Sabah Fakhri - صباح فخري

Sabah Fakhri

Biography of the great artist and singer Sabah Fakhri.
A Syrian singer born in Aleppo in 1933, he is famous for singing Aleppine muwashahat (classical Arabic songs). Sabah Fakhri is one of the most famous Syrian artists. He is renowned for singing Aleppine muwashahat and Andalusian muwashahat. He was born in Aleppo. He studied at the Arabic Music Institute in Aleppo and then at the Damascus Institute, from which he graduated in 1948. He traveled to Egypt and studied under its leading composers. He returned to Syria to begin performing concerts in Aleppo, and his fame quickly spread throughout Syria and then the entire Arab world. He made several trips to Europe and the United States. He entered the Guinness Book of World Records when he performed a concert in Caracas, Venezuela, where he sang for ten consecutive hours.

The artist Sabah Fakhri was born in the city of Aleppo in 1933 into a scholarly and Sufi environment. His father was a sheikh of some Sufi orders, so dhikr (remembrance of God) was performed, Sufi hymns were sung, and percussion instruments played musical rhythms. This child’s ears received these melodies and rhythms, and he developed an innate musical talent. God also granted him a beautiful voice, so he would repeat these Sufi melodies, sing them, and share them with his peers.

He entered primary school and progressed through his studies until he received his primary school certificate. When the school administration noticed the beauty of his voice, they began to feature him in their school concerts. At the same time, he became aware of the unique quality and beauty of his voice and his excellent performance, which strengthened his artistic personality and boosted his musical confidence. It so happened that the renowned violinist Sami al-Shawa visited Aleppo, heard him sing, and was impressed by his voice. He decided to take him to Egypt, which was and still is considered a platform for arts, sciences, and fame, and a home of musical arts. Sabah traveled with Sami Al-Shawa to Damascus, intending to go on to Cairo, but Damascus held onto him after discovering his talents. At that time, the patron of music was the late Fakhri Al-Baroudi, who insisted on him staying, especially since the Syrian government was on the verge of establishing Syrian Radio on February 3, 1947.

Thus, the radio station contracted with him, and he began giving weekly concerts. The radio station also had a music institute, which Sabah joined to further his musical knowledge. He studied muwashahat (Andalusian classical music) and rhythm with Omar Al-Batsh, as well as the Sama’ dance. He also studied musical notation and muwashahat with Majdi Al-Aqili and other subjects with other professors at the institute. Sabah’s voice and singing on Damascus Radio were unique in their style and performance. He adhered to the classical Arabic singing style, a path facilitated by the flexibility of his voice and his strong technique, unlike contemporary singers who were unable to perform this authentic Arabic style because it requires a strong, clear voice, solid technique, and a flexible voice capable of performing the melodic Arabic vocalizations without effort or difficulty. Sabah followed in the footsteps of the early singers in this regard and was unique in this approach. At the end of 1948, Sabah returned to Aleppo, temporarily leaving singing to pursue his education. He enrolled in the Arab Islamic Institute to complete his preparatory studies. After four years, he worked as a teacher in public schools for one year, then was called up for military service. He then engaged in various industrial, commercial, and clerical jobs. This was in 1956, and Aleppo Radio would occasionally invite him to record songs with his melodious and sweet voice. He learned some melodies from Bakri al-Kurdi, Nadim al-Darwish, Majdi al-Aqili, and other composers from Syrian Radio in Aleppo. He then turned to musical theater, where he met his audience face-to-face, and the radio was no longer the intermediary between him and his listeners.

When Syrian Television was established in 1960, Sabah was among the first to participate in its musical programs. He also appeared in many television shows where he performed his songs. Sabah was not just a local singer; his fame extended beyond Syria’s borders. He traveled to Egypt and Russia, and sang in Jordan and Lebanon, performing authentic Arabic music. He also traveled to Sudan and recorded many successful albums. He even traveled to South America.
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