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Laments of Lebanon

Various Artists
Laments of Lebanon Funeral music in Lebanon dates from pre-Islamic antiquity and draws from a variety of secular and religious practices of singing and poetry. The performances on this album, recorded between 1965 and 1970, capture the various Lebanese sounds of mourning from across Christian and Druze religious communities. They also demonstrate the different roles played—and techniques enlisted—by men and women at such ceremonies. The recording predominantly features the dirge-like vocal genre known as nabd and concludes with several funeral marches played by brass bands. The liner notes by Professor Ali Jihad Racy contain photographs, transcriptions of melodies and lyrics, and historical background on Lebanese funeral traditions.

Track Listing

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101
Salman al-Ḥarfush and four-man chorus
02:46
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102
Salman al-Ḥarfush and four-man chorus
02:28
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103
Fawz al-Ḥarfush and four-woman chorus
02:10
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104
Fawz al-Ḥarfush and four-woman chorus
01:14
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105
Fawz al-Ḥarfush
01:46
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106
Fawz al-Ḥarfush and four-woman chorus
01:37
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107
Fawz al-Ḥarfush and four-woman chorus
02:45
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108
Salman al-Ḥarfush and four-man chorus
03:09
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109
Salman al-Ḥarfush and four-man chorus
02:47
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201
Women performing at a funeral, village of 'Ayn Zhalta
03:19
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202
Women performing at a funeral, village of 'Ayn Zhalta
01:36
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203
Women performing at a funeral, village of 'Ayn Zhalta
04:00
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204
Women performing at a funeral, village of 'Ayn Zhalta
02:16
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205
Women performing at a funeral, village of 'Ayn Zhalta
01:36
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206
Brass band from al-Mtayn, al-Khinsharah
04:26
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207
Brass band from al-Mtayn, al-Khinsharah
03:47
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208
Brass band from al-Mtayn, al-Khinsharah
01:21