John Erlich
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Seeking Trad Arabic Christian Song with "Catchy" Melody
Greeting Fellow Udis,
I have an interfaith Ramadan Iftar gig in a church (upcoming in June), and am looking for a good Arabic (or Syriac or Coptic) Christian song in
traditional style that I can learn to play and sing.
I have a score and lyrics for this modern Egyptian Coptic song in Arabic, "Ya Sayyidi Kan Kana Qasiyan," played and sung by my Ustad, Naser Musa - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhQBkviaxHc .
I still think there must be something more traditional out there that I could learn.
I have the Jewish and Muslim/Sufi material covered, but since I'm going to be performing in a church, it would be nice to have at least one Eastern
Christian song.
I have been told that there is a Coptic song about Jacob wrestling the Angel that uses the same melody as "Ala Balad el Mahbub," which I can't find
anything more about. This would be perfect, since I already know the melody well, and can sing a Hebrew Psalm to that melody too. Anyone know
anything about it?
Peace and Alf Shukran,
"Udi" John
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SamirCanada
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Fairuz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrKPP4FU8fE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hduXnCao4I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLKP0SA4AjM
Abeer Nehme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5lo4o1FbZI&list=RD_5lo4o1FbZI#t...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOKmImLYuGs
@samiroud Instagram
samiroudmaker@gmail.com
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John Erlich
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Thanks, Samir! I'll check these out.
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Mike
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It's going to be a little after Easter, but this is one of my favorites John...and super catchy.
It's starts in Arabic then Fairouz sings the refrain in Greek. Lots of nice back and forth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3xNRiuruPc
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John Erlich
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Quote: Originally posted by Mike  | It's going to be a little after Easter, but this is one of my favorites John...and super catchy.
It's starts in Arabic then Fairouz sings the refrain in Greek. Lots of nice back and forth.
[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3xNRiuruPc |
[/url]
Thanks SuperMike! Sounds a LOT more difficult than the modern Coptic song I already have. But are these the Arabic lyrics - http://st-takla.org/Lyrics-Spiritual-Songs/01-Coptic-Taraneem-Kalem... ?
Peace out,
"Udi" John
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Jack_Campin
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Sister Marie Keyrouz has recorded a lot of material from several different Christian traditions - dunno how widely any of them are sung by others.
They should be easy to find.
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John Erlich
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| Quote: Originally posted by Jack_Campin | | Sister Marie Keyrouz has recorded a lot of material from several different Christian traditions - dunno how widely any of them are sung by others.
They should be easy to find. |
I have 3 of her CDs. Great stuff, but not exactly catchy melodies, and not easy for a backup singer like me to sing! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUbKFiZ-ZyU
Thanks,
"Udi" John
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John Erlich
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I think I finally found a "winner." It's called "Ya Maryam El Bekr" (approx.=) I found this score of Humam Eid's Facebook page. I found Arabic text
and several recordings on YouTube.
Here is the score: https://www.facebook.com/arabicmusicnotes/photos/a.711765852208045.1...
Here are the lyrics in Arabic: http://st-takla.org/Lyrics-Spiritual-Songs/09-Coptic-Taraneem-Kalem...
Recording by Fairouz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KakkVScT58o
Another recording (a capella): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYEbFdtoaMQ
Recording w/qanoun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TlM7zXiLoo
Peace out,
"Udi" John
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John Erlich
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I found another possibility, thanks to our old friend, Wassim Njeim: http://www.arabicmusicalscores.com/piece/wa-habibi-%D9%88%D8%A7-%D8...
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Mike
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Hey hey Johnny...missed your response earlier bud. Sorry for the late reply.
Yes, those are the lyrics you posted above. In the Coptic church, we have two ways we chant this Greek hymn. Actually, there is a Coptic version as
well with the lyrics chanted in the Coptic Language. The two Greek versions we chant are differentiated basically by a more melismatic version, and
the second one more straightforward that is not as long.
Melismatic Version
Shorter Version
Hymn chanted in Coptic
To me the catchiest version is the Fairouz one. :-)
By the way, Ibrahim Ayad is the main cantor at the Big Cathedral in Cairo. He is the one chanting the melismatic version above. His son, Anton, is the
one singing the a-capella version of Ya Maryam el Bekr that you posted. That was when he was probably 8 or 9 years old. He is now a grown man, and is
usually right next to his dad during major feasts and liturgies at St. Mark's Cathedral. He is a very talented cantor as well.
Wa Habibi is a beautiful song, but it is more melancholic, don't you think? It is a Good Friday song about the Crucifixion.
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John Erlich
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| Quote: Originally posted by Mike | Hey hey Johnny...missed your response earlier bud. Sorry for the late reply.
Yes, those are the lyrics you posted above. In the Coptic church, we have two ways we chant this Greek hymn. Actually, there is a Coptic version as
well with the lyrics chanted in the Coptic Language. The two Greek versions we chant are differentiated basically by a more melismatic version, and
the second one more straightforward that is not as long.
Melismatic Version
Shorter Version
Hymn chanted in Coptic
To me the catchiest version is the Fairouz one. :-)
By the way, Ibrahim Ayad is the main cantor at the Big Cathedral in Cairo. He is the one chanting the melismatic version above. His son, Anton, is the
one singing the a-capella version of Ya Maryam el Bekr that you posted. That was when he was probably 8 or 9 years old. He is now a grown man, and is
usually right next to his dad during major feasts and liturgies at St. Mark's Cathedral. He is a very talented cantor as well.
Wa Habibi is a beautiful song, but it is more melancholic, don't you think? It is a Good Friday song about the Crucifixion.
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Hey Mike! Great to hear from you. My main criterion is something that I can learn fairly easily. The audience, I think, will be mostly
English-speaking Protestant Christians and Turkish-speaking Muslims, so the exact text of an Arabic, Coptic or Syriac Eastern Christian song won't be
as important as the fact of playing and singing at least one such song. The truth is, my time for learning an Eastern Christian chant is limited,
between the bunch of Arabic belly dance songs I am learning with my Arabic band (Bayat Ensemble - https://www.facebook.com/BayatEnsemble/ ), and the big chunk of Hebrew prayers I need to master in time for my son's bar mitzvah in July.
You don't know anything about the Coptic song about Jacob wrestling with the Angel, which uses the tune of "Ala Balad El Mahbub"?
Peace out, bro!
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