David Parfitt
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 11-16-2003
Location: Devon, UK
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What's all the fuss about?
Hi
Sorry to stir up more controversy, but I'm in need of some advice on the subject of a certain Mr al-Atrache.
I have just the one CD by Farid al-Atrache, entitled 'King of the Oud'. I must admit I have only played it a couple of times and it has
stayed on the shelf ever since. It contains some nice enough oud playing, but it seems to me that this is rather spoilt by a noisy audience shouting
and talking in the background throughout the whole performance.
Now, am I missing out on something here? From the huge following that Farid has, I guess it is me that needs educating. Can you guys recommend a good
place to start with Farid's recordings, or is this CD as good a place as any? I am genuinely seeking some advice and guidance here, not just
trying to start World War 3!!! 
I hope I'm still allowed back in the forum after this one 
All the best
David
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Mike
Super Administrator
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Hi David,
There will be no WWIII on this forum. I won't allow that.
If anybody wants to say anything negative (determined by me) about Farido, the comments will be deleted or edited with no warning, nothing
saying it was deleted, etc. etc. I will edit it how I deem fit. If this is czar-like or whatever names you would like to call me, I suggest finding
another oud website or forum.
In the meantime, listen to this David.
All the best,
Mike
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David Parfitt
Oud Junkie
Posts: 629
Registered: 11-16-2003
Location: Devon, UK
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Farid's oud recordings
Hi Mike
Thanks for the MP3 - sounds great! Can I ask a bit more about the type of music that Farid is best known for? Is it mostly vocal accompanied by oud,
or does he sing with an orchestra or ensemble as backing like some other Arab artists?
I would guess from the lack of Farid solo oud CDs that his taqsims more like intros to songs (or interludes between songs), rather than separate
works? I was always surprised that there are not more solo oud CDs of Riad al-Sunbati as well (considering his high status as an oud player), but then
maybe the same is true for him?
Hope you can shed some light on this for me. By the way, I checked out the Farid al-Atrache website, but it seems to be under construction. Any idea
when it will be up and running again? I remember checking it out several years ago and it was packed with great info and some nice files.
All the best
David
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TruePharaoh21
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 3-17-2003
Location: California, USA
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Hey David.
Farid was a great oudist, as we all know. On Mike's site, I believe you can find 9 of his takassims (under the Farido section). On this following
site that I made, it has four other takassims:
http://www.angelfire.com/music5/tp21forum/index.html
You can also find 2 videos of Farid playing on Mike's site under the Oud Video Clips section.
I believe I was speaking to the head of faridelatrache.com once and he told me that there are about 30 takassims that he has for Farid. Saad (ra7aal)
surprises us every once in a while and gives us a rare takassim of Farid that none of us have. So, there isn't really a shortage, in my opinion,
of oud recordings for him.
We like to hear a lot of Farido's things where he plays by himself. But don't get me wrong, Farid had a huge orchestra with him that played
with him. If you'd like to hear that, check out this site:
http://www.6arab.com/singers/shami/fareed/index.htm
That's only a fraction of what Farid had sang in his time. He also has compositions without singing as well, like Toota or Lahn el-Khulood.
Hopefully, Wassim will post the site up soon (faridelatrache.com) and then you can have all the Farid stuff you've been looking for. He had some
studio recorded takassims as well there that were very rare as well, so I hope you don't have to wait too long to hear them.
Hope this helps. Any questions, feel free to ask. By no means am I a Farido expert, so I'm sure other people have a lot to add, and I look
forward to reading it all.
TP21
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David Parfitt
Oud Junkie
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Location: Devon, UK
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Hi TP
Many thanks for all the great info on Farid - I'll certainly check it out. I had seen the two videos on Mike's site, but I hadn't even
noticed the taqsims under the 'Farido' section!! 
It will be great when the other site is up and running again too.
I just wanted to stress that the idea of this thread was definitely not to open a pro/anti Farid debate, but partly to highlight the following issue
and share experiences. If, like me, you have not grown up in the Middle East or are not of Arab descent, it can sometimes be difficult to 'break
into' the sphere of Arab music. Musicians such as Um Kulthoum, Farid and Mohammed Abdel Wahab have attained almost mythical proportions, and it
is difficult for the total novice to know where to start in approaching their music. For those who have grown up with this music it seems part of
their lifeblood, but the uninitiated sometimes need a bit of guidance. It is often the case that not all recordings by a particular artist are of the
same standard (e.g. Munir Bashir) and can sometimes be churned out for commercial reasons/contractual obligations/without the performers consent, so
it is nice to have a place like this to get some knowledgeable advice on where to start and what to avoid.
Anyway, look forward to all your responses.
David
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Mike
Super Administrator
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Hey David,
The only reason I wrote what I wrote before was because of previous "debates" on this forum with people who didn't get it. Anyway, you
ask good questions David, and I'll add some thoughts when I get home later today. Farid was much more than just an oud player, and I'll be
more than happy to help you out with some direction on where to start with this giant of Arabic music.
Take care,
Mike
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Mike
Super Administrator
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Hey David,
Farid el-Atrache was much more than just an oud player. He was a composer, singer, spectacular oud player, and actor. (not his greatest talent...but
he acted in over 30 films during the golden age of Arabic cinema) He wasn't limited to one type of music either. He could compose the fun
"taqtooqa", love song, patriotic song, qasida, operette, etc. In other words, he was multi-talented, and thus he was a huge figure.
In terms of oud, it is said that his mother is the one who initially taught him the oud. She was a performer herself. Then later Farid Ghosn and Riad
el-Sunbati were his tutors. Actually, Riad el-Sunbati said of Farid that he had nothing more to show him, and I believe Farid was either in his late
teens or early twenties at the time. If you want to listen to Farid's oud, the King of Oud CD is not the best place to start. Although it is a
great CD, but you must listen to him when he was younger. Most of those taqsims, like the Zaman ya Hobb taqsim for example, were when he was much
older. (he passed away only a few months after that Zaman ya Hobb concert)
I'll send you some stuff David via email, but listen to the finale of a taqsim from an "El Rabih" concert. This guy was great man.
Take care,
Mike
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Mike
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Here's another popular piece that Farido incorporated oud to. Farido was a huge figure in popularizing the oud to the West.
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Mike
Super Administrator
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One more.... 
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Jameel
Oud Junkie
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Meeka,
The Hekayat Gharami clip is fantastic. I never knew Farid incorporated this oud sequence into a song other than a taqasim. It's great.
I was once like David, and thought Farid was just a great oud player, albeit flamboyant. He is'nt a great oud player. He is KING of the oud!
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samzayed
Oud Junkie
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Location: Chicago, IL
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David,
On the cd "King of the Oud" listen to track 2, but listen to 9:15 to 10:10. This to me is the essence of Farid, this is what makes him the
"King". The sad part is that he played like that often in his recordings of his oud/voice, but these recordings are few and far between.
It kills me that he didn't record more with just his oud and voice! I think it has to do with the "marketing demand" of him being an
actor and pop singer (and producer) in his time.
In my opinion, he is the greatest in the same way Jimi Hendrix is often considered to be the greatest rock guitarist. Like Jimi, Farid had a
breakthrough technique that reinvented the oud, and became an inspiration and influence for generations to come.
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TruePharaoh21
Oud Junkie
Posts: 789
Registered: 3-17-2003
Location: California, USA
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There are several versions, apparently, of the overture posted. The full version of the Hikayet Gharamee overture can be downloaded here. I got the
full one from faridelatrache.com when it was up.
TP21
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TruePharaoh21
Oud Junkie
Posts: 789
Registered: 3-17-2003
Location: California, USA
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Toota is one of my favorite instrumentals of all time. (This was also from faridelatrache.com)
TP21
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sydney
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 12-9-2003
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Hello Fine people 
I was wondering if I am allowed to say that even though Farid was and still the king of oud , he also showed the way to other oud players to learn
from him and even become far better than him? Abadi for example is admitting that he is one of Farid's followers but Farid never did what Abadi
is doing with the oud these days. I believe that all these wonderful oud players could never get to where they are now if it was not for Farido..
Any comment?
Emad from Sydney
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nadir
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 12-29-2003
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i mentioned in the car a few days ago the name "Farid al-Atrache" and my mom was really excited that i knew him!
it seems that even in the emirates (trucal states back then) farid al-atrache was the most beloved composer of arabia! the funny thing was that there
was nothing here, just sand... kind of interesting that they were able to listen to the king of ouds!
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elrabee3
Oud Junkie
Posts: 264
Registered: 12-19-2002
Location: Dubai, UAE
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woow, i dont know how i missed this post.
it is an intersting subject.
well, IMO, Farid is the BEST oud player EVER. i will give u few examples to backup my words.
1. why most of the good oud players try to play Farido taqaseem to show how good they are ??
2. it is hard to judge how great Farido ws on oud just from his taqaseem (eventhough they are enough), listen to his oud playing in his erly songs and
you will know how fast he was. Mike posted one example of Farido from his movie "Shaher el asal", also try to find his song "Katam el
sabr". IMO, velocity is the most important factor to judge how great the oud player is. in Farid forum, there was a thread created by a great
member "Sidi" and he posted many examples of Farido oud playing with 80% of there original speeds, and u still cant belive how fast and
accurate farido was. this point is very important, becuse even Farid said about himself that he was much better when he was young, and he called
himself "Afreet el oud".
3. guys, we all know that Farid composed all of his songs (exept 2), so, can u imagine how Farido was composing these songs on oud, how he was able to
translatehis feeling through his oud (i m sure there are many rare recordings of farido playing his songs on oud, or even recodrings of him composing
the songs). just isten to "Kelmet Etaab".
4. Farid is officialy the best oud player, how, well, in 1960's there was an oud contest in Turkey for the best oud player, and Farido was chosen
as the best oud player even without particpating in that contest. 
i will try to mention many other points later.
listen to this file. 
Jaber
elrabee3@gmail.com
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elrabee3
Oud Junkie
Posts: 264
Registered: 12-19-2002
Location: Dubai, UAE
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Mood: in LOVE
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| Quote: | Originally posted by nadir
i mentioned in the car a few days ago the name "Farid al-Atrache" and my mom was really excited that i knew him!
it seems that even in the emirates (trucal states back then) farid al-atrache was the most beloved composer of arabia! the funny thing was that there
was nothing here, just sand... kind of interesting that they were able to listen to the king of ouds! |
nadir thats funny, i remember few years ago, i was listening to Farid's masterpiece "Awal Hamsa", and my father was passing next to my
room, and he stopped. he came to my room and was surprised that i m listening to Farido, and to awal hamsa. he said, in 1960s, the people here (in
Dubai) used to gather next to the radio whenever there is a live concert of Farid or om kulthoom, and he said Farid was the most beloved singer here,
becuse he was reprsenting the TRUE arabic singer, specialy that he is a prince.
Jaber
elrabee3@gmail.com
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wfspark
Oud Junkie
Posts: 166
Registered: 3-7-2004
Location: San Antonio Texas
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Mood: Oud entranced!
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Farid ElAdrache's oud.
| Quote: | Originally posted by Mike
Hey David,
Farid el-Atrache was much more than just an oud player. He was a composer, singer, spectacular oud player, and actor. (not his greatest talent...but
he acted in over 30 films during the golden age of Arabic cinema) He wasn't limited to one type of music either. He could compose the fun
"taqtooqa", love song, patriotic song, qasida, operette, etc. In other words, he was multi-talented, and thus he was a huge figure.
In terms of oud, it is said that his mother is the one who initially taught him the oud. She was a performer herself. Then later Farid Ghosn and Riad
el-Sunbati were his tutors. Actually, Riad el-Sunbati said of Farid that he had nothing more to show him, and I believe Farid was either in his late
teens or early twenties at the time. If you want to listen to Farid's oud, the King of Oud CD is not the best place to start. Although it is a
great CD, but you must listen to him when he was younger. Most of those taqsims, like the Zaman ya Hobb taqsim for example, were when he was much
older. (he passed away only a few months after that Zaman ya Hobb concert)
I'll send you some stuff David via email, but listen to the finale of a taqsim from an "El Rabih" concert. This guy was great man.
Take care,
Mike |
Hello Mike. What oud does Farid use? I like the tone of the instrument.
William F. Sparks
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Sidi
Oud Maniac
Posts: 94
Registered: 2-6-2004
Member Is Offline
Mood: Very Sad...
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Hi,
I'd really like to get back to this topic. I may have a chance to do so soon. Jaber I appreciate your kind words towards me, and the wonderful
interview you posted.
God Bless,
Sidi
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Zulkarnain
Oud Junkie
Posts: 667
Registered: 1-14-2004
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Wish I understand what are they talking about....
Salam
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Ronny Andersson
Oud Junkie
Posts: 724
Registered: 8-15-2003
Location: Sweden
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Zulkarnain
Wish I understand what are they talking about....
Salam |
so do I
Best wishes
Ronny
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