Music in Egypt: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture

By: Scott L. Marcus

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Synopsis: This book is a case study in the Global Music series, edited by Bonnie Wade and Patricia Campbell. The book focuses on the variety of music that fill the eastern Arab world, with special focus on musics found in modern day Egypt. Based on his extensive fieldwork, Marcus introduces the features that unify much of Middle Eastern music. The book highlights the dynamic nature of Middle Eastern music culture and also explores the impact of modernization and westernization on musical culture as well as music's role in helping to create a regional, national, and community identity. The three themes focused upon are the concepts of melodic and rhythmic music that underlie the art, folk and popular styles of the region, the deep interrelationship between Islam and music and Westernization and modernization. Concentrating on the performer musician and the fieldworker, this book provides an intimate sense of the fabric of the music itself and of aspects of the culturalcontext of music in present day Egypt.