Various Artists - Debaa: Singing of Sufi Women / Various - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Sufism broadly refers to the esoteric Islamic tradition represented by many strains, most of whom explain the creation of the universe with the principle of Unity of Being. The Sufi understanding is that God is the Sole Being and that all creatures manifest reflections of His Being. Music has always been part of religious rituals, producing forms and styles that remain as basic patterns of the society's musical tradition. Some of the Sufi branches utilized music as a significant spiritual training method whereas some other Sufis relied on other techniques. The Mevlevi order, which follows the path of Rumi, is a leading example of a Sufi branch that accompanies the inner teachings by intensely using the medium of music. Turkish Sufi music has been perfected throughout the ages across many countries. There are two types of Turkish Sufi music the music employed at the mosque and at the tekke, or convent. This album features relaxing Sufi music recorded in Turkey. These works are played at the tekke at ceremonies of the whirling dervishes, as well as some never before recorded music commonly played in Turkish mosques.

Not only does this celebrate the female voice, but also some largely forgotten female composers. Luzzaschi's Madrigali a uno, due e tre soprano of 1601 represents the sole surviving publication of a unique and highly important repertoire; that of the much famed singing ladies (concerto delle donne) of Ferrara. By the 1580s the Duke of Ferrara, Alfonso II, had become so obsessed with the sound of soprano voices, that he was procuring the finest singers of the time and establishing them in his court for his musica secreta, or secret music. It is among the most vocally challenging music surviving, and attests to high quality of vocal training in the sixteenth century. It is something of a miracle that even one copy of the original publication survived. In an age when singer/composers were relatively common, no single woman had as much of her music published as Barbara Strozzi. She led a remarkable life and one most unusual for a woman in Venice in 1619. Her father, poet Giulio Strozzi, was at the centre of the cultural and intellectual life in Venice and through him she was able to partake of that life. Between 1644 and 1664 Barbara Strozzi published 8 books of vocal music. By far the majority of this output is for solo soprano, but just how successful she was is unknown. After her final publication in 1664 nothing more is known of her. As she wrote herself in the dedication to her opus 5 InchSince I am no more held back by feminine weakness than by any allowance made for my S*x, I fly on lightest leaves in devotion to make my bow.Inch

This new features Moroccan music by Abel Damoussi and Nour Eddine, two composers and musicians fusing their love of spiritualism and the colorful streets of Marrakesh into this exquisite mix of chants, percussion, instrumentals, and rhythmic trances. This album has been years in the making, refined and honed to a deeply harmonized album for all to enjoy, be they Jewish, Christian, or Muslim- Inchunited in the love of the Divine.Inch Both of these musicians have experienced great success prior to this - Nour Eddine's composition is part of the Vatican classical music archives and was selected for the 2010 London Classical Award. Abel wrote the philosophy and the lyrics of the album Yed El Henna with the renowned group Fnaire. Album Tracks 1. Jedba (Trance) 2. Sabaato Rijal (Seven Saints of Marrakech) 3. Spiritual Mawal (Light of the Star) 4. Allah Hay (God Is Alive) 5. Arrahmane (Spiritual Desert Voice from the Moroccan Sahara) 6. Ziyara 7. Assalat Al Machichiya 8. Tazalit (Spiritual Berber Voice from the Atlas Mountains) 9. Lailaha Illa Allah (One God) 10. Adan (A Call to Prayer)