Posted by Hossam Ramzy on February 29, 2004 at 11:19:31:
In Reply to: influences from ancient Egypt in modern Egyptian music posted by Saidi man on February 12, 2004 at 06:12:55:
Hello,
This is Hossam. Your question is very good and I feel that I need to set a few things straight for you. Our music of today "Modern Egyptian Music", if you are talking about what is happening in our music charts, has absolutely NOTHING to do with even recent Egyptian music. We have been invaded and occupied by almost all the Empires that ever existed on planet Earth. Today it is the MTV Empire. The songs of "today" have nothing to do with ancient Egyptian Music.
Not that anyone actually knows what that sounded like, as we had no recordings of it and we have no written form of that music. The only people that may have a glimpse of it are the Coptic priests down south as you mentioned. From Bany Sweif to Luxor and Aswan.
The Saidi music that is the old ethnic one is very influenced by old styles of music from old Egypt as we as by the Gypst travelling musicians that accompanied the Indian Silk & Sprice Trails.
: I have heard Shaabi had it's origins in poor Fellahin moving into Cairo to find work during the 50's-60's. I am very curious about the origin.
[Hossam says] Yes, This is true. These people are the Baladi people. But that happened much earlier than the 50's and 60's. May I invite you to read the article called "Zeinab" on the "ARTICLES" section on this site.
Best Regards
Hossam