This book, “Wadih Al-Safi – The Composer,” presents for the first time a collection of special melodies by the great Wadih Al-Safi in a purely instrumental form, and makes them accessible to musicians with a classical background, specifically through arrangements for the piano (with the participation of the oud) that allow musicians to taste the beauty of authentic Arabic music, and constitute an introduction to this ancient art.
At the same time, our Arabic music is presented in an automatic way that can be understood by the world with its various cultural backgrounds, due to its belonging to the European classical school and its transcendence of the language barrier.
The book is a selection of compositions by Wadih Al-Safi arranged for the piano by composer Wajdy Abou Diab, that follow the release of an album of recordings of these songs, performed by pianist Chantal Francis Manassa, who is Wadih Al-Safi’s niece, with the participation of oud player Afif Merhej.
Among the topics the book presents, for the first time, is a transfer of the Lebanese mawal, in which the great Wadih Al-Safi became famous, from a purely lyrical form to a purely instrumental form, which opens the way for the launch of a new cultural musical movement to archive Arabic lyrical music instrumentally and make it accessible to musicians from all cultural backgrounds whether Arab or foreign.
The release concert took place in the Assembly Hall, in the American Uneversity of Beirut, on 14 June 2024, performed by pianist Chantal Francis Menassa and oud player Afif Merhej, in honor of Wadih Al-Safi’s art and legacy, and more specifically, shedding light on his talent as a songwriter and not just a singer.
Music: Wadih El Safi
Arrangement: Wajdi Abou Diab
Piano: Chantal Francis Menassa
Oud: Afif Merhej
Recording engineer: Raghid Jureidini
Mastering : Charbel Bark
Cover: Bachar Hijazi
The Album is available for streming on your favorites online store
About the Artist
CHANTAL FRANCIS MENASSA (PIANO)
Chantal Francis MENASSA, is the niece of Wadih EL SAFI.
She started playing the piano at the age of six taking classes with Mrs. Mimi HAJJAR, at the Music Faculty of the University of Holy Spirit – Kaslik.
She has participated in many artistic events since the age of ten, including the music concert held at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London for Lebanese children. At the age of nineteen, she was awarded a diploma in piano by the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music, in class of Dr. Walid MOUSSALLEM, with an excellent grade and special distinction.
Since then, Chantal has deepened her piano performance by taking lessons with international pianists such as Elizabeth SOMBART, Igor KHUDOLEI, Stephane EMYAN, and Alessandro DRAGO. Chantal is currently the Director of Fondation Résonnance -Lebanon, where she offers classical concerts in many concert halls as well as hospitals and prisons .
Winner of the first prize of Margo BABIKIAN Competition, the second prize of Mozart Competition in Beirut and the second prize of Conservatory Boulogne-Billancourt in France, Chantal performed Beethoven’s Concerto No.3 with the Damascus Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Youth Orchestra. She has participated in several concerts as a soloist and played concerts in Rome, Switzerland and Paris. Her collaboration with the Lebanese composer Wajdi ABOU DIAB, through his arrangements of Wadih El Safi melodies, led to the production of her first album titled “Wadih El Safi, the composer”
AFIF MERHEJ (OUD)
Born 1979, is a Lebanese Oud player. He graduated from the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music.
Afif is considered one of the most skilled young Oud players mastering the traditional oriental Taqasim. He has a strong dedication to the Oud musical instrument and considers it as an authentic oriental instrument with an identity and a legacy.
Afif has played with many prominent Lebanese artists such as Jahida Wehbeh, Rima Khcheich and Ghada Shbeir.
Participated in many cultural festivals in Arab countries to mention Syria, Jordan, Algeria, Tunis, Egypt, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait & Bahrain as well as in European countries such as France, Holland, Spain and Serbia extending all the way to China. Afif has a very warm and soothing voice that blends perfectly with his oud.
Related article: TRIBUTE TO WADIH EL SAFI
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