Farid al-Atrash
Encyclopedia
Farid al-Atrash, or in French spelling Farid El-Atrache, (Arabic
: ; October 19, 1910 – December 26, 1974) was a Syrian-Egyptian
composer
, singer, virtuoso
oud
player, and actor
. Having immigrated to Egypt in childhood, Farid embarked on a highly successful career spanning more than four decades — recording 500 songs and starring in 31 movies. Sometimes referred to as 'King of the Oud', he is one of the most important figures of 20th Century Arab music.
to the Druze
Atrash
family who fought the French
Colonial
armies. His father was Syrian and mother Lebanese. As a child, Farid emigrated with his mother and siblings to Egypt
, escaping the French occupation. Later, they were naturalized by the Egyptian government as citizens. Farid's mother sang and played the oud
, which spurred his musical interest at an early age.
As a child and young adult, Farid sang in school events. He studied in a music conservatory and became an apprentice of the renowned composer Riyad as-Sunbaty. In the 1930s, Farid began his professional singing career by working for privately owned Egyptian radio stations. Eventually, he was hired as an oud player for the national radio station and later as a singer. His sister, Asmahan
, was also a talented singer, and for a while they worked together. In 1941, they starred in their first successful movie Intisar a l-Shabab (انتصار الشباب - The Triumph of Youth, 1941), in which Farid himself composed all the music.
One of Farid's most unusual and distinguishable traits was his voice. High and mellow at the start of his career, it evolved into a wider, deeper sound. A person not familiar with his work would find it hard to believe the singer in "Ya Reitni Tir" (1930s) and "Adnaytani Bil Hajr" (1960s) were the same singer. His singing style was deeply passionate.
In many of his songs, and nearly all of his concerts, Farid would sing a mawal
, which is a slow voice improvisation of a few poetic lines. These improvisations sometimes lasted up to 15 minutes. The mawal was a favorite of his fans. Some of the most famous songs include "Rabeeh" (Spring), "Awal Hamsa" (first whisper), "Hekayat Gharami" (story of my love), "Albi Wa Moftaho" (my heart and its key), "Gamil Gamal", "Wayak", "Ya Zahratan Fi Khayali" (يا زهرة في خيالي - "Flower of my imagination), "Bisat Ir Rih" (flying carpet), "Ya Gamil Ya Gamil", "Ya Habaybi Ya Ghaybeen", "Eish Anta", and "sa3a bi 2orb el habib" (an hour in company of the beloved).
Quick success brought the young man a lifestyle of nightclubs, love affairs, and gambling. Soon Farid was in debt and found himself abandoned by his disapproving mother. During this difficult period of his life, he also endured the death of his sister and fellow performer Asmahan. Farid found comfort in a relationship with the belly-dancer Samia Gamal
, for whom he was motivated to risk all he owned. In 1947 he produced and co-starred in a movies with Samia directed by Henri Barakat; Habib al-'Oumr ("The love of my life," 1947), which became a huge success. After this came Afrita Hanem ("Madame la diablesse," 1949). Five films later, the unmarried couple broke up. Farid continued to work with other film stars in numerous successful movies in which he always had the romantic lead role of a sad singer. He even repeatedly chose his character's name to be "Wahid," meaning lonely.
Farid refused to get married, claiming that marriage kills art. In his films, the audience remembered his leading ladies and Farid's beautiful songs more than the story lines.
Prior to the 1952 military coup d'état against King Farouk I, Farid became friends with Farouk's consort, Queen Nariman
, a relationship that continued after the Queen's divorce and the coup that cost Farouk his throne. The former queen's family did not accept Farid, and the separation from Nariman sent the singer into a long depression, the start of health problems that worsened from that point on until his death.
As Farid became older, he reconsidered his opinion of marriage and proposed to Egyptian singer named Shadia
, but at the last minute he backed out. By now his health was poor, and Farid feared that he would leave her a young widow. He often played out that scenario and sang about it in his romance movies.
Farid was a very close friend to musician Abdel Halim Hafez.
On Monday 24 December 1974 the doctors told Farid that after 2 days he could go home. This was because they noticed that Farid did not like the hospital, or the drugs and the food that the hospital provided for him. On December 26, 1974, Farid died in Beirut
, Lebanon
at Al Hayek hospital, shortly after arriving from London
. Farid is buried in Cairo
, Egypt
alongside his sister and brother.
, as well as Wadih El-Safi, Shadia, Warda
, and Sabah
. He is widely considered to be one of the four 'greats' of Egyptian
and Arabic music, along with Abdel Halim Hafez
, Mohammed Abdel Wahab
and Oum Kalthoum.
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
: ; October 19, 1910 – December 26, 1974) was a Syrian-Egyptian
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, singer, virtuoso
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
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...
player, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. Having immigrated to Egypt in childhood, Farid embarked on a highly successful career spanning more than four decades — recording 500 songs and starring in 31 movies. Sometimes referred to as 'King of the Oud', he is one of the most important figures of 20th Century Arab music.
Early life
Farid was born in Suwayda, SyriaSyria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
to the Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
Atrash
Atrash
The Atrash family is a famous Druze family. It is traditionally considered the source of leadership in Jabal ad-Duruz.The name has the alternate spellings of Atrache, Attrache, Attrasch Atrach, Attrach and Attrash, and is Arabic for "deaf"...
family who fought the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
armies. His father was Syrian and mother Lebanese. As a child, Farid emigrated with his mother and siblings to 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...
, escaping the French occupation. Later, they were naturalized by the Egyptian government as citizens. Farid's mother sang and played the 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...
, which spurred his musical interest at an early age.
As a child and young adult, Farid sang in school events. He studied in a music conservatory and became an apprentice of the renowned composer Riyad as-Sunbaty. In the 1930s, Farid began his professional singing career by working for privately owned Egyptian radio stations. Eventually, he was hired as an oud player for the national radio station and later as a singer. His sister, Asmahan
Asmahan
Amal al-Atrash , better known by her stage name Asmahan , was a Syrian Druze singer and actress. Having immigrated to Egypt in childhood, her family knew the composer Dawood Hosni, and she sang the compositions of Mohamed El Qasabgi and Zakariyya Ahmad...
, was also a talented singer, and for a while they worked together. In 1941, they starred in their first successful movie Intisar a l-Shabab (انتصار الشباب - The Triumph of Youth, 1941), in which Farid himself composed all the music.
Musical career
Farid had a long and colorful music career lasting four decades. He composed musically diverse songs, and was a highly regarded composer, singer and instrumentalist. Farid maintained that although some of his music had western musical influence, he always stayed true to Arab music principles. Although the majority of his compositions were romantic love songs, he also composed several patriotic and religious songs.One of Farid's most unusual and distinguishable traits was his voice. High and mellow at the start of his career, it evolved into a wider, deeper sound. A person not familiar with his work would find it hard to believe the singer in "Ya Reitni Tir" (1930s) and "Adnaytani Bil Hajr" (1960s) were the same singer. His singing style was deeply passionate.
In many of his songs, and nearly all of his concerts, Farid would sing a mawal
Mawal
Mawal could refer to* Mawwal, a traditional genre of vocal Arabic music* Mawal, a region in Mahrashtra, India** Mawala, the soldiers from the Mawal region who served in Shivaji's army...
, which is a slow voice improvisation of a few poetic lines. These improvisations sometimes lasted up to 15 minutes. The mawal was a favorite of his fans. Some of the most famous songs include "Rabeeh" (Spring), "Awal Hamsa" (first whisper), "Hekayat Gharami" (story of my love), "Albi Wa Moftaho" (my heart and its key), "Gamil Gamal", "Wayak", "Ya Zahratan Fi Khayali" (يا زهرة في خيالي - "Flower of my imagination), "Bisat Ir Rih" (flying carpet), "Ya Gamil Ya Gamil", "Ya Habaybi Ya Ghaybeen", "Eish Anta", and "sa3a bi 2orb el habib" (an hour in company of the beloved).
Film career
Farid starred in 31 Egyptian musical films from 1941 to 1974. His last movie, Nagham Fi Hayati(نغم في حياتي, Songs in my life) was released after his death. All his films except the last two were black and white. They ranged from comedies to dramas, or a combination. Farid composed all the songs in his movies including the songs sung by other singers, and instrumentals (usually belly dance routines). His earlier films would include approximately ten songs, but overall the films would average about five songs each. Some of Farid's famous movies include Intisar al-Shabab (انتصار الشباب - The Triumph of Youth, 1941), Yom Bila Ghad, Ahd el-Hawa, and Lahn al-Kholoud (لحن الخلود - "Eternal Lyric", 1952).Personal life
Samia Gamal
Samia Gamal was an Egyptian belly dancer and film actress.Born in the small Egyptian town of Wana in 1924, Samia's family moved just months later to Cairo and settled near the Khan El-Khalili bazaar. It was many years later that Samia Gamal met Badia Masabni, the founder of modern Oriental dance....
, for whom he was motivated to risk all he owned. In 1947 he produced and co-starred in a movies with Samia directed by Henri Barakat; Habib al-'Oumr ("The love of my life," 1947), which became a huge success. After this came Afrita Hanem ("Madame la diablesse," 1949). Five films later, the unmarried couple broke up. Farid continued to work with other film stars in numerous successful movies in which he always had the romantic lead role of a sad singer. He even repeatedly chose his character's name to be "Wahid," meaning lonely.
Farid refused to get married, claiming that marriage kills art. In his films, the audience remembered his leading ladies and Farid's beautiful songs more than the story lines.
Prior to the 1952 military coup d'état against King Farouk I, Farid became friends with Farouk's consort, Queen Nariman
Narriman Sadek
Narriman Sadek was the daughter of Hussain Fahmi Sadiq Bey, a high-ranking official in the Egyptian government, and his wife Asila Kamil; she was the second wife of King Farouk and the last Queen of Egypt.-Meeting Farouk:Farouk divorced his first wife, Queen Farida, in 1948, after a ten-year...
, a relationship that continued after the Queen's divorce and the coup that cost Farouk his throne. The former queen's family did not accept Farid, and the separation from Nariman sent the singer into a long depression, the start of health problems that worsened from that point on until his death.
As Farid became older, he reconsidered his opinion of marriage and proposed to Egyptian singer named Shadia
Shadia
Fatima Ahmad Kamal , better known by her stage name Shadia , is an Egyptian actress and singer. Now retired, she is famous for her roles in light comedies and drama in the 1950s and 1960s...
, but at the last minute he backed out. By now his health was poor, and Farid feared that he would leave her a young widow. He often played out that scenario and sang about it in his romance movies.
Farid was a very close friend to musician Abdel Halim Hafez.
Death
Farid suffered from heart problems throughout his last 30 years. In the last few years of his life, he became physically thinner, and his singing voice became raspy as his sickness intensified. Although he was struggling with his health, he continued to make movies and perform in concerts until he died.On Monday 24 December 1974 the doctors told Farid that after 2 days he could go home. This was because they noticed that Farid did not like the hospital, or the drugs and the food that the hospital provided for him. On December 26, 1974, Farid died in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
at Al Hayek hospital, shortly after arriving from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Farid is buried in Cairo
Cairo
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...
alongside his sister and brother.
Legacy
Over his lifetime, Farid starred in 31 movies and recorded approximately 350 songs. He composed songs for top Arab singers, foremost his own sister, AsmahanAsmahan
Amal al-Atrash , better known by her stage name Asmahan , was a Syrian Druze singer and actress. Having immigrated to Egypt in childhood, her family knew the composer Dawood Hosni, and she sang the compositions of Mohamed El Qasabgi and Zakariyya Ahmad...
, as well as Wadih El-Safi, Shadia, Warda
Warda Al-Jazairia
Warda Al-Jazairia , commonly referred to as just Warda , is a French-born Algerian singer. She is well known in the Arabic music community for her Egyptian songs and music.-Biography:...
, and Sabah
Sabah (singer)
Sabah , Wadi Chahrour, Lebanon is a Lebanese singer and actress.She has released over 50 albums and has acted in 98 movies, as well as 20 stage plays...
. He is widely considered to be one of the four 'greats' of Egyptian
Music of Egypt
The music of Egypt has been an integral part of Egyptian culture since ancient times. The ancient Egyptians credited one of their Gods Thoth with the invention of music, which Osiris in turn used as part of his effort to civilize the world...
and Arabic music, along with 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...
, Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Mohammed Abdel Wahab , also transliterated Mohammed Abd el-Wahaab was a prominent 20th-century Arab Egyptian singer and composer...
and Oum Kalthoum.
Filmography
- Nagham Fi Hayati (1975)
- Zaman Ya Hob (1973)
- Hob al kabir, -Al (1969)
- Khouroug min el guana, El (1967)
- Hikayet el omr kulluh (1965)
- Ressalah min emraa maghoula (1963)
- Yomun bala ghaden (1962)
- Shatie el hub (1961)
- Min agl Hobbi (1960)
- Maleesh Gheirak (1958)
- Inta habibi (1957)
- Wadda'tu hubbak (1957)
- Izhay ansak (1956)
- Oussit Hobi (1955)
- Ahdil Hawa (1955)
- Risalat Gharam (1954)
- Lahn hubi (1954)
- Ayza atgawwez (1952)
- Lahn al khouloud (1952)
- Ma takulshi la hada (1952)
- Taa la salim (1951)
- Akher kedba (1950)
- Afrita hanemAfrita hanemAfrita hanem is a 1949 Egyptian film about Asfour, a poor singer, played by Egyptian musician Farid Al Atrache, who falls in love with Aleya, a the somewhat spoiled daughter of his boss....
(1949) - Ahebbak inta (1949)
- Habib al omr (1947)
- Bolbol effendi (1946)
- Gamal wa Dalal (1946)
- Ma akdarshi (1946)
- Shahr el asal (1946)
- Ahlam el chabab (1943)
- Intisar al-chabab (1941)