Arabic Folk Tunes - for Solo Piano - Wajdi Abou Diab

A graduate of the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music, Wajdi Abou Diab's arrangements for solo piano encapsulate the spirit of these famous Arabic songs and the richly poectic stories they tell. Suitable for intermediate to advanced players, these pieces are essential repertoire for lovers of Arabic music or those who wish to expand their cultural horizons.

*This piece is also available for download here*

Arabic Folk Tunes is a collection of famous Arabic folk songs, chosen from across the Middle East and North Africa. It includes famous songs from Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq and beyond, arranged for solo piano by the Lebanese pianist and composer Wajdi Abou Diab.

The aim of the arrangements is to give pianists from all around the globe the opportunity to play and experience the beauty of Arabic melodies and rhythms. They remain true to the spirit of the songs. and seek to reflect the story of each one tells.

It is the composer’s sincere wish that this book encourages the performance of Arabic music across the world, from living rooms and piano classes, to classical recitals and concerts, and achieves a wider appreciation of Arabic traditional music among musicians and listeners from other cultures.

The arrangements can by heard played by Lebanese-Italian pianist Ramzi Hakim on his album Sammena Shi Mnaerfou. (Play Something We Know). Click here to watch a film about the making of the album, or click on the titles below to hear them played via YouTube.

1. Bent El Shalabiya - Daoud Hosni/Rahbani Brothers
2. Mahla Nourha - Sayed Darwich
3. Zourouni - Sayed Darwich
4. El Helwa Di - Sayed Darwich
5. Fog Elna Khel - Iraqi Folk Song
6. Reitek Ma Na'ref Wen - Tunisian Folk Song (Lotfi Boushnak)
7. Aman Aman - Tunisian Folk Song
8. Sheftik Marra - Tunisian Folk Song
9. Rozana - Palestinian Folk Song
10. Yomma Mwel El Hawa - Palestinian Folk Song
11. Ya Mayela - Syrian Folk Song
12. Hawwel Ya Ghannam - Syrian Folk Song
13. Yal Rayeh - Algerian Folk Song
14. Lama Bada Yatathanna - Trad. Mouwashah
15. Hebbi Zourni - Trad. Mouwashah
16. Zarani Al Mahboub - Trad. Mouwashah
17. Wadeeh Al Safi Medley - Wadeeh Al Safih (performed by Chantal Francis)
18. Om Kolthoum Medley - M. Abed Al Wahhab, B. Hamdi

About the Composer: Wajdi Abou Diab

Born in Lebanon in 1991, Wajdi Abou Diab graduated from the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music (LNHCM) with a diploma in Piano in 2014, and a diploma in Music Composition and Electronic Music in 2016. He stayed on to teach piano, harmony and music composition, while continuing his studies in piano and bassoon performance.

Wajdi’s compositions and arrangements have been performed by orchestras, ensembles and international musicians from around the world. Two albums of recordings of his works are available; ‘Dances for an Asymmetric World’ and ‘Samme’na shi Mna’erfou’, as well as two volumes of sheet music; ‘Arabic Folk Tunes’ (for piano) and ‘Longa and Sama’i’ (for solo instrument with piano accompaniment). His work ‘Awiss Dance’ for solo bass flute can be heard on Dustin White’s Ri Ra album.

In 2020, Wajdi’s ‘A Cry from the Frozen Pole’ received both an honourable mention and special prize by cluster at the LIMF Composition Competition. He was the winner of New York’s 'The Ear' music composition competition in 2018, for his piece 'Folk Suite' for strings and orchestra. In 2013, he received a Certificate of Appreciation for his composition ‘Le Plus Jeune’ at the Cergy Pontoise Conservatory’s 12eme Rencontre Internationale des Jeunes Compositeurs. Most recently, his piece ‘TAFA’IL’ for prepared piano and tape was accepted for Anoush Moazzeni/Canadian Music Centre’s ‘Deterritorializing the Realm of New Music’ project.