Arabie Saoudite - La Tradition Du Hejâz

Description

Mohammed Amân, with his powerful voice trained in the most subtle melismas, through courtly poetry and chamber music, transports us to another time, that of the past splendors of Hejâz, the cradle of Arab civilization.
In 1925, Hejâz was integrated into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which was born after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, but the history of Hejâz is much older. Even before Islam, Hejâz was a high place of poetry and music; it was the annual fair of ‘Ukâz, where tribes from all over Arabia came to compete in poetic contests.
With Islam, established in Damascus, the Umayyad dynasty nevertheless maintained the importance of the cities of Hejâz, and while Mecca and Medina would attract pilgrims from around the world, they would also flourish in the field of arts and letters.
Musicians formed a distinct class, many were former freed slaves, of African, Persian, or Byzantine origin. Protected by patrons, they were also very popular, and this prestige extended to female singers, some of whom were of free condition and were true divas.