Ragheb Moftah
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ragheb Moftah was an Egypt
ian musicologist
and scholar of the Coptic music
heritage. He spent much of his life studying the recording and notation of Coptic liturgical
texts. The son of Habashi Moftah and Labiba Shalaby, Moftah was one of 10 children.
at the Faculty of Agriculture in the University of Bonn
in the Rhineland
and obtained a BSc in agriculture. His great passion was music. He obtained degrees in Music from Bonn and in Catholic Southern Germany at the University of Munich. He made a studio at St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church Kasriet El-Rihan in Old Cairo
. In 1927 he invited Prof. Ernest Newlandsmith
from London
, who transcribed all the Coptic Heritage 1928-1936.
and moved the primary studio he had already made in St. Mary Church. He began recording the hymns and all the Church services with Mlm. Mikhail's voice and then published in more talented voices on cassette tapes, for a total of 54 tapes.
in Washington, D.C.
to be kept over generations using the latest technology. In 1998 The American University in Cairo
published the Music transcription of St. Basil's Mass.
Music of Egypt
The music of Egypt has been an integral part of Egyptian culture since ancient times. The ancient Egyptians credited one of their Gods Thoth with the invention of music, which Osiris in turn used as part of his effort to civilize the world...
ian musicologist
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
and scholar of the Coptic music
Coptic music
Coptic music is the music sung and played in the Coptic Orthodox Church . It consists mainly of chanted hymns in rhythm with instruments such as cymbals and the triangle...
heritage. He spent much of his life studying the recording and notation of Coptic liturgical
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
texts. The son of Habashi Moftah and Labiba Shalaby, Moftah was one of 10 children.
Education
He studied in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
at the Faculty of Agriculture in the University of Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
in the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
and obtained a BSc in agriculture. His great passion was music. He obtained degrees in Music from Bonn and in Catholic Southern Germany at the University of Munich. He made a studio at St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church Kasriet El-Rihan in Old Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. In 1927 he invited Prof. Ernest Newlandsmith
Ernest Newlandsmith
Ernest Newlandsmith, born 1875, was a musicologist with strong Christian belief who formed the Laresol Society to promote artistic vocation of a religious nature. Together with Dr...
from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, who transcribed all the Coptic Heritage 1928-1936.
Institute of Coptic Studies
In 1955 he was responsible for the Music & Hymn Department at the Institute of Coptic StudiesInstitute of Coptic Studies
The Institute of Coptic Studies was founded in 1954 by the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. It is based in Cairo....
and moved the primary studio he had already made in St. Mary Church. He began recording the hymns and all the Church services with Mlm. Mikhail's voice and then published in more talented voices on cassette tapes, for a total of 54 tapes.
St. Basil's mass
In 1970, he invited the scientist Margaret Toth to co-operate in achieving a transcription of St. Basil's Mass, which Prof. Ernest Newlandsmith had prepared only responses and the first part in each priest (solo) part, The work lasted until everything was accomplished, all the mass with hymns in Musical notation with the Coptic, English and Arabic text. In 1992, he offered all his works to the Library of CongressLibrary of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to be kept over generations using the latest technology. In 1998 The American University in Cairo
American University in Cairo
The American University in Cairo is an independent, non-profit, apolitical, secular institution of higher learning located in Cairo, Egypt...
published the Music transcription of St. Basil's Mass.