Death of Prominent Egyptian Composer

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Hafiz
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Death of Prominent Egyptian Composer

Post by Hafiz »

.Halim El-Dabh, born Cairo died in the US aged 96 years. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/08/arts ... -dies.html

He was a significant and prolific composer who combined traditional music themes with modern classical training and one of the first to compose electronic music.

In the 1940’s he took the initiative in recordings traditional Egyptian folk music which he followed up in later life trips to many African countries to record folk music.

He moved to the US in 1950 as local conditions did not support new ideas and then associated with Stravinsky, Copland and Lenny Bernstein and showed interest in international music movements. He even knew Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller.

America was generous to him and awarded him multiple Fulbright and Guggenheim grants.

Apparently his music was/is used as part of a son-et-lumière show at the Great Pyramids of Giza. I doubt this but I could be wrong.

Al Ahram information on his death just reprints western obits and Egypt awarded him no honors during his lifetime even though he was unquestionably the most important Egyptian composer of classical music in the world. I guess he was more interested in change and innovation than just perpetuating the past which might not go down well with some. His collection of recordings of traditional music is something valuable that doesn't seem to be done by others who are paid to do this in Egyptian museums which claim responsibility for preserving Egyptian culture.

An example of his music. and a more conventional piece


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