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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
Nadb for an Adult Male Salman al-Ḥarfush 02:46
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102
Ḥida Song for a Deceased Young Man Salman al-Ḥarfush 02:28
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103
Nadb for a Deceased Girl Fawz al-Ḥarfush 02:10
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104
Tahnin for a Deceased Girl Fawz al-Ḥarfush 01:14
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105
Fraqiyyat for a Young Woman; the Last Verse for a Deceased Father Fawz al-Ḥarfush 01:46
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106
Nadb Lamenting Ill-Fate, Possibly for a Deceased Parent Fawz al-Ḥarfush 01:37
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107
Nadb for an Older Man, Other Deceased Are Also Addressed Fawz al-Ḥarfush 02:45
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108
Qaṣidah Sung for Naẓirah Junbulaț, a Deceased Druze Woman of Distinguished Social and Political Stature Salman al-Ḥarfush 03:09
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109
Nadb for a Deceased Boy Salman al-Ḥarfush 02:47
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201
Nadb for an Old Man of Certain Political and Social Eminence Female singer 03:19
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202
Fraqiyyat for a Deceased Old Man Female singer 01:36
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203
Nadb Medley for an Old Man Female singer 04:00
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204
Skaba and Fraqiyyat for an Old Man Female singer 02:16
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205
Nadb for an Older Man Female singer 01:36
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206
Funeral March for the Funeral of an Older Man of Political Stature - Immortelle Al-Mtayn brass band 04:26
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207
March Shakir Basha Al-Mtayn brass band 03:47
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208
Marching Music Al-Mtayn brass band 01:21