Umm Kulthum: Annotated Bibliography

Umm Kulthum is an Egyptian woman who was born in a conservative family. Her father took a formal training on the standards of Islam and was teaching people how to recite the Qur’an. She was born in an era where women were not able to participate much in life and singing was not common for females. She started singing in boys’ clothes to help her needy family. After the beauty of her voice was discovered, she sang in small music halls and private sections of the homes of the elites wearing long-sleeve traditional dresses that obey the Islamic rules.
Some people compare Umm Kulthum with Egypt pyramids, which is a sign for her strength and popularity among all Egyptians. Others call her the lady since she was recognized as the greatest female singer. She was also recognized as the greatest Arab singer after her death. She became very well-known and her name spread all over the Arab countries. She sang in Syria, Morocco and even Paris. She was given the honor of giving live-radio-broadcast concerts of the first Thursday of every month. This practice was continued with recordings even after her death. Streets were emptied and seats in front of the radio were filled before the time of her live concert on Thursday. Her songs remind people with their old stories, …show more content…
Her strong voice was able to attract people from the beginning of her path. Her father taught her how to recite Qur’an, which was the reason for her voice to be clear and understandable. She then formed an orchestra and added oud and strings to it. She used an Arabic system called Maqamat to set the music. She had the ability to connect the words with musical improvisation to give her audiences the sense of the song. Besides, her songs drive the listeners to a state called Tarab, which is equivalent to ecstasy. Umm Kulthum was engaging with her audiences and tend to repeat any section of the song that excite them or make them react more with the