Songs of Sanaa

Proclamation: 2003

　　Member State(s): Yemen

　　Region: Arab Area

　　Associated themes: Traditional music

　　The Song of Sanaa, also known as al-Ghina al-San'ani, designates a group of songs that belongs to a rich musical tradition practised throughout Yemen. Derived from various poetic traditions dating from the 14th century, this genre constitutes an integral part of important ceremonies and social activities such as the samra marriage evenings and the magyal, the daily afternoon gathering of friends and colleagues.

　　The songs are interpreted by a solo singer accompanied by two ancient instruments: the qanbus (the Yemeni lute), and the traditional sahn nuhasi, a copper tray, which is balanced upon the player's thumbs and lightly struck with the other eight fingers. There are a large number of different melodic types. Modulation from one to another within a single performance is rare, but the artistry of a performer is judged by his ability to embellish a melody in order to highlight the text's meaning and to move listeners. The music can also be performed in conjunction with elaborate traditional dances. The poetic repertory, written in both Yemeni dialect and classic Arabic, abounds in elegant wordplay and is renowned for its highly charged emotional content. The texts of the songs constitute the most revered and frequently quoted body of poems in Yemen, a land where poetry is regarded as the highest form of literature. Although the songs are directly associated with Yemen's historical capital, Sanaa, they can be heard in many towns and rural areas throughout Yemen. In fact, the poetic repertoire often draws on dialects from different parts of the country. In addition, traditional melodies of the songs are regularly borrowed by performers of other genres, including rural dances and contemporary music.