الموسيقى تقاس بتأثيرها على سامعها، لا تقاس بآلاتها ولا عدد دقائقها وبساطتها أو تعقيدها. الموسيقى إذا لم تكن سيّئة المفعول والنّتيجة، هي كالصّورة الشّمسيّة، لا تصلح إلّا للمعاملات الرّسميّة الرّوتينيّة المملّة
من مقالتي في جريدة 17 تشريين – العدد الخامس
للمقال كاملا اضغط هنا
After a special request by my pianist friend Seba Ali, i arranged this solo piano version of the Lebanese National Anthem.
You can download the score here for free!
Lebanon’s national anthem was written by Rashid Nakhle (رشيد نخلة) and composed by Wadih Sabra (وديع صبرا) in 1925.
Adopted by the Lebanese government on July 12, 1927, while still under the French Mandate, it became the official national anthem with Lebanon’s independence from colonial rule in 1943.
References:
– Hang, Xing. Encyclopedia of National Anthems. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, 2003.
As a music assistant, arranger, and pianist/keyboardist, Wajdi participated in one of the most important festivals in the Middle-East, “Tyre International Festival – 2017”, with the Lebanese Composer Jamal A. Hosn, the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Maestro Garo Avassian, and ِAl Fayhaa Choir conducted by Maestro Barkev Taslakian.
Other than the notation, preparing orchestral parts, and help in the rehearsals, Wajdi orchestrated 7 songs as a tribute for the great Arabic singers and song writers, as Melhem Barakat, Felemon Wehbe, Rahbani Brothers, Baleegh Hamdeh and others.
Two projects gathered the two Lebanese composers Nabil Jaafar and Wajdi Abou Diab.
Two pieces for piano, composed by Nabil Jaafar during his study in The Komitas state Conservatory in Yerevan, was orchestrated for Orchestra by Wajdi Abou Diab.
The first piece called “Dabkeh”, after orchestrated by Wajdi Abou Diab, was performed by the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by maestro Manfred Massaeur in January 2017 in Sain Joseph church – Monot – Beirut
The second piece is a variation on the famous Arabic tune “Bent Al Shalabiya”, and was performed on 16-2-2018 by the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by maestro Harout Fazlian
Two opus by Wajdi Abou Diab, dedicated to this amazing beautiful instrument!
Opus 1
Taqassim suite for recorder family and harpsichord
Taqassim “تقاسيم” is a suite of 6 miniature pieces for the recorder family (and harpsichord) which may be played together or separately.
Each piece is written for an instrument and is based on an Arabic scale or/and rhythm. The pieces reflect the spirit of the Arabic folk tune and folk dance.
They are named by the names of these tunes.
The 6 pieces are:
1. موّال” من جنس صبا وايقاع دور هندي” (Mawwal) For alto recorder
2. موشّح” من جنس حجاز وإيقاع سماعي ثقيل” (Mouwashah) For bass recorder and harpsichord
3. دبكة” من جنس بياتي وإيقاع أقصاق” (Dabkeh) For soprano recorder and harpsichord
4. يا غزيّل” من جنس عجم” (Ya G’zayyel) For tenor recorder
5. زفّة” من إيقاع نيم أيون هواسي” (Zaffa) For great bass recorder mouthpiece
6. بلدي” من جنس راست وإيقاع بلدي” (Baladi) For sopranino recorder and harpsichord
this piece is dedicated to the international recorder player Farid Rahme.
The cover was design by the artist Bachar Hijazi.
This Piece was published by the German publisher Ronald Brox (Edition tre-fontane), and recorded by Farid Rahme on recorder and Wajdi Abou Diab on harpsichord.
for the scores visit this link
Opus 8
Wild Peazold – For Contrabass Recorder and Tape
After my friend Farid Rahme introduced me to this instrument, i borrowed it for one month to discover its capability and techniques, and start composing “Wild Peazold”.
Accompanied by a pre-recorded tape including orchestra, electronics, and many sound effects recorded by the composer, this piece should be played with amplification and using an effect pedal
to request the score send us an email here
Zaki Nassif was a Lebanese song writers and singer. He was influential among the first generation of composers for the mass audience for music on radio in Lebanon in the 1940s and 1950s, and continued to be a force in Lebanese music until his death in 2004. His compositions continue to be performed in Lebanon today
as a tribute to this great musician, Wajdi Abou Diab made more than 15 arrangements and orchestration of the best song and music by Zaki nassif, performed with “The Zaki Nassif Orchestra and choir”, the Lebanese Conservatory students orchestra and choir, the Taipei Civic Symphony Orchestra and Tunisia 88 Honors Choir and others…
Four Pieces from my composition list – that happened to be opus 1, 2, 3 and 4 – chosen for this album, inspired by the Arabic traditional music, melodies, rhythms, dances and folklore, and developed in a contemporary unique way, to reflect the contradictions, traditions, and conflicts of our societies.
Our world is full of contrast since forever: humanity inhumanity, silence sound, reality dreams, sedulity, and exploitation…
And we spend our entire lives searching for the balance between these contraries…
It’s time to stop searching, and to understand our unbalanced and asymmetrical nature, so we can feel the rhythm that governs the universe, and dance freely to it.
Musicians
Farid Rahme – Recorders (track 1 – 6)
Jinan Jaffall – flute (track 19 & 20)
Suhair Sawan – Vocal (track 13 & 14)
Tatiana Paviliko – Piano (track 13 & 14)
Zeinab Mawassy – Lyrics (track 14)
Wajdi Abou Diab – Piano/ Harpsichord/ Electronics/ Lyrics
Cover design – Amy Chiniara
Sound engineer (Mix & Master) – Raghid Jureidini
The first project between the Lebanese composer Wajdi Abou Diab and the Oud player Abbas Kassamany was the album “Irtihal”, include 7 pieces composed by Abass and arranged by Wajdi, one piece composed and arranged by Wajdi, and two oud improvisation (Takassim)
The following projects where performed by the Lebanese oriental orchestra conducted by the Maestro Andre Al Haj and presented Abass as a Oud solist, by three pieces Composed by him, and orchestrated by Wajdi
Many other concerts was performed by the two musicians as “Ya Hennah” band in collaboration with the percussion player Rouied Mahmoud
Happy to share with you 3 of my arrangements for the great Zaki Nassif, and Melhem Barakat, in a special tribute to Lebanon!
Recorded during the quarantine by three youth ensembles, “The Arabic Ensemble of the AUB Zaki Nassif Program”, the “I.P.S.M ( أوركسترا و جوقة المتن – معهد مار مخايل الإحترافي للفنون)”, and the “North Lebanon Orchestra”.
Directed by Maestro Fadi Yaakoub
Choir voicing by Nour El Houda Kouba and Joe Azar
Excited to share with you the live recording on my new piece for horn, violin and piano, at Irwin Hall, LAU Beirut
Inspired by the Lebanese ancient folk tune called ” Ya Hnayena” and the “Dal’ona” rhythm, this piece combines the Arabic scales (Maqamat) and some traditional famous Arabic rhythms with the composer language in harmony and development to present the Arabic music, and especially the Lebanese music, in a contemporary way
French Horn: Amr Selim
Piano: Seba Ali
Violin: Sarah Mallah
Live Recording: Raghid Fadia Jureidini
Photo and video: Ramzi Kadi
