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Oman: Traditional Arts of the Sultanate of Oman

Various Artists
Oman: Traditional Arts of the Sultanate of Oman In the 19th century, Oman extended into parts of the East African coast, along the Arabian Gulf, and on the Makran coast of what is now Pakistan. Although the country’s borders are smaller today, the culture retains many influences from its former African, Asian, and Arabian territories and its location on major trade routes. In addition, the Sultan's court and government entities, including national television, play important roles as patrons of the performing arts.

The musicians on this album are professional or semi-professional, but historically, social music in Oman was performed by slaves or servants. Traditionally, there were many occasions for musical performance beyond life-cycle rituals and prayers, but some, such as communal manual labor, have lapsed into irrelevance with the modernization of Oman in the 1970s, according to the liner notes. The recordings on this album, made by Dieter Christensen in 1990 and 1991, range from chanting poetry and sword dances (razhah) to praise poetry and sailor songs, representing the country’s rich heritage and regional variations.

Track Listing

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101
Shaykh Musallim bin Tafal al Mas'hali
05:03
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102
Male praise singer and procession participants, Nizwa
05:05
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103
Male sword dancers, Nizwa
05:12
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104
Majis al-Shamaliyah
05:23
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105
Sulayman bin Walid Mawlah al-'Ajami
05:02
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106
Muhammed bin 'Ali bin Yusif al-Sidrani
12:26
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107
Hadid bin Jum'ah al-Farsi
08:24
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108
Club "Progress" of 'Aybah ensemble
03:30
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109
Hadid bin Shamsah ensemble
07:45
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110
Hadid bin Shamsah ensemble
04:47
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111
The Firqat Khalfan
03:45