Shaping tradition in Arabic song: The career and repertory of Umm Kulthum

This dissertation attempts to account for the phenomenal popularity of Umm Kulthum (1904?-1975), considered the most famous singer in the Arab world, whose repertory came to be viewed as a model of modern, yet authentically Egyptian Arabic musical expression. Rather than emphasize the talent of an exceptional individual, attention is focused upon Umm Kulthum's repertory, which is treated as the widely shared cultural property it became through her extensive use of mass media. The repertory and the criticism which accompanied it are examined in light of other existing forms of Egyptian Arabic musical expression and of contemporary social and economic circumstances with the aim of distilling relevant musical concepts, categories and aesthetic principles which appealed to so large an audience for so many years.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Music

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Danielson, Virginia Louise

Contributors dc:contributor

• Ringer, Alexander L.

• Biography
• Anthropology, Cultural
• History, Middle Eastern
• Music

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1991 Danielson, Virginia Louise

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9124403
(UMI)AAI9124403

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/22525