Ali Al-Anesi: Nightingale of Yemen [Archives:2001/46/Culture]

Saleh Abduhlbaki 
Yemen Times 
In our country, there are a small number of singers who deserve mentioning, and therefore, their songs are attached to our hearts. They were able to enrich Yemeni songs in all their forms. They created newness and originality, and they preserved these songs from extinction. Behind them, they left a creative and cultural edifice which cannot be erased from our memories. Among those singers were Ali Al-Anesi, Ali Abdullah Assemah and others. In this respect, the singer of this week is the great singer, Ali bin Ali Al-Anesi. 
This great singer contributed much to the development of Yemeni songs since their emergence in Yemen. He was one of the few singers who contributed greatly to improving the Yemeni songs in general and the Sana’ani songs in particular. He arrayed the Sana’ani song with unique and artistic varieties. He excelled in the art of the Yemeni song. He was able to express feelings and passions in the most simple and spontaneous way through his sweet-toned songs. This singer was successful in forming a certain kind of coherence between people and their experiences in real life and the imaginary world of the Yemeni songs through simple, common, but most exquisite and magnificent images. The singer Ali bin Ali Al-Anesi’s beginnings were restrictive and characterized by the many hindrances imposed by the Imam at that time to stop the artistic talents. Like others, he practiced the art of singing secretly at specific times. In such terrible situations, Al-Anesi chanted with his pleasant-sounding tune secretly caged to his freedom and art. He dreamed of art which would inspire him to jump to an open artistic atmosphere under horrible conditions. During the eruption of the 26th September Revolution, our singer was one of the first men in the informative front and one of the supporters of this revolution, particularly the national songs. He was greatly admired and loved. He sang Sana’ani songs and become a towering singer in this respect. He was acquainted with famous poets such as Sharaf Addeen, Abduhrahman al-Anesi and others. This kind of art motivated our singer to add with his quill beautiful artistic touches and made a distinguished piece of work. Undoubtedly, his influence on this kind of art increased and flourished. Many Yemeni singers, such as Fuad Al-Kebsi and others, sing his songs. 
He sang the best songs. He sang for revolution, for farmers, for lovers, for everything closely related to man’s life. He was a unique singer of his age. He planted the first seeds for the Yemeni song. He was famous, and his words and melodious songs still beat in our hearts.


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