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al-Muwashshahât and al-Qudûd al-Halabiyya: Two Genres in the Aleppine Wasla

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2016

Jonathan H. Shannon
Jonathan H. Shannon*
Affiliation:
Hunter College – CUNY
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Extract

This article analyzes two important genres of Arab music that are heard in Syria in the course of the performance of the wasla, or suite of songs: the muwashshahât and the popular songs known as al-qudûd al-halabiyya. Many consider the muwashshahât (sing, muwashshah) to be the epitome of Arab music. Poetically, melodically, and vocally, the muwashshahât constitute a veritable treasure-house of Arabic culture and civilization. The qudûd (sing, qadd) are sung in both standard and colloquial Arabic, but because of their simpler melodic rhythmic structure are generally considered to be simplified versions of muwashshahât; therefore in this article I treat them as a sub-set of the muwashshahât.

Type
Essays and MESA 2002
Information
Review of Middle East Studies , Volume 37 , Issue 1 , Summer 2003 , pp. 82 - 102
Copyright
Copyright © Middle East Studies Association of North America 2003

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References

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Selected Discography

What follows is a brief and certainly not exhaustive annotated discography of recordings by Syrian artists of muwashshahât and qudûd. I list primarily CD recordings that are available in North America but also include information on commonly found (and usually unauthorized) cassette recordings, some of which circulate publicly.Google Scholar
Ensemble Al-Kindi Ensemble, Al-Kindi (1999). Les Derviches Tourneurs de Damas/The Whirling Dervishes of Damascus. Le Chant du Monde. 2 CD. CML 5741123.24Google Scholar
Ensemble Al-Kindi Ensemble, Al-Kindi (1998). Syrie/Syria: Le Salon de Musique d’Alep/The Aleppian Music Room. Le Chant du Monde. 2 CD. CML 5741108.09Google Scholar
Led by the indefatigable Julien “Jalaleddine” Weiss, this ensemble has recorded a wide array of Syria’s diverse urban musical repertoires, both sacred and profane. These high quality recordings reflect the participating artists’ long-standing experience performing with some of the best artists in Syria and the Arab world. ‘Umar Sarmini, a protégé of Sabrî Moudallal, shines in both the Crusades and Salon recordings.Google Scholar
Sabâh Fakhrî Numerous recordings exist of the legendary Syrian vocalist, though they vary in quality depending on the source recordings. Many CDs and cassettes are bootleg and of suspect quality, though some are quite good. Recent recordings available on CD include:Google Scholar
Fakhri, Sabah, and al-Safi, Wadiet al.Two Tenors & Qantara: Historic Live Recording of Arabic Masters. CD Ark21/Mondo Melodia 1868500142, 2000.Google Scholar
Beit Eddine Festival, Vols. 1 and 2 CBA113/114, n.d.Google Scholar
Mouwashahat. LPD510, n.d.Google Scholar
Sabâh Fakhrî. LPD501, n.d.Google Scholar
Notable performances on cassette and CD (bootleg) include:Google Scholar
Venezuela Concert. 1987Google Scholar
Nagham al-Ams collection, produced by Dimashq lil-Sinima (now defunct) in the 1980s. This anthology features Fakhri singing complete waslât in the major maqâmât.Google Scholar
Sabrî Moudallal Moudallal, Sabrî (1994). Chants sacrés et profanes de Syrie. CD. Blue Silver 303.Google Scholar
Sabrî Moudallal Moudallal, Sabrî (1988). Wasla d’Alep: Chants Traditionels de Syria. CD. INÉDIT W 260007.Google Scholar
These are among the best recordings available of the traditional Aleppine wasla. The now nonagenarian Moudallal – semi-retired – has a distinctive voice, adhering to vocal styles from the 1930s and 40s, that one seldom hears today.Google Scholar
Al-Turath Ensemble al-Turath, Ensemble (1997). La Música de al-Andalus. La Muwassaha/The Music in Spanish al-Andalus: The Muwashshah. Junta de Andalucia/Consejeria de Cultura. CD. Almaviva DS-0123.Google Scholar
This recording, undertaken by the Spanish Andalucian regional cultural council, records a complete wasla in maqâm hijâz performed by members of the al-Turath ensemble in Aleppo. It is distinctive for featuring choral arrangements of muwashshahât with occasional solos, whereas Fakhri and others tend to feature the solo vocalist with occasional choral accompaniment.Google Scholar
Of course, in Syria there are hundreds of cassettes that feature various artists singing muwashshahât and qudûd, including Sabâh Fakhrî, Muhammad Khairî, Bakrî al-Kurdî, Sabrî Moudallal, Umar Sarmînî, and a host of artists both well-known and otherwise. Specialty shops and cassette stands in Aleppo and Damascus cater to aficionados of “classical” Arab music (for example, I brought back from the field over 350 cassettes of a wide variety of music, some very rare, some banal).Google Scholar