Sonbati’s masterpieces…an unforgettable night

Is it a coincidence that a celebration was held for the prince of eastern music on his birthday last Thursday? It is certainly intentional, from the “Entertainment Authority”, but this does not negate that it is a message, to all lovers of authenticity in the Arab world, and they are many, confirming that sincere feelings are able to cross the barrier of time.

At the end of the concert, I went to retired pilot Captain Muhammad Riad Al-Sunbati. I told him: Al-Sunbati’s melodies fit the description of “Madad from the Sky.” He told me: Despite the many times I heard analysis of my father’s melodies, I did not find anything truer than “Madad from the Sky.” .

An unforgettable night, in which we recalled part of Al-Sunbati’s creativity. For example, the Moroccan singer Fouad Zabadi, one of the people in love with the popular singer Muhammad Abdel Muttalib, imitated him to the point of identification. Chancellor Turki Al-Sheikh chose him to repeat a popular song that Umm Kulthum sang at the end of the thirties, “Oh, the night of Eid, we have forgotten you.” We heard his voice in an exceptional state of joy, and then the paragraph concluded with Abd al-Muttalib’s masterpiece “I Saw My Love,” which indicated Al-Sunbati’s ability to diversify. It is known that his melodies are tuned with a “mazura” to the voice, but this time he allowed a regulated margin of addition, consistent with With Abdul Muttalib, which Fouad Zabadi excelled at recovering. Another one of Al-Sunbati’s pearls is “The Game of Days”, which in the early 1960s engraved the name of the great singer Warda, as one of the most important signs of Arabic singing. Noting that Warda was extremely proud of the melody and the composer, she named her eldest son “Riyad”.

Thinking outside the box is the key, and so the popular singer and composer Ahmed Saad, who was famous for many light songs such as “What a Sweet Day,” was chosen to move gracefully and capably to this sober tone. It is also one of the most wonderful works written by the late lyricist Ali Mahdi, “The Days Take You.” … I live with your wound… and the days bring you back… I live for your wound.” Changing one letter from the “ba” to the “l” conveyed the feeling 180 degrees, which required the singer to mix the two extremes. Everything in Ahmed Saad was felt and expressed. The look in his eyes preceded His tone of voice!

Some people ask why the Egyptian singer doesn’t just sing Sunbati tunes? This note, no matter how well it is wrapped in good intentions, expresses a deficient vision. Al-Sunbati was not only presenting melodies to Egyptians, but to all Arabs, and the last he presented to Aziza Jalal from Morocco, Fayza Ahmed from Syria, and Fayrouz from Lebanon, so how can we demand what Riad Al-Sunbati rejected all his life?!

The popular touch that mixes with sobriety is found in a tune like “I Go to Maine.” Its music has been accompanying us ever since we found it at the concert. It was sung by the Tunisian Saber Al-Rubai. The ability to digest the joyful melody and the expression that distinguishes “Ibn Al-Balad” was performed capably by the Quartet.

The end came with Sherine, who had announced that she had stopped singing, due to her sadness over what was happening in Gaza, and then she realized that passive mourning would not benefit anyone. She sang more than one song that combined “Al-Sitt” and Al-Sunbati, such as “You Returned My Eyes” and “You Confused My Heart.” Her personal presence is greater than her artistic presence. She sings with a piece of paper in front of her, with the words written down in front of her, even though the man in the street memorizes these songs. It is certain that reading from a piece of paper is stealing. The audience’s attention was ripe for rehearsals with the band, which was ably led by Maestro Hani Farhat, and it was customary for the singer to repeat the song to himself dozens of times, until he mastered all its details.

Everyone applauded, and Mohamed Riad Al-Sunbati stood at the end of the concert, proud of Sherine’s performance, even though some news sites indicated that he left the concert before the end, angry with her!

The concert announcer confirmed that there will be a solo night for Sherine. We will recall her songs from a career of more than 20 years, studded with dozens of popular songs. I am looking forward to this night from now. We celebrated Al-Sunbati’s 117th birthday. The candles of the “Entertainment Authority” party were the eternal melodies that had never been known. They were extinguished and glowed during the “Riyadh Season.” Because they are “extensions from the sky”!