oudman
Moderator
Posts: 359
Registered: 5-31-2003
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Nahat
Hi
Can anyone give us some information on the Nahat family, the difference in quality of work between the brothers, how they became so famous etc?
Im hoping Austaz Adel can help me with this one...
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Dr. Oud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1370
Registered: 12-18-2002
Location: Sacramento, CA, USA
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Mood: better than before
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Here's my take:
Abdo was the founder, or no one can remember before him. His era was pre 20th century to around 1910. Some of his ouds are simple and some are the
most elaborate I've ever seen. His sons Hanna and Roufan built from 1900 until about 1950. They made several sizes and styles, both simple,
single and 3 rose, inlaid and plain. They brought Georges in and his era introduced plastic inlay (egad!) Georges built up to about 1980 when they all
disappeared. An oud recently surfaced in the Netherlands, built in Brazil by Abdo the grandson of somebody. There the trail has disappeared again. The
seller of the Brazilian Nahat says they quit the oud business in the 80's, went to Brazil and opened grocery stores and gas stations (just like
here, huh?). Their descendants are now lawyers, doctors and engineers (more of the same again).
The Nahat ouds all were built with unexcelled craftsmanship, exquisite detail and are prized for their deep rich tone. Among the stories I've
heard are: when an oud was ordered by a famous musician, several were prepared. If the musician rejected one it was immediatly smashed until he found
one he liked. (ouch!) This just supports my theory that while the masters can made good ouds, only Allah can make ouds sound great.
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Adel
Oud Maniac
Posts: 90
Registered: 12-7-2003
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Hi,
Let me first say this,
I do not know of any great oud player not having at least one Nahat oud...
the most impressive finish came from Abdo, no doubt about this
The sound is very different between the brothers, you have so many of them, Roufan, Abdo , tawfiq, Anton,Georges... the old Hana and Abdo.
The nahat family produced ouds for nearly 100 years, and every one of them was a great oud maker in his own right, different sound, different
shape...
All great oud players played their ouds, and this is the reason their ouds and their work became very famous, simply we want their ouds.
The finish and the sound, warmth, sustain, deep note, great projection what made Nahat a very big name.
When i play a Nahat, I smell Palestine, Lebanon and Syria in these ouds, I smell a great history and a great era of oud making which might never
happen again
Salamat,
Adel
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Ronny Andersson
Oud Junkie
Posts: 724
Registered: 8-15-2003
Location: Sweden
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God bless you Richard for your devotion.
Best wishes
Ronny
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