Tarab & Arabic classics

Tarab radio, live from Paris: Umm Kulthum, Warda and Baligh Hamdi through the night, Fairuz and Ziad Rahbani every morning, a whole show of George Wassouf. Mohamed Mounir and Ahmed Mounib's Nubian Cairo on Qamariya, Beirut's own songs on Beirutiyat — free, mostly on Wa3's Arabica channel.

Tarab (طرب) is the word for what this music does to a listener: the rapture a singer and an orchestra build phrase by phrase, until the audience answers back. It belongs above all to the long songs of twentieth-century Cairo — Umm Kulthum's, and the melodies Baligh Hamdi wrote for her and for Warda — and Wa3 gives them the late hours, on the طَرَب show.

The rest of the week widens the word. George Wassouf, the Syrian singer his fans call Sultan al-Tarab, has a show to himself, وَسّوفيات. Fairuz, her son Ziad Rahbani and Marcel Khalife open the Arabica channel every morning on صبحيه. And قمَرية and بيروتيات share the Egypt of the eighties and the songs of Beirut between them.

George Wassouf, Ziad Rahbani, Fairuz, Mohamed Mounir, Joseph Saker, Ahmed Mounib, Marcel Khalife, Oumeima El Khalil, Umm Kulthum, Ahmad Kaabour, Charbel Rouhana, Julia Boutros, Salma, Baligh Hamdi, Warda, Hamid Al Shaeri, Azar Habib, Melhem Barakat, Sami Hawat, Khaled El Habre

Questions

What is tarab?

Tarab (طرب) is the rapture classical Arabic music reaches for — the state a great singer brings a whole audience to. The word also names the repertoire built for it: the long Egyptian songs of Umm Kulthum, Warda and Baligh Hamdi, and the voices that carried them on, like George Wassouf.

Where can I listen to Umm Kulthum and Fairuz online for free?

On Wa3: Umm Kulthum, Warda and Baligh Hamdi play on the طَرَب show late at night, and Fairuz opens the Arabica channel every morning on صبحيه (Paris time). Free, no account, in any browser.

Is there a George Wassouf radio?

Wa3 has a whole show of George Wassouf, وَسّوفيات, on the Arabica channel several times a week — its page has the days and times.

Which Wa3 shows play Tarab & Arabic classics?

صبحيه, بيروتيات, وَسّوفيات, قمَرية, طَرَب, Sroud — see each show's page for its days and times (Paris).

How do I listen to Tarab & Arabic classics?

Press “Listen” on this page: it opens wa3.live on the Arabica / Random channel, in any browser on phone or computer — free, no account. Wa3 also streams as plain MP3 for radio apps.