The ''Qudud Al-Halabiya'' ( ar, قدود حلبية, Qudūd Ḥalabīya, literally "musical measures of

Aleppo )), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black". , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_caption = , image_map1 = ...

") are traditional Syrian songs combining lyrics in

Classical Arabic Classical Arabic ( ar, links=no, ٱلْعَرَبِيَّةُ ٱلْفُصْحَىٰ, al-ʿarabīyah al-fuṣḥā) or Quranic Arabic is the standardized literary form of Arabic used from the 7th century and throughout the Middle Ages, most notab ...

based on the poetry of Al-Andalus, particularly that in ''

muwashshah ''Muwashshah'' ( ar, موشح ' literally means "girdled" in Classical Arabic; plural ' or ' ) is the name for both an Arabic poetic form and a secular musical genre. The poetic form consists of a multi-lined strophic verse poem written ...

'' form, with old religious melodies collected mainly by Aleppine musicians. Their themes are most often love, longing and spirituality. At the 16th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2021, the entire set of songs was included into the UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list as

Intangible cultural heritage An intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is a practice, representation, expression, knowledge, or skill considered by UNESCO to be part of a place's cultural heritage. Buildings, historic places, monuments, and artifacts are cultural property. Int ...

History

Qudud Halabiya originated in

al-Andalus Al-Andalus DIN 31635, translit. ; an, al-Andalus; ast, al-Ándalus; eu, al-Andalus; ber, ⴰⵏⴷⴰⵍⵓⵙ, label=Berber languages, Berber, translit=Andalus; ca, al-Àndalus; gl, al-Andalus; oc, Al Andalús; pt, al-Ândalus; es, ...

. However, it was formed as a musical genre in the

Levant The Levant () is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is eq ...

, mainly in the city of

Aleppo )), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black". , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_caption = , image_map1 = ...

. It was developed by the musicians in Aleppo, based on secular, folk and religious songs. During the 20th century, Qudud Halabiya further developed and popularized by many Aleppine musicians including

Omar al-Batsh ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb ( ar, عمر بن الخطاب, also spelled Omar, ) was the second Rashidun caliph, ruling from August 634 until his assassination in 644. He succeeded Abu Bakr () as the second caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate o ...

(1885–1950), Abdul Qader al-Hajjar (1917–1993), Bakri al-Kurdi (1909–1978), Bakri Rajab (1910–1979),

Sabri Moudallal Sabri Moudallal (Arabic: ; 1918, Aleppo – August 2006, Aleppo) was a singer and composer of traditional Syrian music, as well as a businessman. Biography Sabri Moudallal was born in the Al-Jalloum neighborhood in Aleppo in 1918. Sabri Mouda ...

(1918-2006),

Sabah Fakhri Sabah al-Din Abu Qaws ( ar, صباح الدين أبو قوس), also known as Sabah Fakhri ( ar, صباح فخري; May 2, 1933 – November 2, 2021), was a Syrian tenor singer from Aleppo. With over 50 years of fame and popularity as a sing ...

(1933-2021), Mohammad Khairy (1935-1981), etc. Contemporary Qudud Halabiya performers include Mohammad Qadri Dallal,

Shadi Jamil Shadi Jamil ( ar, شادي جميل) (born 22 September 1955) is a Syrian singer from Aleppo who specializes in the Qudud Halabiya, Qudud Al Halabiyya genre. Shadi is known as one of the best Arabic singers especially in the Middle East. Major wo ...

, Nihad Najjar, Hamam Khairy,

Shahd Barmada Shahad (could be spelled as Shahd or Shahed) is an Arabic feminine given name, which means "pure honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish ...

, Nadya Manfukh, Subhi Toufic, Ahmad Azrak etc.

Famous songs

"Ya Tira Tiri"

"Ya Tira Tiri Ya Hamama" (Fly, fly away, my dove) has been famously sung by

Fairouz Nouhad Wadie' Haddad ( ar, نهاد وديع حداد, ; born November 21, 1934), known as Fairuz ( ar, فيروز, ; also spelled Fairouz, Feyrouz or Fayrouz), is a Lebanese singer. She is considered by many as one of the leading vocalists a ...

and

. It was also played by

Abdallah Chahine Abdallah Chahine ( ar, عبد الله شاهين; 1894–1975) was a Lebanese pianist and tuner-technician who devised an " Oriental piano" capable of playing quarter tones. Abdallah Chahine constructed his Oriental piano with the help of Austria ...

on his Oriental piano.

References

{{UNESCO Oral and Intangible music Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity Arabic music Arabic and Central Asian poetics Culture of al-Andalus Vocal music Classical and art music traditions Song forms Syrian music Aleppo

History

Famous songs

"Ya Tira Tiri"

See also

References