Sawt from Kuwait: ‘Allah alyoum’

Sawt from Kuwait: ‘Allah alyoum’
A film by Rolf Killius for the Qatar Digital Library.
The piece from the sawt genre is played in ṣawt arabi (6/4 beat) and called ‘Allah alyoum’.
The musicians are the ’ūd player and singer, Salman Al-Ammari, the violin player Ahmed AlSalhi and three mirwās players.
Dancers get up to perform the sawt dance zifān (zufān). In measured steps a pair of dancers ‘walk’ in oval cycles often jumping up and then landing on the beat.
The musical piece was recorded on 22/05/2014 in the Diwaniyah Bin Hussain in Rumaithiya, Kuwait City. Though al-Diwaniyah generally is a hall or room in a private house to receive and entertain guests it is also a place for music making, singing and dancing. The Diwaniyah Bin Husseinis a place equally respected by musicians and music-lovers.
At this event musicians and listeners gathered to play and sing leywa (or liwah), sea-music, sawt, basta, samri and fan la’buni.
© Abdullah Al Mershed
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