Ramzi Salti Recites Andalusian Poem رمزي سلطي يلقي قصيدة يا شقيق الروح

Watch video at https://youtu.be/BKezCg5K438

Dr. Ramzi Salti recites a poem titled “Ya Shaqiq Al-Ruh  يا شقيق الروح” [Brother of My Soul] by Andalusian poet Ibn Sanā' al-Mulk (1155–1211). This poem belongs to the muwashahat genre, a branch of Arabic poetry that is exclusively associated with the time of Al-Andalus or Islamic Spain.

الدكتور رمزي سلطي يلقي قصيدة يا شقيق الروح للشاعر الاندلسي أبو القاسم هبة الله بن جعفر بن سناء الملك الذي ولد في مصر سنة 550 هـ -608هـ. وقد غنت له فيروز مقطعاً من هذه القصيدة بتوقيع الأخوين رحباني لحناً يمكنكم سماعه في نهاية هذا الفيديو

You watch the video below or at https://youtu.be/BKezCg5K438

يا شقيقَ الرُّوحِ منْ جَسَدي أهوىً بي منك أم لَمَمُ؟

 ضِعْتَ بين العَذْلِ والعَذَلِ وأنـا وَحْـدي على خَبـَلِ ما أرى قلبـي بمُحْتـَمـِلِ

 ما يريـدُ البـَيـْنُ من خَـلَدي وهو لا خَـصْـمٌ ولا حَـكَـمُ 

أيـها الظَّـبْيُ الذي شرَدَا تَرَكَـتْني مُـقْـلَتاك سُـدى 

زَعَـمـوا أنّي أراكَ غـدا وأظـنُّ الـمـوتَ دونَ غـدِ 

أينَ منِّي اليومَ ما زعموا؟

ادْنُ شـيـئـًا أيُّـهـا القـمـرُ كـادَ يمحـو نورَك الخَفَرُ 

أَدَلالٌ ذاك أم حَـــــذَرُ؟

لا تَخَفْ كيدي ولا رَصَدي أنتَ ظبيٌ والهوى حرَمُ 

يـا هشـامَ الحُسْـنِ أيُّ جَــــــوى يـا هــوىً 

أَزْرى بــكــلِّ هـــوى لـم أجــدْ مذْ غِبْـــتَ عــنــه دوا 

عََلَّـمتْـكَ النـَّفثَ في العُقـدِ لحـظـاتٌ كـلُّهـا سَـقـمُ 

هـل بِـــشــــوقـي ردْعُ كلِّ صَبــــا تَجْتلـــيهـــــــــــا آيـــةٌ عَجَبــــــــا 

حين أشـدوهـــــا بـكُـمْ طَـرَبــــــا 

يا نسيمَ الروحِ من بلدي خبِّرِ الأحبابُ كيفَ هُمُ

The literature of al-Andalus, also known as Andalusi literature (Arabic: الأدب الأندلسي‎, al-adab al-andalusī), was produced in Al-Andalus, or Islamic Iberia, from the time of the Muslim conquest in 711 to either the Catholic conquest of Granada in 1492 or the Expulsion of the Moors ending in 1614. 

Andalusi literature was written primarily in Arabic, but also in Hebrew, Judeo-Arabic, Aljamiado, and Mozarabic. This poetic genre remains very popular in the Arab world today, as demonstrated in the works of several contemporary singers, including Lebanese singer Fairuz and the Rahbani brothers who, in the 1970s, released an album of muwashahat under the title of Al-Andalusiyat الاندلسيات (audio excerpt by Fairuz is included at the end of this video). 

This poetic tradition has also made a profound impact on Spain's Generation of ’27, as seen, for example, in the works of Federico García Lorca. 

Watch the video at https://youtu.be/BKezCg5K438

• You can watch Fairuz singing this poem at https://youtu.be/6dnrCGMBzdw 
• You can watch Fairuz's complete Al-Andalusiyat concert below or at https://youtu.be/O3UfnASTpJQ

New Year Video Message from Dr. Ramzi Salti's Arabology Program

Watch at https://youtu.be/628MU8iTqzE

A special video greeting to everyone who has ever supported my Arabology radio/YouTube program and many thanks to all the amazing Arab artists who have graciously agreed to be interviewed through the years. Here's to a better 2021!  Watch below or at https://youtu.be/628MU8iTqzE

اتمنى لجميع مشاهدي برنامج عربولوجي عاماً جديداً مليئاً بالصحة والعافية والنجاح والف شكر على محبتكم ومتابعتكم وتشجيعكم عبر السنوات. كما اود أن أشكر كل الفنانين من جميع انحاء الوطن العربي الذين شاركوني بمشوارهم الفني وأعمالهم العظيمة من خلال المقابلات التي أجريتها معهم الرجاء الاشتراك بالقناة ليصلكم كل ماهو جديد

Fairuz's "Khidni Ya Habibi" Translated into English by Dr. Ramzi Salti

Here is my modest attempt to translate Fairuz's song "Khidni Ya Habibi خدني يا حبيبي  " [Take Me Away, My Love] from Arabic into English.  This song has always had a special place in my heart, as does the operetta/musical Petra in which it was initially performed, back in 1978.

I have uploaded a special video of the song, with optional English subtitles, to my YouTube Channel.  To view subtitles, start playing video then click on CC at bottom of video screen/window.  

For bilingual English/version, scroll down.

Watch below or at https://youtu.be/Hi4-DAq72s8

An Egyptian man arrived one night

Carrying with him the mysteries of the Pyramids 

And the sublime color of the Nile 

He appeared out of nowhere 

Just like joy itself 

And he gave us hope.

Take me away, my love 

To a house that has no doors 

Take me away my love 

To the moon that guides the forgotten 

Leave me in a deep slumber 

On a clear, bright day 

Until the nights return, along with our loved ones 

My love, my love, my love 

Take me away, leave me behind 

Joy is on its way 

Your love consumes me 

While you have no companion 

Take me away, leave me behind 

Joy is on its way 

Your love consumes me 

While you have no companion 

O King of all Swords 

You took away the summer 

 I imagine you everywhere 

 Lost in the fog 

Take me away, my love 

Take me away, my love 

Leave me in a deep slumber 

On a clear and bright day 

My love, my love, my love 

There was once a little princess 

Who grew up too quickly 

Jealousy surrounded her 

And she had no wings to fly away 

There was once a little Princess 

Who grew up too quickly 

Jealousy surrounded her 

She had no wings to fly away 

They made her live in Palaces 

Surrounded by vast oceans 

The Princess was too little 

And the oceans (doors) too vast

Take me away, my love 

To a house that has no doors 

Take me away, my love 

To the moon that guides those who are lost 

Leave me in a deep slumber 

On a clear, bright day 

Until the nights return, along with our loved ones 

My love, my love, my love 

English Translation by Dr. Ramzi Salti

Original Arabic Lyrics

An Egyptian man arrived one night Carrying with him the mysteries of the Pyramids And the sublime color of the Nile He appeared out of nowhere and, like joy itself,  He gave us hope. Take me away, my love To a house that has no doors Take me away, my love To the moon that guides the forgotten Leave me in a deep slumber on a clear, bright day Until the nights return, along with our loved ones My love, my love, my love Take me away, leave me behind Joy is on its way Your love consumes me While you have no companion O King of all Swords You took away the summer I imagine you everywhere Lost in the fog Take me away, my love Take me away, my love Leave me in a deep slumber On a clear and bright day My love, my love, my love There was once a little princess Who grew up too quickly Jealousy surrounded her And she had no wings to fly away They made her live in Palaces Surrounded by vast oceans But the Princess was too little And the oceans (doors) too vast Take me away, my love To a house that has no doors Take me away, my love To the moon that guides those who are lost Leave me in a deep slumber On a clear, bright day Until the nights return, along with our loved ones My love, my love, my love

ببيروس اللي إجا من الليل حامل غموض الهرم ولون النيل وصل ع غفلة متل الفرح وأعطانا الأمل خدني يا حبيبي ع بيت مالو بواب خدني يا حبيبي ع قمر الغياب انساني بالغفا بأيام الصفا تترجع الليالي ويرجعوا الأحباب يا حبيبي يا حبيبي يا حبيبي خدني ولا تخدني الفرح ع الطريق حبك بيحصدني وما عندك رفيق يا أمير السيف وين أخدت الصيف بشوفك وما بشوفك  وضايع بالضباب خدني يا حبيبي خدني يا حبيبي انساني بالغفا بأيام الصفا يا حبيبي يا حبيبي يا حبيبي في أميرة زغيرة انخطبت بكير رميوا عليها الغيرة وما بتعرف تطير سكنوها قصور خلف سبع بحور وزغيرة الأميرة وكبيرة البواب خدني يا حبيبي  خدني يا حبيبي ع بيت مالو بواب خدني يا حبيبي ع قمر الغياب انساني بالغفا بأيام الصفا تترجع الليالي ويرجعوا الأحباب يا حبيبي يا حبيبي يا حبيبي

Arabology Interviews 'The Arab Sinatra' Omar Kamal (November 2019)

Listen at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/omarkamal2019

Stanford Lecturer + Arabology Radio Host Dr. Ramzi Salti interviews 'The Arab Sinatra' Omar Kamal about his new album "Show Me the Light" as well his upcoming show at the Aldwych Theatre in London on 24th November (supported by Abu Dhabi Festival). Tickets at www.nederlander.co.uk/whats-on/omar-kamal

Listen below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/omarkamal2019

This interview includes the following song excerpts from Omar Kamal's new album "Show Me The Light" ℗© 2019 Estuana Records:

1. Ya Ana Ya Ana (3:32)
2. Wicked Dreams (9:36)
3. Atyaf El Leil (15:01)
4. Um Kulthoum Swings (22:53)

Ramzi Salti's Talk About Indie Arabic Music at Sijal (in English) Available

In this audio-visual lecture (recorded at Sijal Institute in Jordan in July 2019), Stanford Lecturer + Arabology radio host Dr. Ramzi Salti talks about the many ways in which the revolutionary music of the Arab Spring continues to fuel a new generation of artists and musicians--from Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya to Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.  This video also includes a segment on Palestinian musicians who are creating new musical genres that aim at a better tomorrow.  Video concludes with extensive Q&A session.  Artwork by Jordanian artist Tamer Al Ahmar.

Watch the video below or at https://youtu.be/F5FeL3KssuA



This talk was meant to go along with THIS YOUTUBE PLAYLIST.

This talk spotlights the following segments (chronologically):

01. Katy Whiting Intro (0:00)
02. Ramzi Salti: Intro (02:13)
03. El General (Tunisia) (07:09)
04. Emel Mathlouthi (Tunisia) (11:27)
05. Ramy Essam (Egypt) (15:35)
06. Cairokee (Egypt) (21:20)
07. Ibn Thabit (Libya) (25:38)
08. Mashrou' Leila (Lebanon) (28:57)
09. Zeid Hamdan and Maryam Saleh (Lebanon + Egypt) (37:35)
10. Tania Saleh (Lebanon) (39:44)
11. Omar Offendum (Syria) (43:35)
12. DAM (Palestine) (45:56)
13. Jadal and Autostrad (Jordan) (51:26)
14.  Q & A Session (55:36) featuring questions about Mashrou' Leila (55:59), El General (58:52), 47Soul + El Far3i (1:04:00), Fairuz (1:04:56), Dalida (1:06:06) , and even Olivia Newton-John (1:06:23).

This talk was meant to go along with this playlist:

Weekly Night Class in Introductory Arabic at Stanford (Starts September 25, 2019)

To register: https://continuingstudies.stanford.edu/courses/liberal-arts-and-sciences/introductory-arabic/20191_ARB-01

Anyone interested in learning Arabic from scratch is welcome to enroll in my weekly night class which is offered via Stanford Continuing Studies starting on Wednesday Sept 25 at 7 pm. No prior knowledge of the language required. More info at this link:

https://continuingstudies.stanford.edu/courses/liberal-arts-and-sciences/introductory-arabic/20191_ARB-01

محاضرة الدكتور رمزي سلطي حول الموسيقى البديلة -- معهد سجال

SLIDES FROM MY LECTURE ON INDIE ARABIC MUSIC AT SIJAL (JORDAN)
Artwork by Jordanian artist Tamer Al Ahmar

VIDEO OF MY LECTURE ABOUT INDIE ARABIC MUSIC AT SIJAL (JORDAN)



Dr. Ramzi Salti's audio-visual talk (in Arabic) about indie/alternative Arabic music--recorded at Sijal Institute in Jordan on Aug 26, 2019 محاضرة الدكتور رمزي سلطي في معهد سجال حول الموسيقى العربية البديلة 

Here is a list of the song excerpts that were included in this lecture; please note that two short segments have been muted due to copyright issues (these can be viewed separately on YouTube)

 ها هي القائمة التي تحتوي على الاغاني التي تكلمنا عنها خلال المحاضرة. ملاحظة: لقد تم حذف الصوت خلال مقطعين موسيقيين قصيرين في هذه المحاضرة لكن يامكانكم مشاهدة الاغنيتين مع الصوت عبر الروابط أدناه 

LIST OF SONGS قائمة الاغاني 1
1.  Asmahan "Emta" at 11:13
2.

Stanford Students of Arabic Perform Fairuz Song On Stage

Watch video below or at https://youtu.be/f76AgFDYTyg

At least a dozen students from Dr. Ramzi's Salti's Beginning Arabic course at Stanford thrilled the crowds on February 21, 2019 by performing Fairuz's "Nassam Alayna Al Hawa" for International Mother Language Day--an event that was organized by the Stanford Language Center and which included various performances by students in different languages.  The video below (filmed with student permission) includes segments from the rehearsal sessions ft Matt Wright and Chris Stock (no students were filmed in this part) and a clip from the actual performance (participating students have kindly agreed to be recorded).

Special thanks to members of the Stanford Middle East Ensemble for making this performance possible.

WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW OR AT https://youtu.be/f76AgFDYTyg

Watch video from rehearsals : 0:00-2:55 or skip to Performance by clicking here > 2:56-10:23

الدكتور رمزي سلطي يتحدث عن برنامجه الاذاعي الامريكي عربولوجي باللغة العربية Dr. Ramzi Salti Talks about His Arabology Program in Arabic

https://youtu.be/vpSCXqavnrE

يمكنكم الآن مشاهدة هذا الحوار بين الدكتور رمزي سلطي ورامه شققي حول برنامجه عربولوجي الذي يُبث عبر اذاعة جامعة ستانفورد في الولايات المتحدة الامريكية وذلك عبر الرابط التالي.

رامه شققي هي رائدة أعمال سورية، أسست العديد من المشاريع لدعم الشباب في الشرق الأوسط للحصول على تعليم ومستقبل أفضل.

Dr. Ramzi Salti speaks about his Arabology radio show/podcast (in Arabic) as part of the “Digital Media Entrepreneurship Program” run by the VIP.fund in collaboration with Syria Revival Initiative. By special invitation from Rama Chakaki, Founder & Executive Director of the VIP.fund https://vip.fund

Audio only also available below or at at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/vipfund

47Soul in Concert in San Francisco on March 13 (Promo ft El Far3i)

Don't miss 47Soul live in concert at Slim's in San Francisco on March 13, 2019 at 8 pm PST.  For info and tickets, please go to THIS LINK.

Here is an excerpt from my forthcoming Arabology interview with 47Soul band member Tareq Abu Kwaik (El Far3i) in which he discusses the group and promotes the upcoming concert at Slim's in San Francisco (listen below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/47soulsfpromo)

47SOUL is an Electro Arabic Dabke (Shamstep) band formed in Amman Jordan in 2013.

The current lineup includes: Z the People (vocals & synths) El Far3i (darbouka, Mc/Vocals) Walaa Sbeit (percussion, Mc/vocals) El Jehaz (guitar & vocals).

For tickets to the San Francisco concert on March 13, 2019 please go to:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/47soul-slims-tickets-55540759908

Arabology Interviews Syrian Poet Lubna Kayyali

 Listen to the interview at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/lubnakayyali

Stanford Lecturer+ Arabology radio show host Dr. Ramzi Salti interviews Syrian Poet Lubna Kayyali who recites her poem ما زلت لا أنجح [I Still Do Not Succeed] in Arabic + English Translation.

This interview was recorded at KZSU 90.1 FM (Stanford University) in November 2018.

Listen to the interview below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/lubnakayyali

For a video excerpt of Lubna Kayyali reciting her poem in Arabic, watch below or go to: https://youtu.be/gTCvVikQDKE

Here is the poem in Arabic + English Translation ©Lubna Kayyali

I have been told To reap the fruits, you must labor To prove that the earth rotates, You must subtract five from ten and become a scientist Your ethnic color will dim And you will raise up your gender I was told To reign over the language You must memorize its alphabet And chant in rhymes For only then would you attain civility Your dialect will fade And your star will shine bright I was told To understand, you must read And to succeed, you must understand So I labored, memorized, recited, read, understood But I did not succeed I dared to inquire: why? They replied: Your star is still dim So I seized a golden thunderbolt and struck my star It tilted, straightened, then shone bright In the sky of defeated stars But, still, I do not succeed So, again, I asked: why? They answered: Your dialect is Aleppian and you exude Damascene jasmine and lilies So, I stole a foreign tongue Chewed on it for hours, days, and decades But my mouth swelled and my ​Dadd* transformed to a broken, frail Ghain** But, still, I am not succeeding Perplexed, I asked: why? They answered: Your gender is feeble and contemptible It was, after all, created from a rib Doomed to live in life’s margins With bread and meat at its very core And countless children as its ultimate end So I skinned my soft flesh Replaced it with scales of steel Ripped out my perfumed hair And wore my grandfather’s ancient fez instead I plucked out my rosy nails And affixed, in their place, tyrannical claws But, still, I was not succeeding… Baffled, I asked: why? They answered: Your color remains Arabic Its shadow is Syrian And you are now in the land of Giants They hate the Arab And loathe the Syrian So I scurried to the box of crayons And painted myself in white, green, and blonde I spoke and walked my colors Until I mastered them Until I forgot the land of my ancestors Until I forgot my father’s Kufic​*** pen Until I forgot my grandmother’s Rifa’i cuisine Then they spoke to me again But to whom were they speaking? They said: you! But who am I? ... And I still do not succeed *​Dadd (الضاد     ): a letter unique to the Arabic language. ** Ghain (الغين    ): a soft-sounding letter in Arabic.   *** Kufic (كوفي    ): the oldest calligraphic form of the various Arabic scripts.

قد قیل لي  إن اجتهدتِ حصدتِ  إن طَرَحْتِ خمسة من عشرة أثَبتِ أن الأرض تدور   وغدوت عالمة  لونك یشُف وجِنْسكِ یرقى   قد قیل لي  إن حفظتِ الأبجدیة ونشدتِ القافیة تمَلَّكْتِ اللغة  وأصبحت راقیة  لهجتُكِ تبْهَت ونجمكِ یسطع  قد قیل لي   إن قرأت فهمت وإن فهمت نجحت  فاجتهدت وحفظت ونشدت وقرأت وفهمت   ولكنني لم أنجح  استقصیت: لماذا؟  أجابوني   مازال نجمك خافت  فأخذت صاعقة ذهبیة وضربت نجمي  فمال واعتدل وسطع في سماء النجوم الخاسرة  ولكنني مازلت لا أنجح  سألت: لماذا؟ أجابوني  لهجتك حلبیة وریحك تفوح یاسمین دمشقي وریحانا  فسرقت لسان أعجمي  ولكْتُهُ ساعةً ویومًا وعقودا  فتهیج فمي وتبدلت الضاد إلى غیْنْ لینة مكسورة  ولكنني مازلت لا أنجح  تعجبت: لماذا؟   أجابوني  جنسك خسیس واهن   قد خلق من ضلع مهشم  وهاهو یعیش حیاة مهمشة  محورها خبز ولحم ومآلها أطفال معددة  فسلخت جلدي الناعم  وركبت حراشف فولاذیة  واقتلعت شعري المعطر  وارتدیت طربوش جدي المعتق  ونزعت أظافري الزهریة  وثَّبتُ مخالب مُسَتِّبدة  ولكنني مازلت لا أنجح  ذهلت: لماذا؟  أجابوني  مازال لونك عربي وظله سوري  وأنت على أرض العمالقة  یكرهون العربي  ویحتقرون السوري   فهرعت إلى علبة الألوان  وتلونت بالأخضر والأبیض والأشقر   وأتقنت ألواني فنسیت أرض أجدادي  ونسیت قلم أبي الكوفي  ونسیت مطبخ جدتي الرفاعي  فكلموني  ولم أعرف من یكلمون  قالوا لي: أنت  فقلت: ومن أنا؟ ….  ومازلت لا أنجح

 ©Lubna Kayyali

Listen to the full interview below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/lubnakayyali