Ankh: Sound of Ancient Egypt

Michael Atherton | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 18, 1998)
• Original Release Date: July 17, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Celestial Harmonies
• ASIN: B00000AEP0
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #38,319 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #2 in Music > Indie Music > World Music > Australia & New Zealand
  • #6 in Music > World Music > Africa > Egypt

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Could Have Been Done Better, June 9, 2000

By 

Christina Paul (Anamosa, IA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ankh: Sound of Ancient Egypt (Audio CD)

Michael Atherton's "Ankh" is a good showcasing of the instruments of the ancient world - however the vocals leave alot to be desired. Although he uses "ancient Egyptian" words in the spoken chants and singing in some of the songs, his choice of vocalists is incorrect for the subject matter. In short they sound far too "Western". The vocalists were far better suited to hymns with the Sunday Choir in a cathedral than in the columned halls of Ancient Egypt. Had Atherton used vocalists with a touch more passion and ethnicity, along the lines for example of Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance(Soundtrack for Gladiator) or Azam Ali ofthe group Vas, this album would have worked.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Overall Very Excellent!, February 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Ankh: Sound of Ancient Egypt (Audio CD)

Michael Atherton did an excellent job re-creating the music of Ancient Egypt or what it might have sounded like in antiquity. A very relaxing CD oveerall.

The only shortcomming was the female vocals. The singers, though good, sounded far too much like the Nuns of St. Hildegard of Bingen rather than more middle eastern sounding vocals. Had Atherton used vocalists similar to Azam Ali of Vas, or even from India or Egypt then this CD would have been absolutely perfect.

Very well done otherwise.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent insight into the distant past, September 18, 1999

By 

Richard N. Schultz (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ankh: Sound of Ancient Egypt (Audio CD)

Those of us interested in the spendor of the distant past will appreciate the purity of this CD. Stripped of the clutter of stylized production, the sound of the instruments carries one mentally into the period. I would recommend listening to this CD several times (with open mind) as 'background' music before consentrating on the musical structure. The unusual nature of the ancient style should be absorbed until 'familiar' to the ear. The fascination begins when one begins to really 'listen' to this marvelous recreation of musical history.