Yemeni legacy remembered [Archives:2002/14/Culture]
April 1 2002
Saleh Abdulbaqi
Yemen Times Staff
The loss of this musician was a considerable loss for the artistic movement in the country. This great musician has left a deep effect in our memories not only among Yemenis but also the whole Arabs.
His creative talent enriched the fields of art and music. He was one of the pioneers of the Yemeni as well as the Arab singers.
His beginnings were in Aden. Ahmed bin Ahmed was born on March 1938 in Aden and brought up in its al-Qadhi quarters. He studied in Bazara’a School where his artistic soul began to form.
Soon he was adding new touches to the growth of the artistic arena, dedicating himself to music. He started his career as a singer with his lute particularly with the orient modern tune.
He was taught by the late Yahya Makki who led Bazara’a musical band. Yahya was astonished to see such talented budding figure, and as a result he was appointed as a band singer.
In the 1990s, Ahmed Qasem began his artistic career as a singer and composer. This phase has marked the revival of the Yemeni song started with this great man.
Lutfi Gafa’ar Aman, meanwhile, was the right hand of this great composer: writing songs for Ahmed Qasem to be sung.
Amans musical roots go to 1956, when he started polishing his talents in Cairo. There he reached gained a reputation among other lute lovers and his artistic fame began to spread throughout the Arab world.
He was greatly influenced by well-known Egyptian musicians such as Mohammed Abdulwahab, Ryadh Assonbati, and Fareed al-Atrash.
During his stay in Egypt, his first songs were recorded and given to the Voice of Arabs (Sout al-Arab). The Voice of Arabs accompanied him during his whole stay in Egypt.
In 1960 to 1963, he came back to Cairo where he continued his musical studies in the High Musical Institute and became one of the top students. In Cairo, he became a professional cinema actor parallel to the great Egyptian actors, in a film My Love in Cairo. Different songs were song by this singer, such as, I don’t believe, You Disregard me, composed by Lutfi Gafa’ar Aman. This was the first Egyptian-Yemeni joint film where Ahmed Qasem stands as a hero.
In 1961, he taught music to a number of public schools in Egypt and founded the Ahmed Qasem Musical Band.
The singer has a strong determination and limitless ambition, touring around the world, including to Paris and Hollywood, to perform and excel in studies.
He hoped for Yemen to have a highly developed orchestra. Unfortunately, this ambition is faded away and proved to be of no avail. Still, this great singer did a lot to promote the Yemeni songs in all its aspects.
Ahmed bin Ahmed Qasem considered be the pioneer of national song. His songs are still preserving the same popularity and attractiveness and the Voice of Arabs now commemorates his death with a special broadcast.
National songs were written and sung by Ahmed Qasem, including The Revolution Procession, (Mowkep Athowara). He also chanted for the Yemeni Unification. During his life he dedicated himself for the revival of the Yemeni song and for getting rid of the tyrannical Imamates’ rule and the British colonization in the south.
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