The ensemble instrumentation used in the Iraqi maqam, or Al Chalghi Al Baghdad, includes a qari' - reader of maqam (singer), three santur players (hammered dulcimers), juzah (spike fiddle), tablah or dunbak (goblet drum), and sometimes riqq (tambourine). The zuhayri is usually the sung poem.
The Al Chalghi Al Baghdad, which accompanies the maqam reader acquired its name from Turkey, as Iraq was under Ottoman rule for a very long time.
Maqam is also considered Iraq's traditional and classical music. Mainly performed in Baghdad, Mosul and Kerkuk, it is also known in Kerbala, Hilla and Diyala.
A maqam singer is usually called a reader and not a singer because of the prestigious place they hold in this art form.
Farida is also the core and backbone of the Iraqi Maqam Ensemble, a group established in 1989 in Baghdad by Mohammad Gumar.
It was formed as a continuation of The Iraqi Musical Heritage Group which was initiated in 1973 by the prominent Iraqi musician Munir Bashir.
Farida and her group have worked to revive maqam and other types of Iraqi musical heritage, spreading the country's musical culture through festivals and musical gatherings all around the world.
Talking to Gulf News, the Iraqi Maqam Ensemble's founder, Mohammad Gumar said Farida and the group were honoured to be performing in Dubai, after being invited by the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation.
Gumar said this would be the group's first time performance in Dubai, but their second in the UAE as Farida and the Iraqi Maqam Ensemble performed last May in Abu Dhabi.
Farida told Gulf News she was very happy to be performing in Dubai.
Mohammad Gumar said the maqam ensemble were well accomplished at interacting with Farida's performance.
He said the musicians in the group were fully acquainted with the minute technicalities of their instrument and the way it suits the required performance of maqam and pesteh or popular song.
Mohammad added that all the group's members had exceptional voices, as they are required to sing and play their musical instruments.
Concert
The Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation will host Farida Mohammad Ali in concert tomorrow.
The performance by the 'Lady of the Iraqi Maqam' with the Iraqi Maqam Ensemble will conclude the Al Owais Foundation cultural season for 2008.
The event is also considered one of the highlights of the cultural events held this year by the organisers.
Farida will perform and sing as she learnt her techniques from great masters of music such as Munir Bashir, Shaoubi Ebrahim and Yousef Omar.
Farida won the title of 'Lady of Maqam' for her talent and ability in performing twenty different Iraqi maqams.
She has followed the path of renowned Iraqi artists such as Mohammad Al Qabbanji, Nadhum Al-Ghazali and Yousef Omar, and Iraqi female pioneer stars such as Salima Murad, Zuhour Hussain, Sadiqa Al Mallaya and Mae'da Nazhat.
Farida has performed in Arab and foreign countries, winning several prizes and recognition awards.
Al Maqamm Al Iraqi: Perfect form of composition
Al Maqam Al Iraqi is a 400-year-old form of Arab music and often considered the most perfect form of composition.
A complete maqam concert is known as fasl - chapter - and is named after the first maqam: bayat, hijaz, rast, nawa, or husayni.
The ensemble instrumentation used in the Iraqi maqam, or "Al Chalghi Al Baghdadi", includes a qari' - reader of maqam (singer), three santur players (hammered dulcimers), juzah (spike fiddle), tablah or dunbak (goblet drum), and sometimes riqq (tambourine). The zuhayri is usually the sung poem.
The (Al Chaalghi Al Baghdadi) which accompanies the maqam reader acquired its name from Turkey, as Iraq was under Ottoman rule for a very long time.
Maqam is also considered Iraq's traditional and classical music. Mainly performed in Baghdad, Mosul and Kirkuk, it is also known in Karbala, Hilla and Diyala.
About the concert
- When: 9pm, December 25
- Where: Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation premises, Rigga Street, Deira, Dubai
- Entry: Free
- Contact number: 04-2243111
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