Stanford Lecturer + Arabology Program host Dr. Ramzi Salti was recently invited by The Department of Humanities in the School of Arts and Sciences at the Lebanese American University (LAU) to give a talk titled "Identity, Representation, and the Creation of an Alternative Discourse in the Poetry of Jawdat R. Haydar" to mark the 115th anniversary of the renowned Lebanese poet’s birth.
The talk took place online on April 29, 2021 and was followed by a lively Q&A session. With special thanks to Professor Vahid Behmardi, Mrs. Shahina Osseiran, and the Friends of Jawdat Haydar.
You can watch a video of the talk below or at https://youtu.be/ZDMa7uER23Q
FOR POWERPOINT PRESENTATION ONLY (NO VIDEO):
You can also view the PowerPoint through this link where you can click on right arrow to advance to next slide.
RAMZI SALTI'S BIO: Dr. Ramzi Salti is a full-time Lecturer in Arabic at Stanford University where he also hosts a radio program titled Arabology. He has also organized numerous events at Stanford that center on various Arabic cultural icons and productions and has received multiple grants from the Stanford Arts Institute to bring such cultural icons as Emel Mathlouthi, Mike Massy, Yasmine Hamdan and Pierre Dulaine to Stanford. Dr. Salti has an extensive publication record including a collection of short stories, titled The Native Informant & Other Stories which was published in 1994 to much critical acclaim.
In celebration of Arab American Heritage Month (April 2021), Arab America recently held a monumental event titled "Celebrating Arab American Literature, Poetry, Arts, and Music" featuring 5 panelists whose work has much to inform any discourse that centers on Arab American culture(s), identity and history.
The lineup featured such writers/performers as Nathalie Handal, Heather Raffo and Dana Dajani in addition to acclaimed Syrian America calligrapher/artist Dr, Mamoun Sakkal and Iraqi-Jordanian violinist Layth Sidiq. The event was moderated by Stanford Lecurer/Arabology host Dr. Ramzi Salti and was organized by Dr. Amal David and Warren David of Arab America.
Many to thanks to Arab America for this kind writeup about my participation in the event. Complete article available at this link.
ABOUT THE PANELISTS:
Nathalie Handal, Arab American (Palestinian), award-winning poet, writer, translator, and editor, professor of English and Creative Writing at Columbia University
Heather Raffo, Iraqi American, award-winning playwright, and actress whose work has been seen Off-Broadway, off West End, in regional theater, and in film.
Dana Dajani, Palestinian American, award-winning, author, poet, and actress who performs spoken-word poetry solo in theatrical style.
Dr. Mamoun Sakkal, Syrian American, award-winning calligrapher, artist, and designer of Arabic language typefaces, many of which are widely used as system fonts by Microsoft.
Layth Sidiq, Iraqi/Jordanian American, award-winning violinist, composer featured on Latin Grammy-nominated albums, lecturer of Arab music, director, Arab Music Ensemble, Tufts University. Watch my audiovisual interview with Layth at https://youtu.be/z9f-54LuMqM
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
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.
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
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.
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
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
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.
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:
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.
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.
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
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).
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.
