Folk Music of Palestine

In this 1959 collection, American folklorist Harold Courlander documents a tradition of Palestinian folk song that has previously been known only through oral ritual. The compilation features vocally driven recordings as they are performed for ceremonial and spiritual purposes, including "Song of the Month of Fasting," "Recitation from the Koran," and several wedding songs. Songs capture different dialects and regional choral techniques.

Liner notes include a comparison of the various cultural origins of Middle Eastern music, as well as descriptions and musical analyses of each song.

Track Listing

101	Gulait Dore (Evening Ramble) - Bokharian Mrs. Mellakoff and Mrs. Annanoff	01:17
102	Al Matcha Anora (Love Song) - Bokharian Mrs. Mellakoff and Mrs. Annanoff	02:01
103	Tulkum (Song of the Sandy Hills) - Bokharian The Eliezaroff group	02:48
104	Raftam Rayi (Love Song) - Bokharian Rachel Polati	01:35
105	Taki Chasma (Love Song) - Bokharian Rachel Polati	00:35
106	Recitation from Firdausi's Shaname (Persian) Ishak Ramani and Israel Kashi	01:36
107	Ve Eem Lo Akshav (If Not Now, When?) - Hebrew Mordecai and Abahia Ayaloff	01:17
108	Bible Recitation on Sabbath: Aharei Mot (Levit. XVI, 1) - Hebrew-Turkish Moshe Vital	01:32
201	Kedusha (Hebrew-Oriental) Zion Alayoff	01:10
202	Kether, Congregational Prayer (Hebrew-Oriental) Zion Alayoff and congregation	01:44
203	Song of Moses (Exod. XIV, 30) - Hebrew-Yemenite Zion Nahar	00:55
204	Ceremonial Song (Hebrew-Yemenite) Yehiel Adaki and group	02:20
205	The Prophet's Birthday Song: Noor Al Muffadah Lah (Light of the Redeemed) - Arabic Sheikh Salah-ud-Din Kubbarah and group	01:30
206	Song of the Ramadan for the Month of Fasting (Arabic) Eliya Baida and group accompanied by ud and durbakki	01:22
207	Recitation from the Koran (Arabic) Sheikh Al Damahouri	01:02
208	Love Song (Modern Arabic) Abbas Balaida accompanied by violin, ud, durbakki, and qanoun	01:49