Marcel Khalife

[Jane]

Can someone talk to me about the work of Marcel Khalife? Has anyone here tried using it for belly dance? I can't imagine dancing to the stuff I've heard from him, I can't really latch on to much because so much of it sounds like classical European music to me. I understand he's highly trained in both, but it doesn't track Middle Eastern enough for me to dance to and not enough European classical for me to feel in a familiar listening zone with. His stuff seems an interesting mix of East and West, but I really don't know how to appreciate it properly. Anyone care to enlighten me? Also, which system is he using to compose in; European modes or Arabic maqamat?

 

[Daimona]

Can someone talk to me about the work of Marcel Khalife? Has anyone here tried using it for belly dance? I can't imagine dancing to the stuff I've heard from him, I can't really latch on to much because so much of it sounds like classical European music to me. I understand he's highly trained in both, but it doesn't track Middle Eastern enough for me to dance to and not enough European classical for me to feel in a familiar listening zone with. His stuff seems an interesting mix of East and West, but I really don't know how to appreciate it properly. Anyone care to enlighten me? Also, which system is he using to compose in; European modes or Arabic maqamat?

Unfortunately I cannot enlighten you further about him.
I downloaded several of his pieces many years ago. Back then I categorized the music as "fun to listen to, can't really dance to it" and I have nearly forgotten I have it somewhere.