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A collection of papers on the set-bells of marquis Yi to commemorate the 10th anniversary of their discovery. The unearthing of these 5th-century bells in 1978 marked one of the most important archeological discoveries in the history of science and technology in Chinese civilization. These bells are two-tone set-bells with textural inscriptions and were cast in chromatical scale over a range of 5.5 octaves. This collection of papers represents the interdisciplinary research initiated by the discovery of the bells over the past 10 years. ... Read more

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The untold story of the West-Eastern Divan, an orchestra reaching across the Israeli-Arab divide.Bringing together young musicians from Palestine, Israel and other countries of the Middle East, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra is both one of the most acclaimed youth orchestras in the world and a rare note of hope in a war-torn region. Founded by Daniel Barenboim and Edward Said in 1999, it aims to promote Arab-Israeli understanding through music. In An Orchestra Beyond Borders, Elena Cheah, a professional musician and assistant to Daniel Barenboim, explores the orchestra’s journey through the remarkable stories of the musicians that comprise it. These youthful testimonies are a window into the life of the region. Together, they communicate the musicians’ ambitions and hopes, their varied and conflicting views on life and politics, and above all the orchestra’s transformative ability to create an atmosphere of musical cooperation away from the implications and hardships of a world full of division and conflict. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Music and frienship beyond borders
This book has been such a great surprise. It's been a true delight to read. I didn't know of the existence of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra until last summer that I heard from them in a trip to Spain. I didn't have a chance to attend any of their performances though. Still, this wonderful project that brings together all these culturally diverse Middle Eastern musicians to play music every summer awoke my curiosity.

I got this book not knowing much about it, but it was a great book. It is well written, pleasant all along and a true page turner. It's very interesting and moving to read how these musicians from Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Iran and Spain develop deep and meaningful friendships among themselves, regardless of their nation's political issues. Some have a hard time copping with the ideas and believes of the others, but at least they make an effort to be cool about it. They do learn a lot about each other, and they teach many about true friendship and love among fellow humans. And regardless of their political views, they are able to put them aside while they are playing music.

It's really interesting to see how each of the musicians portrayed in this book ended up playing the instruments they play, and how their musical careers got started. And it's a joy to see how far they have come and grown as musicians and as individuals. If you are interested in the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, you'll enjoy this book. I fully recommend it.It inspired me to look more into the Middle East conflict, to understand where they come from, and where they are headed.
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Sindh--the southernmost province of Pakistan--has a distinctive character of its own, setting it apart from other areas of the Islamic world. Nowhere else has Sufism gained such a stronghold. Shrines of Sufi saints are scattered all over the country, and still countless pilgrims flock to them. The cultural landscape of Sindh, however, is reaching far beyond the borders of the present province. Having been the cradle of many civilizations, some so old that we still lack any precise knowledge about them, the valley still provides the geographical and cultural backbone to a young country which displays a spectacular mix of cultures.
The Saints and Singers of Pakistan tell the story of the travels and adventures of the human soul in a myriad different ways, so that it may not be out of place to call it Pakistan's soul music. Whereas Qawwali, the most popular genre, made a spectacular entrance into the world music arena, most of the other manifold-and often equally interesting-expressions of Sufi music are still very little known by the western audience. ... Read more

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Contains eighteen essays, covering themes as diverse as Bedouin dance, the music of Arab Americans, cinema in Egypt and Iran, Hollywood representations of the Middle East, and contemporary Sudanese painting. ... Read more

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The traffic-choked streets of Tehran and the magnificent mosques of Isfahan, the underground DJs and the Sufi minstrels of Kurdistan, are all reflected in the vibrant musical scene in Iran. When the Islamic Revolution took place in 1979 a great deal of music was banned. However, this didn’t last long and from contemporary rappers to folk legends, from great singing stars to contemporary bands, from regional traditionalists to the trance musicians of Baluchistan, this Rough Guide features a captivating cross-section of contemporary Iranian sounds. ... Read more

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The Glorious Heritage of Persia
In recent years, the media has embarked on a campaign to villify Iran as little more than a fanatical Islamic theocracy seeking to "destroy our way of life". Yet there is another side of Iran that few westerners get to see. For thousands of years (before the Roman empire, even before Alexander!), Persia has been a great center of art, literature, poetry, learning, music and culture. Great works like the Shah-Nameh, Hazer Afsaneh (from which the 1001 Nights originated) and the poetry of Rumi, Hafez and Omar Khayyam all came from Iran. Since the Arab invasion of the 7th century, the Persians have worked to assert their own identity, and in the proccess wound up influencing much of the Middle East and South Asia. Many Iranians are quite proud of this heritage (rightly so I might add), and proudly call themselves Persian.

This CD is but a small sampling of the incredible musical diversity in modern day Iran. Such a survey is obviously going to leave out some major artists, but this CD benefits from being very fresh and up to date. As such, it can serve as a cross-cultural window for more westerners to see the REAL Iran. The classical, improvisational music of Persia is well represented by Kayhan Kolhor & Ali Akbar Moradi, the Masters of Persian Music and Hossein Alizadeh & Djivan Gasparyan (their song, "Sari Gailin" mixes Persian, Armenian and even Azeri influences), standing in contrast to the modern pop/rock of groups like Arian Band (named for the ancient Aryans, after whom Iran was named), Barad and O-Hum (who's song "Darde Eshgh" features some awesome vocals and guitar). And yes, even women are represented. Parvin Javdan and Zohreh Bayat from the all-female Rozaneh ensemble perform a wonderful song, quoting from the beloved Sufi poet Hafez.

Folk and ethnic music is also represented, showing the traditions of rural Iran (which includes numerous minority groups like the Kurds, Armenians, Qashqai, Turkomen, Azeris, Baluchis, etc). The legendary Kamkar ensemble showcases the irregular metered percussion of Kurdistan on "Dekay Ambar, Dekay Auber". Haj Ghorban Soleimani, a bashkhi or bard from Khorasan, tells a story from Hazer Afsaneh accompanied by the dotar on "Zareni Hossain Yar". Chenghis Medhipour showcases the epic song traditions of the Azeris, and Din Mohammad Zangeshahi shows the folk art of Baluchistan, while another Shahram Nazeri (also Kurdish) leads the Dastan Ensemble in a performance of Sufi music. But one of the great high-lights of this CD comes from the Jahle band (descendant of freed black African slaves, now settled along Iran's coast), who perform a lullaby made popular by being played on BBC. Demmand for this song, which until now was unavailable, proved so great that World Music Network spend a great deal of time working with the BBC to release it. Exclusive to this CD, fans should be glad that we can now get our hands on it.

From the first notes of the Arian Band's pop song Afsoongar, to the haunting last echos of the (aptly named) Masters of Persian Music, this CD serves as a wonderful journey across the incredibly varied country of Iran. It is a window into a world few in the west get to see, and it's a tragedy that this CD is not sold in every book and music store across the nation. I STRONGLY recommend that anyone who is interested in seeing the TRUE face or Iran and/or the Middle East purchase this CD. It will greatly expand your mind, showing you the beauty, grandeur and majesty that is Persian culture. Even those who are already familar with Persian music will find this CD an incredibly worthwhile purchase, because of the inclusion of several unique or hard to find tracks (particularly "Lullaby" by the Jahle Band). So do yourself a favor and go out and buy this CD. ... Read more

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This is an adaptation of The Song of Solomon with instructions for how to perform the drama with music and dance.The poetry expresses the love and passion that exists between a lover and his beloved.Their words express intense feeling and desire; their actions are filled with drama and passion. ... Read more

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Dalya Cohen-Mor examines the evolution of the concept of fate in the Arab world through readings of religious texts, poetry, fiction, and folklore. She contends that belief in fate has retained its vitality and continues to play a pivotal role in the Arabs' outlook on life and their social psychology. Interwoven with the chapters are 16 modern short stories that further illuminate this fascinating topic. ... Read more

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In this provocative analysis of screen industries in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore, Michael Curtin delineates the globalizing pressures and opportunities that since the 1980s have dramatically transformed the terrain of Chinese film and television, including the end of the cold war, the rise of the World Trade Organization, the escalation of democracy movements, and the emergence of an East Asian youth culture. Reaching beyond national frameworks, Curtin examines the prospect of a global Chinese audience that will include more viewers than in the United States and Europe combined. He draws on in-depth interviews with a diverse array of media executives plus a wealth of historical material to argue that this vast and increasingly wealthy market is likely to shake the very foundations of Hollywood's century-long hegemony.
Playing to the World's Biggest Audience profiles the leading Chinese commercial studios and telecasters, and delves into the operations of Western conglomerates extending their reach into Asia. Advancing a dynamic and integrative theory of media capital, this innovative book explains the histories and strategies of screen enterprises that aim to become central players in the Global China market and offers an alternative perspective to recent debates about cultural globalization. ... Read more

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rising global presense of Chinese films
I write this from Los Angeles, which has the Hollywood film industry. It has dominated world cinema since its inception. Yet in this book, Curtin suggests that the expansion of Chinese film and TV might one day make it a serious global cultural competitor.

He analyses the current geographic distribution of Chinese output. Until recently, it was mostly Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. While mainland China had been making movies for decades, the hitherto insular nature of the Chinese economy relegated its film output to mostly China itself. But the burgeoning rise of the overall economy and its opening to global trade has also expanded the scope of Chinese films. This is perhaps the most interesting part of the book. Much of the future projected growth emanates from China.

The quality of the films is also described as rapidly improving. Due to larger budgets, which in turn is a functioning of greater real spending power by Chinese audiences. It has meant that the cheesy, low budget kung fu and romance films are increasingly sidelined.

The discussions about Singapore and Taiwan are interesting, certainly. But those are largely saturated (and small) markets.

The only missing feature of the book is the minimal discussion about animation. The technology for this is now largely available to Chinese studios. While the latest animation techniques are still dominated by American studios, there might be a trend of diminishing returns. Thus, there might be good prospects for a global Chinese animation industry. Akin perhaps to Japanese anime. ... Read more

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This book sets out from the question: why have so many western theatre workers come to India and what were they looking for? What is it that seemed to be lacking in western performance and understanding of the nature and function of theatre? Locating Indian theatre as a major site of reappraisal and renewal both in India and in the world of performance, the book presents both a picture of traditional and contemporary theatre in India and an examination of its processes and practice. This study questions the generative processes which impel theatre, the 'transformation' of individuals and groups through performance and the performative dynamics of 'self' and 'other'. ... Read more

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Though its rich subject stretches back thousands of years, Music of Bahrain was the first book written on it, and the only available outside Arabic. Poul Rovsing Olsen, a Western ethno­musicologist and composer of international renown, first went to Bahrain to record its music in 1958, and he continued to do so at intervals during the next twenty years. He finished this book shortly before his death in 1982, but the manuscript lay forgotten until the Moesgaard Museum recently became aware of it and decided to publish it in cooperation with the Bahrain Ministry of Information.In 1958, oil had replaced pearls as the island's primary source of wealth, and traditional music had begun to decline. Rovsing Olsen searched out music wherever he could, at private village weddings and performances for dignitaries, in the houses of retired pearl divers and sessions at Radio Bahrain. A cross-section of these recordings is preserved on the three CDs that accompany this volume.Among other things, there are chapters devoted to religious singing, African influences, the music of pearl divers, women's songs and festive dances. It is the spirit of festive dance that seems, more than any other, to animate the many musical genres of Bahraini music, in which, as Rovsing Olsen once wrote, "the feast was the real essence".(Illustrated and includes 3 music CDs). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

earth of forgetness
it's a good book talks about amissdcultur and life in that earth of forgetness!

Goldmine for Arabic music
This is a goldmine for anyone interested in Arabic music and in the musics of the Arabian Gulf, and a bargain, to boot. With the sensitivity of a composer and the skills of an ethnomusicologist, Rovsing Olsen describes and analyses the diverse musical traditions and their settings in the Bahrain of the 1950s and 1960s, before the oil boom had drowned them altogether. The CDs that come with the book have the rarest of recordings that brilliantly complement the well illustrated descriptions. It is a pleasure just to read the book and listen to the extraordinary recordings. Thinking about all this in the context ofthe post-Gulf War era and its consequences is yet another matter. A historical achievement. ... Read more

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The Assassination of Indira Gandhi
I love Tariq Ali.Being born in the same year, the same country, and leaving for the UK around the same time, I have pursued his consistent devotion and action on human rights worldwide.His knowledge of history and current events is incredible, but more endearing to me is the way he presents all sides of an issue.I simply admire the man that Tariq Ali is. ... Read more

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Welcome to Bollywood. This is studio city, a fantasy-fodder factory, the Bombay-based film capital of the Indian subcontinent. Here every year the Hindi film industry pumps out twice as many pictures as Hollywood to satisfy the romantic cravings of its billion-strong audience, from the mobile-wielding classes who sit in the air-conditioned comfort of big-city cinemas, to the villagers transfixed by dancing images flickering on a dusty courtyard wall. Enter Hrithik Roshan, new idol of the silver screen, seducing both the industry and the women of India in a flurry of triceps and biceps, tight T-shirts and slick dance moves. Bollywood Boy follows Hrithik's meteoric rise through the celluloid firmament. It could be straight from one of the film industry's own big-budget schlockbusters, with its heroes, heroines, villains, exotic locations, a cast of thousands, myriad constume changes and highly charged dop-de-bop dance routines. And like any good cinerama drama, there is the big chase scene as Justine tries to track down the man behind the hype, the hysteria and the silver disco suits.But there is a dark side to all of this, the moment when the lights go out and the hero stumbles - the moment in Bollywood when people die because they have not played by the underworld code.For beneath the glittering surface of India's tinsel town lurk shady racketeers who use the film industry to make serious black money. In Bombay, the underworld is king. Welcome to Bollywood. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Cute, light & breezy book
This book was fun to read but it could've been better if she hadn't spent so much time detailing the dozens of times she couldn't get an interview or speak with Hrithik Roshan.That was boring.

Lazy and unilluminating
Just read this book and was pretty disappointed. It's not all bad: The writing is breezy, though at times a bit overblown (her extended descriptions of Bombay as a beautiful woman, say). And there are some funny and illuminating moments in it (the teenager who has to lie down after watching Hrithik dance; the 45-year-old bank manager and mother who compares him to Jesus.) I also had no idea that Hrithik has TWO RIGHT THUMBS (literally, webbed together) but there they are in that magazine cover reproduced in the book.

But the big problem with the book is that HARDY DOESN'T TALK TO ANYONE IN THE BUSINESS except a handfull of people she runs across basically by accident. Sure, she can't get an interview with HR for more than a year but, you know, she gets his big-time-director dad on the phone right away -- why not ask HIM some questions? She relates each time she gets the brushoff trying to reach HR ("sorry, he is out of station") but doesn't think to start calling other people in the business? Surely at least a few would have talked to her. And couldn't she have come up with some better questions for HR? SHE HAD A YEAR TO COME UP WITH THEM!

So instead of interviews with real live film people and/or a decently rsearched history of Bollywood, we essentially get Justine wandering about randomly for 250 pages and chatting about Bollywood with whoever she happens to meet. Her favorite sources? The juice seller near her apartment and the gals at the beauty salon.

You can't have seriously liked this.
The journalist who wrote this book infused her own feelings and opinions into every word. Bollywood Boy is not an objective work, nor is the writer's voice interesting or accurate enough to allow her bias go unnoticed. She fell in love with her main character and selfishly and rather dully used everyone she came in contact with - including us, the readers - to get where she wanted to be. It would have been great if this book were really about Hrithik Roshan, or the Hindi film industry, or the Indian people. It was just about Justine's crush. The publisher obviously doesn't know the subject matter well enough to know that there is little substance here, but did he have to, to at least recognize bad, self-indulgent writing? The arena remains clear for someone else to actually write about Roshan. ... Read more

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Krishen Jit was one of the most influential figures in the arts in Southeast Asia. He had distinguished himself as a director, dramaturg, critic, academic, arts advocate, educationist, historian and regional power broker in a career that spans over 40 years. As a critic and scholar, he has defied the boundaries of language and genre, making his body of writings an indispensable resource in the structuring and historicizing of arts practice in Malaysia. Krishen's critical studies have appeared in "The Asian Theatre Journal", "Dewan Sastera", "The New Sunday Times", "Far Eastern Economic Review" and "The Cambridge Guide to World Theatre" among other publications. This book features a selection of Krishen's essays and articles written from the early 1970s to date, covering theatre, dance and visual art. Articles include an analysis of contemporary theatre in Southeast Asia, the polemics of religion and art in Malaysia, the dynamics of multiculturalism in performance and the artist's role as a public intellectual. This collection is a must for anyone seeking an insider's perspective on the arts in Southeast Asia. ... Read more

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A seminal monograph first published by Rulan Chao Pian in 1967, this is the standard reference on SonQ dynasty music. The book provides a mirror for scholars to reflect on the cultural, social, and theoretical dimensions of Chinese music scholarship in the new millennium. This new reprint edition features a foreword by Bell Yung and an introduction by Joseph Lam.

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This is the most comprehensive study to date of the rich popular music scene in contemporary China. Focusing on the city of Beijing and drawing upon extensive fieldwork, China's New Voices shows that during the 1980s and 1990s, rock and pop music, combined with new technologies and the new market economy, have enabled marginalized groups to achieve a new public voice that is often independent of the state. Nimrod Baranovitch analyzes this phenomenon by focusing on three important contexts: ethnicity, gender, and state politics. His study is a fascinating look at the relationship between popular music in China and broad cultural, social, and political changes that are taking place there.

Baranovitch's sources include formal interviews and conversations conducted with some of China's most prominent rock and pop musicians and music critics, with ordinary people who provide lay perspectives on popular music culture, and with others involved in the music industry and in academia. Baranovitch also observed recording sessions, concerts, and dance parties, and draws upon TV broadcasts and many publications in Chinese about popular music.

keywords: Ethnicity ... Read more

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This book presents a social history of the music of the Jewish community in Palestine from the beginnings of Jewish immigration to Palestine in 1880 to the declaration of the State of Israel in 1948. The story is a fascinating case study of a small society of immigrants and refugees who established an internationally recognized professional musical establishment against the backdrop of two world wars, the absorption of successive waves of immigrants, local skirmishes, and a full-scale national war.Though under Ottoman and later British rule, Jewish society in Palestine was virtually autonomous in cultural matters; its musical culture struggled for a balance between a transplanted European heritage and a powerful, ideologically driven desire to find inspiration from the East. Hirshberg opens with a description of music in Palestine under Ottoman rule, and then proceeds to chart the momentous history of the next seventy years in a broadly chronological framework.His final chapters center on the broad array of ideological and social polemics which dominated the musical scene for the entire period. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Everything is found, "In my book"
I took Jehoash's class during my first year at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem. It was a great class and I'm glad to know Jehoash. His passion is great and one can always find answers, "in my book." ... Read more