Artists
who's who and who's doing what?Les Mesopotamiens
- country:Iraq
- style(s):Folk Traditional
- artist submitted by:
Traditional iraqui music
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Anwar Abudragh, chant, oud and joza
Ali Hassan, oud
Wessam Ayoub, santur
Sattar al Saadi, daff and dumbak
THE MAQAM
The Iraqi maqam, along with arabandalouses clouds
of the Magreb or the moaxajas from Aleph, shine
for being some of the most well preserved musical
traditions from the hole Arab world, music which
was probably cultivated on the courts of the
Abbasids.
Since the fall of Baghdad in hands of the Mongols in
1258, the ancient Mesopotamia started
progressively loosing its antique califal shine; it's
enough picturing it being reduced to the condition
of a simple province of the Ottoman empire. But
this isolation was a paradox because it benefited
the preservation of the maqam art, keeping it away
from the western influence that devastated other
Arabic repertoires.
For that reason, in the present time, the Iraqi
maqam is performed with the same instruments
that had been historically proper from their culture
(Arabic laut, the Persian cithara 'santur', the Iraqi
viola 'joza') and it servers from the endless classic
poetry.
There's no need to say that the Iraq's actual
situation endangers not only its monumental and
artistic heritage, but the musical as well, especially
this cult urban music considered by the UNESCO as
part of the humanity intangible heritage.
The best Iraqi performers had found themselves
doomed in exile due to precarious situation caused
by international sanctions in force since 1991.
Brussels was the destiny for the four musicians that
we proudly present here.
All of them are members of the antique Musical
Institute of Baghdad, without any doubt, the most
prestigious Arab centre until its closure.
By the hand of legendary masters like Munir Bashir,
leader of the group Anuar Abudragh, assimilated a
knowledge of the subtle cult repertoire that
converts him in a highly qualified maqam
performer.
Les Mesepotamiens have had prodigious concerts in
Jordania, Lebanon, Egypt, Belgium, Holland, France,
Germany, Portugal and Spain.
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