Farid Allawerdi (1923–2007, , ), also transliterated as Farid Allahwerdi or Farid Allah Werdi, was an Iraqi composer, violist, musicologist, and teacher, and is considered one of Iraq's most innovative and influential composers. As a composer, he was the first and only one to be internationally recognizedAlnaked Al Iraqi https://www.alnaked-aliraqi.net/article/50697.php Issue number 6Alnaked Al Iraqi reprint of old interview from 50 years ago Almada newspaper from that time https://www.alnaked-aliraqi.net/article/50489.php and as a member of the International Society for Contemporary Music he appeared on their International Rostrum of Composers. His compositions have been performed in concerts and on radio and television, in the United States, France, Japan, Russia, Switzerland, Syria, Egypt and many far-Eastern countries. He won many awards and honours, including Prix D’Honneur de 'L'Ecole Nationale de Musique de Saint-Brieuc, Paris, and a Diploma of Appreciation for his leading role in furthering Arab Music 1970–1995 by the Arab League, Arab Academy of Music. He explored contemporary musical idioms to find his own unique language where two completely different musical traditions – that of the Middle East and of the contemporary classical – could merge seamlessly. In his Quartet No.1, the richness of the scale and rhythms used in Iraqi Maqam (Saba) are deeply rooted in the soil of his nation's folk tradition and form a synthesis with his classical training.Almada Supplements https://almadasupplements.com/view.php?cat=7532 Elaph Literature Journal https://elaph.com/Web/ElaphLiterature/2007/2/208995.htm Sunday, 4 February 2007
The 1940s and 1950s saw an artistic renaissance. He was involved in bridging the gap between modernity and heritage. He used the twelve-tone combined with the quarter-tone (an ancient Arabic mode), together with silences that have structural function, and “knocking the wood” for two different percussive sounds in evocation of traditional Iraqi dance drums.
As an accomplished instrumentalist, having studied the Violin and Viola, and as a member of several string quartets, Allawerdi had a natural affinity for composing for strings. His Fantasia for the Violin Alone is considered one of the most challenging compositions for the instrument. It was notably performed by Vartan Manoogian, Boris Klepov and Kumiko Ito.
Early life and family Allawerdi was born in Basra, Iraq in 1923. His father, Issa Nouri Allawerdi was a physician from Kirkuk, and his mother, Victoria Oskanian, an Armenian from a prominent family in Istanbul. His early childhood in Basra was enriched by a mosaic of ethnic and religious cultures, both local and foreign. From an early age, Allawerdi was exposed to a wide range of soundscapes; his Mother's songs in Arabic, Armenian, Turkish and French; the sonorous cries of street vendors; Bedouin beggars chanting to the accompaniment of a Rababah (an Iraqi Bedouin single stringed fiddle); wedding processions with Drum and Zurnah (a double reed wood wind instrument ); children beating rhythmic patterns on the Tablah (large, two-sided drum); a blind Sheik in the Bazaar reciting verses from the Koran; the incomprehensible invocations of an Indian Fakir; a Muezzin's call to prayer; a Chaldean Priest chanting litanies from the Bible; all these and more fostered a strong impetus to transgress his own ethnic, religious and national boundaries.
Education and career His mother, a talented artist, encouraged his artistic development. By the age of five, he was singing, improvising on the mandolin and painting under her guidance and encouragement. This early musical education at home later developed through chanting at Chaldean church services and as a leading member of various school choirs.https://almadasupplements.com/view.php?cat=7532 Farid Allawerdi...the pioneer of classical music in Mesopotamia 05.15.2013 paragraph:ظهرت موهبته الفنية في سن مبكرة حين كان في الخامسة من العمر
It was only in 1944, and after years of residence in different parts of the country, that the family finally settled in Baghdad where Allawerdi had the opportunity to study music academically with European teachers at the then newly established Fine Arts Institute. He studied Violin with Sandu Albu (a former student of Zoltán Kodály) while at the same time studying law at the Law College in Baghdad. As a music student he was recognized as very gifted. Professor Sandu Albu considered him “ ... the only talent for composition in Iraq.” Prof. Sandu Albu's letter of 31 August 1955).https://almadasupplements.com/view.php?cat=7532 Farid Allawerdi...the pioneer of classical music in Mesopotamia 05.15.2013 paragraph: ووجد فريد عندئذ الفرصة لدراسة الموسيقى على أساس اكاديمي تحت اشراف اساتذة اوروبيين في معهد الفنون الجميلة الذي أفتتح لتوه
After graduating from Law College in 1948 he devoted himself completely to music and its development in Iraq.https://almadasupplements.com/view.php?cat=7532 Farid Allawerdi...the pioneer of classical music in Mesopotamia 05.15.2013 paragraph: التخرج من كلية الحقوق في عام 1948 كرس فريد نفسه كليا الى الموسيقى وتطويرها في العراق.Adil al Hashimi,فريد الله ويردي :المقام محورا في ندوه الصيغ الموسيقيه في طشقند, al-Jumhūrīyah (الجمهورية) Saturday, 2 June 1990, issue no. 7561
From 1950 to 1952 Allawerdi, was a scholarship student in Paris for his higher theoretical studies under professors Henry Challen and Francis-Paul Demillac (Enyss Djemil) where he absorbed and used creatively the achievements of the new stylistic trends. He was quickly identified with all that was progressive in the musical world of his time.https://altaakhi.net/2024/01/70856/ Struggle, Genius, And Pioneer In World of Music 2024 January 7th, Paragraph:في فترة 1950-1952 حاز فريد الله ويردي على زمالة للدراسة في باريس في قسم الدراسات النظرية العليا تحت اشراف البروفيسور هنري شالان والبروفيسور فرانسيس- بول ديميلاك.
In 1951 he composed his first piece, Rondo for Guitar and Clarinet which was performed the same year in Baghdad.https://altaakhi.net/2024/01/70856/ Struggle, Genius, And Pioneer In World of Music 2024 January 7th, Paragraph:وفي عام 1951 ألف أول مقطوعة له هي روندو للجيتار والكلارنيت التي عزفت في العام نفسه في بغداد
In 1952 he returned to Baghdad, where he taught theory of music and harmony at the Fine Arts Institute.https://iraqiwomensleague.com/news_view_18072.html استذكار صاحب أول نشيد وطني..فريد الله ويردي رائد الموسيقى الكلاسيكية فـي العراق Together with his colleagues he established the Baghdad Philharmonic Society and was a member of a Chamber group composed of Professor Julian Hertz, Piano; Professor Sandu Albu, 1st violin; Vartan Manoogian 2nd violin; Farid Allawerdi, Viola; Professor Andre Theurer, Cello. He continues to perform with the Chamber Group until 1959.https://altaakhi.net/2024/01/70856/ Struggle, Genius, And Pioneer In World of Music 2024 January 7th
Upon the popular Iraqi uprising and subsequent revolution in 1958, he composed a Hymn Al-Mansouriya, which he dedicated to the Iraqi people. It was performed in June 1959 by the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra (Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra) under Conductor Alexei Kovalev (Алексей Ковалёв). The recording was used extensively by Baghdad Radio and Television after speeches of the leader Abd al-Karim Qasim. The popularity of the Al Mansouriya subsequently led to Allawerdi being condemned to death in absentia and the hymn banned after the 1963 Ba'ath Party coup d'état Ramadan Revolution.Elaph LiteratureAlmada Paper https://almadapaper.net/view.php?cat=223504 issue 4573
In December 1959 he went to Moscow to continue his education at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory Moscow Conservatory where he studied composition under professor Evgeny Golubev.
He also studied instrumentation with Professor Nikolai Rakov#:, Analysis of musical works with Professor Bobrovsky V.V., Universal piano with Smoliakov B.G., Teaching methods with Fedorov T.N., and Harmony and Polyphony with Alfred Schnittke.Alfred Schnittke by Ivanshkin Alexandre page 65
In 1964 he presented his thesis on the Theory of Music for publication at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Discussing his book, the Dean of the Department of Music, Professor Sergei Screbov (Скребков, Сергей Сергеевич) noted that: “For the first time, in Allawerdi’s book, the characteristics of Arabic music, particularly its Rhythmical scale, quarter tone intonations, etc. were given a scientific basis ... therefore we would like to have a full translation of the book in Russian to enable us to use it in our work at the Moscow Conservatory” (Decision:: Department of Theory of Music at Moscow, Tchaikovsky Conservatory, 29 May 1964).https://almadasupplements.com/view.php?cat=7532 Farid Allawerdi...the pioneer of classical music in Mesopotamia 05.15.2013 paragraph:في عام 1964 قدم موضوعة كتابه " نظرية الموسيقى"
At the Tchaikovsky Conservatory Allawerdi took part in musical circles with his fellow student composers such as Iosif Andriasov, Dzhivani Mikhailov, Boris Tobis (Тобис, Борис Ильич) and others.https://almadasupplements.com/view.php?cat=7532 Farid Allawerdi...the pioneer of classical music in Mesopotamia 05.15.2013 paragraph:شارك فريد الله ويردي في كونسرفتوار موسكو بنشاط في الحلقة الموسيقية التي شكلها عدد من الملحنين الطلاب (يوسف اندرياسوف و جيفاني ميخايلوف وبوريس توبيس وغيرهم) بالقيام بتسجيل وجمع النماذج من اجل دراسة وتحليل اعمال الملحنين المعاصرين.
In 1963, after a bloody coup, the Ba’ath Party came to power in Iraq. Allawerdi was condemned to death in absentia due to the popularity of his hymn, Al-Mansouriya, with the previous government. The authorities labelled him a communist for his independent character and radical thoughts. His passport was confiscated and his scholarship was cancelled. As a result, he was forced to join his family in the USA where he continued his studies on his own account under Professor Donald Lybbert of the City University of New York where he graduated with an MA degree in composition. Commenting on his graduation work, Professor Donald Lybbert said: “... in the judgement of the graduate committee of the department, is one of the finest ever to be presented to this committee.” (Letter by Prof Donald Lybbert of September 20, 1968).https://almadasupplements.com/view.php?cat=7532 Farid Allawerdi...the pioneer of classical music in Mesopotamia 05.15.2013 paragraph:في عام 1963 وقع الانقلاب العسكري الدموي في العراق وحكم على فريد الله ويردي غيابيا بالاعدام بسبب تأليفه " المنصورية"، التي حظيت بالشعبية في ايام الحكومة السابقة
While in the US, he was commissioned (1965–1968) to compose for the Annual Festival of American Music in New York. In 1965, he composed the Invention in Triple Counterpoint Pianoforte, in 1966, Sonata for Violin and Piano, in 1967, Fantasy for Violin Alone, and in 1968, Petite Suite for Piano. Upon graduation he found work at the Glassboro State College, now Rowan College of New Jersey.https://almadasupplements.com/view.php?cat=7532 Farid Allawerdi...the pioneer of classical music in Mesopotamia 05.15.2013 paragraph:وأبان وجود فريد الله ويردي في الولايات المتحدة انتدب (في 1965- 1968) لتأليف المقطوعات من أجل المهرجان السنوي للموسيقى الامريكية في نيويورك. 1965 ابتكار في نغم ثلاثي للبيانو 1966 سوناتا الكمان والبيانو 1967 فانتازيا للكمان 1968 سويتا بيتيت للكمان
When in 1968, the new Iraqi government published a General Amnesty for political exiles, Allawerdi returned to Baghdad in October of that year. There he found a very depressing musical scene. The Symphony Orchestra had been disbanded, and many promising musicians were still in exile abroad. The only opportunity for musicians was teaching at the Fine Arts Institute.https://almadasupplements.com/view.php?cat=7532 Farid Allawerdi...the pioneer of classical music in Mesopotamia 05.15.2013 paragraph: وبعد التخرج عمل مدرساً في كلية ستيت جلاسبورو في نيوجيرسي. وفي عام 1968 صدر في العراق عفو عام عن المنفيين السياسيين وتملكت فيردي الله ويردي البهجة والحماس للعودة الى بغداد