1 Shashkin : The piece opens with a beautiful haunting nai with reverb , and it sounds like the nai player is playing in a large palace . Then , the doumbeq plays , and the band joins in with a rousing 7 / 8 piece . I love the violin ; so expressive with dynamic embellishments , syncopated accents , and exciting timing . With such a sound recording , you will feel like the violinist is playing just for you .
2 Spring Fever : A nice 4 / 4 piece with percussion would be suitable for drum solo instruction in classes . It makes an excellent piece for a dance troupe to showcase a drum solo choreography .
3 Jemilleh : I love the Persian bandar along with the doumbeq and nai in a stately rhythmic version of this piece . The cymbal crashes highlight the nai solo with percussion accents , and the rhythmic backup is beautiful . An excellent selection for sword dance as the piece develops and has distinctive musicality with different instrumentation as a violin solo follows the nai solo . I love the change into a different maqam with a very different sound . You ’ ll love the ending as it is suspenseful .
4 Hadouni Hadouni : Percussion at the beginning with finger cymbals with Waheeda / Malfuf rhythm and intricate subrhythms using filled-in and up-beats . Violin and nai play the central Hadouni theme . A nai solo with percussion follows – with a uniquely different musicality . Then , the violin and the band with a louder sound . Nice to hear the call-and-answer pattern , allowing the dancer to mirror this musicality .
5 Inta Omri : Want a different and dynamic version of Inta Omri ? I love this dramatic opening – call-and-answer pattern with a dramatic musical interchange between the guitar and the violin . Oh my , the violin truly sings , and there is a profound beauty to the dynamics of this violin - with tremolo , staccato , then into the beautiful mellow flow of Inta Omri punctuated by the dynamics of the violin bowing technique and quality creating tarab . I love the tar , doumbeq , and nai , along with violin , for a section of this piece that is uniquely dynamic – serene and with a heavy rhythmic backing . Wait for it – the build-up to the end has a stately musical styling that will have the audience in awe . Be sure to dance , catching the tremolo embellishment of the violin . Wow – this musical version will leave the audience enthralled and waiting to return to the regular world .
6 Aziza : A melodic version of this famous piece with a relaxed tempo . Be sure to learn the phrasing and percussive stops in this piece to mirror the band – especially catching the staccato tempo , drum rolls , and the call and answer with the detailed violin playing . I love the change to a playful sound for the maksoum masmoodi saghir and the developing musicality to the end of this piece . This piece would be ideal for a veil dance as it contains a unique section in the middle with solo guitar , then transitions to a soulful violin . Dancers and teachers , if you are looking for a piece with musical tarab – this is the piece you have been looking for . A percussion section in 2 / 4 Ayoub with Hagalla pattern is unique with excellent percussion playing and technique – in a superb quiet drum solo – that ends with the famous Nagwa 4-1 riff and rhythmic pattern . Then , this piece returns to the familiar Aziza finale .
7 El Vito : Beautiful nai solo at the beginning . Gorgeous music for a dance with a very light silk veil . Rhythm is introduced with castanets ( what is this rhythm ? Is it 6 / 8 ?) Violin played Andalusian style with castanets . You ’ ll love the melodic patterns and the embellishments in Flamenco style . Be sure to dance this piece with strong Flamenco posture , rhythmic dance movement , and flowing Rom styling with skirt work . This piece would be an excellent piece for a dance troupe .
8 Bint El Shalabiya : What a sweet rendition of “ Beautiful Dancing Girl .” The music has a dynamic that provides musical expression that can be mirrored in dance with the addition of musical accents .
9 Nesrin : This piece begins with solo percussion doumbeq , then moves into Hagalla patterns with unique rif patterns in 2 / 4 Ayoub and 4 / 4 Malfuf . Great selection for teaching students rhythms at a relaxed tempo with the opportunity to layer shimmies on undulating movements . You ’ ll love the playful drum solo finale .
10 Zeina : What a dramatic and sultry introduction to Zeina . I love the beautiful quality of the harmonium , both strummed and plucked , providing a complex sound — the violin leads the whole musical section of Zeina with the continuation of the dramatic percussion . One might perform this piece Rom style with skirt dancing and spins and twirls . Then , the finale with the 2 / 4 Karachy picks up the tempo , and the dancer could perform fast spins with
50 The Belly Dance Chronicles � January 2023