Ancient Egypt Composed and Performed on Traditional Near Eastern Instruments By Ali Jihad Racy
This musical tribute to ancient Egypt was originally composed in 1978 for the King Tutankhamun Exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum. It was inspired by the artistry of the ancient treasures and the religious symbolism of The Egyptian Book of the Dead, which suggested the titles of the compositions. Played continuously during the exhibit, the music had a distinctly haunting and meditative effect. The recording is unique in that it is the creation of an accomplished Lebanese-born artist who captures the essence of Near Eastern sound and presents it in a contemporary innovative musical idiom.
Only traditional Near Eastern instruments were used in the making of this recording. The nay, an open-ended reed flute, can be heard throughout either as a solo or a background instrument. On track 6, the nay is replaced by a salamiyyah, a small reed flute, which in Egypt accompa...
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