Umm Kulthum .. Was it one of the strongest voices in the history of singing? | art

Umm Kulthum, the Planet of the East and the icon of the Arab ritual, was not an exceptional singer, but rather a unique sound phenomenon that captured the attention of researchers and musicians around the world. That voice, which was described as one of the strongest voices in history, was characterized by exceptional scientific and artistic characteristics that made it a subject for study, not only in terms of its emotional, cultural and artistic influence, but also in terms of technical features such as the audio term, ringing, breathing control, and expressive strength.

Voice range and ringing

One of the aspects that drew attention to the sound of Umm Kulthum is its wide audio range, which extends to at least three octaves. According to Virginia Danielson’s book “Voice of Egypt” (1997), Umm Kulthum showed an exceptional ability to move smoothly between the low, medium and high layers without loss of clarity or resonance. This puts it in a rare category of classic and contemporary singers.

Danielson also refers to the deep appreciation of Umm Kulthum for elegant hair, as she had the ability to link musical improvisation to the meanings of the words that she sings, which makes the meaning very perceived by the listeners. As it is said, poetry is the art of Arabs, and good singing of poetry attracts a tremendous appreciation of the speaking listeners. In Arabic.

In addition, the voice of Umm Kulthum showed a strong Renina in formalt, a feature that is usually associated with opera singers. Studies from Harvard University and the Voice Institute in Vienna indicate that it used the lyric formalty technology, allowing its sound to be clearly heard over the orchestra without the need for electronic amplification, which is a sound phenomenon similar to what is found in the traditions of Western opera.

Breathing control

One of the main factors that contributes to the power of Umm Kulthum’s voice is her exceptional breathing control. Research in the field of audio science shows that its ability to maintain long musical sentences without taking an audible breath was the result of using advanced veil breathing techniques. This is especially evident in her live performance, as she was able to extend tones for long periods while maintaining dynamic control.

Luciano Pavarotti, one of the greatest opera singers, expressed his admiration for the respiratory support and capacity of Umm Kulthum, indicating that her governing air flow allowed her to provide very difficult emotional and technical performance. In traditional Arabic music, which focuses on long melodic phrases and complex decorations, this type of control is decisive, and Umm Kulthum has mastered it in an unprecedented degree.

Consensus melodies

The spectral analysis of the records of Umm Kulthum, conducted by researchers at Oxford University, revealed that her voice contains rich consensus, which enhances its warmth and depth. These consensus contribute to the listeners’ awareness of the richness of sound and its emotional intensity. Also, the presence of a strong Harmonics explains the reason for the survival of its voice clear and distinct even in the old recordings of the twentieth century, which did not depend on advanced sound engineering techniques.

She had the ability to generate high -energy frequencies in the range of 3,000 Hz, known as “Foreman Singing”, which allowed her voice to be clearly promoted over accompanying music. This feature is a decisive advantage in the power of the singers, as it ensures that their voice remains heard even in complex musical distributions.

Emotional expression and audio nature

In addition to her technical skill, Umm Kulthum’s voice is plunder for his ability to deep emotional and unique nature. It was also detailed in the documentary of the BBC “Umm Kulthum: a voice like Egypt”, her voice has a dynamic spectrum that can express deep sadness, extreme joy, and emotional longing, often within the song itself. Music scientists argue that this ability is due to its accurate control of the sound spectrum, which allowed it to adjust the nuances in the audio color to align the content of words and musical expression.

Literary critic and musician Edward Said stressed the ability of Umm Kulthum to maintain emotional tension through her voice. He pointed out that its use of accurate changes in melodies and melodic decorations enabled them to form musical phrases in a way that strongly affected the Arab audience, while preserving traditional stations structures and introducing a kind of improvised improvisation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbvu_AP6MQs

Comparison with classic Western singing

Umm Kulthum’s voice is often compared to Western Opera singers because of his strength, endurance, and projection techniques. A comparative study conducted in the University of Stanford Music Department highlighted the use of Umm Kulthum for the cycle, vibrato, and disciplined Portmont But unlike Western singers, it merged the Arab beaning improvisation (division), which added a unique layer of expression that made it distinguished from classical singers.

Moreover, her skill in decoration and melodic formation was likened to Maria Callas techniques, another singer famous for her expression and technical accuracy. Both singers showed the ability to keep the sound of sound while forming the dynamic ferries, a skill that requires tremendous control of ringing and pronunciation.

Umm Kulthum’s voice is a great example of vocal strength, technical mastery and emotional expression. Its ability to drop the sound without amplification, the sustainability of the long sentences with amazing control of breathing, and enriching her voice with consensus makes it one of the greatest singers in history.