Mohammed Abdel Wahab: The Maestro of Egyptian Music

Mohammed Abdel Wahab was an Egyptian singer, composer, and actor. He is best known for composing some of the most important and famous songs in the Arab world.

He was born on March 13, 1902 in Cairo, Egypt. He started singing from a very young age and made his first public performance at the age of 7. At the age of 13 he made his first recording.

He was discovered by the Egyptian poet Ahmad Shawqi, also known as the prince of poets, who helped him with obtaining music lessons. Later on Ahmad Shawqi also wrote poems for Abdel Wahab to sing.

His family initially wanted him to study religion at Al-Azhar University, but he insisted on pursuing his dream in music.

He ended up receiving his musical education at the Arab Music Club (now the Institute of Arab Music) in Cairo.

In the years to come, his improvisation on the oud, along with his composing and exceptional voice helped him reach a great audience and captivated the hearts of millions of people and earned him great fame.

He played a vital role in the revival of Arabic music in the Middle East. Constantly seeking new ways to enrich traditional songs, he often blended oriental quarter-tone melodies with Western themes. He is responsible for giving modern Arabic songs their current musical form. He often incorporated  Western musical instruments onto a foundation of Arabic melodies.

In addition to his compositions and singing, he became a well-known actor. His first movie was produced in 1933, and by 1946, he had starred in six more films, which were regularly screened on television throughout the Arab world.

his greatest works:

1. “Ya Mesafer Wahdak” (You Lone Traveler):

This song appeared in a movie called: mamnou’a el Hob, which is based of the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

This song is considered to be very advanced musically, in it, Abdel Wahab uses the Castanets which are the Spanish version of the ‘sagat’ instrument (Finger Cymbals).

The lyrics of the song describe the feeling of loneliness as the singer addresses someone who is traveling alone, describing how hard it is being away from his loved ones.

2. “Inta Omri” (You Are My Life):

This song was composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab and sung by Umm Kulthum, released in March 1965.

The lyrics were written by Egyptian poet Ahmad Shafik Kamel. The song is composed in maqam Sikah Balady, a musical scale typically used to evoke feelings of freedom and romance.

This song is one of the longest songs composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab, with some performances exceeding an hour.

3. “Ahwak” (I Love You):

This song was composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab and sung by Abdel Halim Hafez, records are not clear on when this song was released.

It’s one of the most famous songs by Abdel Halim Hafez and in the Arab world.

4. Laylat Hob (Night of Love):

This song was composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab in the 1060’s, written by Ahmed Shafiq in 1973, and sung by Umm Kulthum.

This song is also one of the longest songs composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab with some performances reaching an hour.

Leylet Hob is a song of love, it speaks about the longing of a lovers return, imagining their nights together and describing their love for one another.

Mohammed Abdel Wahab is a musical icon in the Arab world. He has played a vital role in the development of Arabic music,  His songs and compositions are known and sung throughout the world, inspiring and influencing generations of musicians.

Abdel Wahab’s contributions have greatly enriched Arabic music and helped connect different cultures, making his work resonate with audiences around the world. His creativity and commitment to his art have secured his status as a legendary figure in music history.