Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Encyclopedia
Mohammed Abdel Wahab (Arabic: محمد عبد الوهاب), also transliterated
Mohammed Abd el-Wahaab (March 7, 1899 or 1907 – May 3, 1991) was a prominent 20th-century Arab Egypt
ian singer and composer. He composed the "Ya Beladi" (also known as "Libya, Libya, Libya
") the National anthem
of Libya used by the Kingdom of Libya
from 1951 to 1969 and again by the post-Gaddafi transitional government
in 2011.
, Egypt
(where his statue stands), Abdel Wahab played oud
before the Prince of Poets, Ahmed Shawqi
. Abdel Wahab acted in several movies. Mohammed Abdel Wahab was a very close friend to loved singer Abdel Halim Hafez
.
rhythm, and in 1957, he introduced the rock and roll
rhythm in Abdel Halim Hafez
’s song Ya Albi Ya Khali.
Abdel Wahab played oud before the Prince of Poets, Ahmed Shawqi. Abdel Wahab acted in several movies. He composed 10 songs for Umm Kulthum (أم كلثوم). He was the first Egyptian singer to move from silent-era acting to singing. He died of heart failure.
A statue was erected in Bab El-Sheriya square (where he grew up) to keep his memory.
As a memorial and honor for him, Omar Khayrat, Egyptian composer, had rearranged some of Abdel Wahab's music and released them in an Album called Wahabiat.
Selected musical pieces of Mohammed Abdel Wahab from YouTube website:
Transliteration
Transliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
Mohammed Abd el-Wahaab (March 7, 1899 or 1907 – May 3, 1991) was a prominent 20th-century Arab Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian singer and composer. He composed the "Ya Beladi" (also known as "Libya, Libya, Libya
Libya, Libya, Libya
Libya, Libya, Libya , composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab, is the national anthem of Libya. It was originally the national anthem from independence in 1951 until 1969 when King Idris I was overthrown by a Coup d'état led by Muammar Gaddafi.Gaddafi adopted the marching song Allahu Akbar as the...
") the National anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
of Libya used by the Kingdom of Libya
Kingdom of Libya
The Kingdom of Libya, originally called the United Libyan Kingdom came into existence upon independence on 24 December 1951 and lasted until a coup d'état led by Muammar Gaddafi on 1 September 1969 overthrew King Idris of Libya and established the Libyan Arab Republic.- Constitution :Under the...
from 1951 to 1969 and again by the post-Gaddafi transitional government
National Transitional Council
The National Transitional Council of Libya , sometimes known as the Transitional National Council, the Interim National Council, or the Libyan National Council,...
in 2011.
Biography
Born in Bab El-Shaariyah area of CairoCairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
(where his statue stands), Abdel Wahab played oud
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
before the Prince of Poets, Ahmed Shawqi
Ahmed Shawqi
Ahmed Shawqi was the great Arabic Poet-Laureate, an Egyptian poet and dramatist who pioneered the modern Egyptian literary movement, most notably introducing the genre of poetic epics to the Arabic literary tradition...
. Abdel Wahab acted in several movies. Mohammed Abdel Wahab was a very close friend to loved singer Abdel Halim Hafez
Abdel Halim Hafez
Abdel Halim Ali Shabana commonly known as Abdel Halim Hafez , is among the most popular Egyptian and Arab singers and performers. In addition to singing, Halim was also an actor, conductor, business man, music teacher and movie producer...
.
Contribution to Arab music
Despite the fact that Abdel Wahab composed many songs and musical pieces in classic Arab music, he was always criticized for his orientation to Western music. In fact, his introduced the Western rhythms to Arab songs in a way appropriate to the known forms of Arab songs. For example, he introduced in 1941 in his song Al Gondol the WaltzWaltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
rhythm, and in 1957, he introduced the rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
rhythm in Abdel Halim Hafez
Abdel Halim Hafez
Abdel Halim Ali Shabana commonly known as Abdel Halim Hafez , is among the most popular Egyptian and Arab singers and performers. In addition to singing, Halim was also an actor, conductor, business man, music teacher and movie producer...
’s song Ya Albi Ya Khali.
Abdel Wahab played oud before the Prince of Poets, Ahmed Shawqi. Abdel Wahab acted in several movies. He composed 10 songs for Umm Kulthum (أم كلثوم). He was the first Egyptian singer to move from silent-era acting to singing. He died of heart failure.
Legacy
His personal belongings were put in his museum in the Music institute in Cairo.A statue was erected in Bab El-Sheriya square (where he grew up) to keep his memory.
As a memorial and honor for him, Omar Khayrat, Egyptian composer, had rearranged some of Abdel Wahab's music and released them in an Album called Wahabiat.
External links
Selected musical pieces of Mohammed Abdel Wahab from YouTube website: