Syria: A Portrait in Music

The world's attention has been on Syria for weeks; a country mired in chaos, a geopolitical conundrum, a complicated moral dilemma. But what about Syria's musical landscape? This week's Rhythm Planet explores the diversity of Syria's music, from the devotional music of sufi whirling dervishes, Islamic incantations, Christian orthodox choirs, current pop singers, trance rhythms, and powerful singers like the renowned Sabah Fakhri.

Read more onTom Schnabel's Rhythm Planet Blog.

Track List: 1. Syriana /

Syriana /

The Road To Damascus

/ Real World

2. Syrian National Sympony Orchestra / Human Ad-Diyar (Syrian National Anthem) / Syrian National Symphony Orchestra / Snso 3. Ensemble Al-Kindi Feat. Sheikh Habboush /

Djoubi /

Rough Guide To Sufi Music

/ Rough Guides 4. Gaida Hinnawi /

Dream /

Levantine Indulgence

/ Palmyra 5. Abed Azrie /

Like Water /

Lapis Lazuli

/ Columbia 6. Omar Souleyman /

Mendel (I Don’t Know) /

The Western Concerts

/ Sublime Frequencies 7. Omar Souleyman Feat. Bjork /

Crystalline /

Single

/ iTunes 8. Kinan Azmeh / Needless To Say /

Hewar: Letters to a Homeland

/ Incognito

9. Abdullah Chhadeh Featuring Natacha / Lama Bada / Abdullah Chhadeh & Nara / Abyc Records

10. Muezzins D’Aleppo / Final Prayer / Chants Religieux De L’Islam / Ocora 11. Syrian Orthodox Church / Like The Merchants /

Syrian Orthodox Church

/ Unesco 12. Noureddine Khourshid Et Les Deerviches De Damas / Sers Le Pur (Serve The Pure) /

La Voie D’Extase (The Path of Ecstasy)

/ Institut Du Monde Arabe 13. Sabah Fakhri / Ya Mel Il Sham /

Master Of Andalusian Folklore

/ Hollywood Music Center 14. Rachid Taha, Khaled & Faudel /

Ya Rayah /

1, 2, 3 Soleils / Mondo Melodia