Q-Tip

Ok time for a rookie/newbie question:

Are "Om Kalthoum" and "Um Kalthoum" the same person?

I did a search of the forum for "Kalthoum" and came up with 58 threads. The reason I am asking is because I stumbled across a website that has 70 albums from "Um Kalthoum The Diva of Arabic Song." (The site has a lot of different music available)

Everyone on the forum seems to love her(?) work and I thought I might check out an album or two. If this is the person - any album recommendations for a newbie?

Shakeelah

Hi Q-Tip

Yes they are the same artist, as you will appreciate it is just the translation from Arabic to English that causes the strange and different spelling.

My first encounter with Egyptian music was some original Om Kolthoum on tape, which I eventually grew to love. As the live music can be quite long, and is intended to be listened to, not danced, I would not recommend you start here, but add it a little later when you seek further understanding, which I am sure you will do.

There are now may cover versions, and adapted dance pieces, one of my personal favourites is Hossam Ramzy's Best of Om Kolthoum.

Hope this helps.

Shakeelah

Mara2

Hi Again! This is the same person, but the spelling of her name in English varies wildly. It can also be spelled Umm Kulthum (try that one, as it's the best English translation from Egyptian), and Om Kalsoum. There are many other variations, but if you're looking for information about her, these two are the best ones. My very favorite song of hers is Hayyarti Albi, but don't have a favorite album. Hope this helps.

Yshka

My 2 favourites are the original versions of Alf Laila w Laila and Leylet Hob. They are indeed quite long, as the first one is about 42 and the second almost 60 minutes. But very, very, very beautiful to listen two.

Like Shakeelah said, there's many instrumental versions of these songs by Hossam Ramzy a.o. I also have Best of Om Kalthoum.

Kashmir

If you want to get a feel for who this woman was and what she means to Egyptians there is a great DVD called "Umm Kalthum, A Voice Like Egypt". She is much much more than a singer; she was a force in the revolution; her music would be played every day at a set time (5pm from memory) for many, many years; her funeral was an huge state occasion with thousands weeping and filling the streets. Even though she died in 1975, the hotel in Cairo where I stayed in 2003 played her music around the clock in all public spaces!

One place you can get it from is the Hollywood Music Centre aka Peko-Records:

https://www.pekorecords.com/browse.p...&categoryId=11

kiyaana

If you are a Netflix member, they have this movie.

Maria_Aya

Um or Om is the name for "mother" in arabic.
So if a woman give a birth to a "Mahmoud" then she is called Oum Mahmoud also.
Now in the case of Oum Kotlthoum, cause I researched it the last week i was at Cairo, no one remember her first name, but also heard different stories that this was her name from the begining.

Well and yes its the same unique artistic, cultural and political personality.

From egyptians is called also as Sagieda Kolthoum, Sagieda is kind of giving honor more to the person.

Maria Aya

__________________
... www.orientalexpression.gr

Lydia dubai

Yes we better call her,, oum misr,,
that means mother of Egypt,because she was never married and did never have children......
And i think nobody is loved more in Egypt than she is.......
have a great day everybody Lydia

LeylaLanty

As far as I know no Egyptian or other Arabic dancer performs to Om Kalthoum's actual voice recordings. They prefer to dance to the musical versions of her songs. They might, however, dance to her songs if they are sung by another singer - but almost always they use the musicals. There is such reverence for her and her musical legacy, her influence on Egypt, and her memory, that no one would try to do an oriental dance performance while she herself is singing.

Q-Tip

That a very important piece of information! thank you for sharing.


Thanks to everyone for their input on this issue, I'm beginning to understand a little more about how her music and a little about who she was (and still is).