{{Short description|Assyrian musician (born 1907)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Gabriel Asaad<br>ܓܒܪܐܝܠ ܐܣܥܕ | image = Gabriel Asaad, 1962.jpg | caption = Gabriel Asaad in 1962 | image_size = 225 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1907|03|18}} | birth_place = Midyat, Ottoman Empire | death_date = {{Death date and age|1997|07|06|1907|03|18}} | death_place = Stockholm, Sweden | nationality = | other_names = | known_for = Composer and Assyrian nationalist | occupation = }}
'''Gabriel Asaad''' (Syriac: ܓܒܪܐܝܠ ܐܣܥܕ) (March 18, 1907 – July 6, 1997) was an Assyrian composer, musician and nationalist. His classic songs include "Ho Donho Shemsho" ({{Langx|syr|ܗܐ ܕܢܚܐ ܫܡܫܐ|4=The Sun is Shining}}), "Motho rḥimto nisho dil" ({{Langx|syr|ܡܬܐ ܪܚܝܡܬܐ ܢܝܫܐ ܕܝܠܝ|4=My beloved nation is my goal}}), "Monaw kuoro" ({{Langx|syr|ܡܢܘ ܟܘܐܪܐ|Who is the blind person?}}) and "Moth Beth-Nahrin" ({{Langx|syr|ܡܬܝ ܒܝܬܢܗܪܝܢ|4=Mesopotamia, My Nation}}).{{Sfn|Zeitoune|2016|p=36}} Inspired by nationalistic activities, which he began in Syria,{{Sfn|Lundberg|2009|p=168}} Asaad is considered a pioneer in modern Assyrian folk-pop music, having composed the first song in Turoyo.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Akbaş |first=Arif |date=September 30, 2023 |title=Orta Doğu Müziğine Sosyolojik Bir Bakış |trans-title=A Sociological Perspective on Middle Eastern Music |url=https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/3148769 |journal=Turkish Academic Research Review |volume=8 |issue=3 |page=1099 |doi=10.30622/tarr.1298509 |via=DergiPark}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Farid |first=Nahro |date=November 18, 2011 |title=Never Forget Gabriel Asaad |url=https://www.ishtartv.com/en/viewarticle,35662.html |access-date=July 18, 2025 |website=www.ishtartv.com |publisher=Ishtar TV}}</ref>{{Sfn|Zeitoune|2007|p=530}} He performed in various dialects of modern Neo-Aramaic languages. Today, he is retrospectively regarded as a master in Assyrian music and a popular hero among Western Assyrian musicians.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zeitoune |first=Abboud |date=May 20, 2010 |title=Abboud Zeitoune Commentary on Mesopotamian Night |url=https://www.abboudzeitoune.com/en/mesopotamien-night |access-date=July 18, 2025 |website=www.abboudzeitoune.com |language=en}}</ref>{{Sfn|Lundberg|1998|p=21}}{{Sfn|Lundberg|2009|p=163}}[[File:Assyrian composer Gabriel Asaad and Armenian composer Aram Dikran.jpg|thumb|315x315px|Asaad playing the violin alongside Serop Yaqub (clarinet) and Aram Tigran (jumbush) in Qamishli, c. 1960's.]]
== Early life == Asaad was born in Midyat on March 18, 1907, to a Syriac Orthodox family. His surname was derived from his father, while his "official" surname was "Some".<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Lundberg |first=Dan |title=Virtual Assyria: A visit to a musical rebel – Svenskt visarkiv |url=http://old.visarkiv.se/online/assyria/virtual_assyria_7rebel.html |access-date=July 19, 2025 |website=old.visarkiv.se}}</ref> Shortly before the Assyrian genocide in 1914, his family moved to Adana where he studied languages at the "Taw Mim Semkath" orphanage school under Philoxenos Yuhanon Dolabani,<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Barkarmo |first=Nemrod |date=June 11, 2016 |title=Assyriernas största musikaliska pionjär |trans-title=The greatest musical pioneer of the Assyrians |url=https://huyada.com/assyriernas-storsta-musikaliska-pionjar/ |access-date=July 19, 2025 |website=Huyada |language=sv-SE}}</ref> and then to Damascus in 1921.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Malfono Gabriel Asaad (1907–1997) |url=http://www.syriacmusic.com/composers.asp?menuid=mm&id=9&area=composer |access-date=July 19, 2025 |website=www.syriacmusic.com}}</ref>
His years at the orphanage school would influence his passion for Assyrian identity and music, with his early inspiration from Syriac Orthodox hymns. Although nobody had ever pursued music in his family before, his parents did not object to his wishes of becoming a musician.<ref name=":3" />
== Career == In 1926, Asaad moved to Beirut and began to play the violin as his choice of instrument.<ref name=":3" /> It was there that he composed his first song, "Othuroye Ho Mtoth Elfan l-Metba'" ({{Langx|syr|ܐܬܘܪܝܶܐ ܗܐ ܡܛܬ ܐܠܦܢ ܠܡܛܒܥ|4=Assyrians, our Ship is Sinking}}).<ref name=":0" /> Between 1931 and 1936, he lived in Mandatory Palestine, composing and performing more music, including two pieces commemorating the Simele massacre (''Sohde Othur'').<ref name=":4" /> During his stay there, Asaad performed music with many Arab artists such as Marie Jubran and Saleh Abdel Hai. He moved to Qamishli in 1937.
In 1953, Asaad wrote a book about music containing his works, and six years later found work as a musical director in a cultural center in Qamishli to continue his work.{{Sfn|Lundberg|2009|pp=168–169}}{{Sfn|Zeitoune|2007|p=531}} As Arab nationalism began to rise in Syria, Asaad's book was censured and only thirteen of his thirty songs could be published, and he took great notice of the trend of Ignatius Aphrem I's stance against Assyrian identity.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Makko |first=Aryo |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9781315269832/assyrian-genocide-hannibal-travis |title=The Assyrian genocide: cultural and political legacies |date=July 20, 2017 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781351980258 |editor-last=Travis |editor-first=Hannibal |location=London |pages=246 |chapter=The Assyrian "concept of unity" after Seyfo}}</ref>
Asaad briefly led a scout celebration featuring fellow Assyrian musician Ninib Lahdo playing the cümbüş.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 26, 2015 |title=Legendary Singer Ninib Lahdo Live at Mesopotamian Night 2015 |url=https://mesonight.org/legendary-singer-ninib-lahdo-live-at-mesopotamian-night-2015/ |access-date=July 18, 2025 |website=mesonight.org |publisher=Mesopotamian Night |publication-place=San Jose}}</ref> During this timeframe, Asaad was also giving musical lessons to younger Assyrian musicians such as Gabi Shimun, Joseph Malke, and Fuad Ispir.{{Sfn|Zeitoune|2016|p=36}}<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Romanos |first=Hanibal |date=December 5, 2007 |title=Assyrian Musician Gabi Shamun Passed Away |url=http://zindamagazine.com/html/archives/2007/12.05.07/index_wed.php |access-date=July 18, 2025 |website=zindamagazine.com |publisher=Hujådå Magazine |publication-place=Sweden}}</ref> Originally, Asaad was considered to compose poems by Danho Dahho such as "Shamo mar" ({{Langx|syr|ܫܡܐ ܡܪܝ}}), but rejected the composition since he mostly composed songs in Classical Syriac.{{Sfn|Zeitoune|2016|p=37}} The song would eventually be given to Habib Mousa and recorded in August 1968.{{Sfn|Zeitoune|2016|p=38}}
Like with other musicians such as Nouri Iskandar and Joseph Malke, Asaad maintained that Syriac chant and sacral music was rooted in pre-Christian origins influenced by the surrounding region.{{Sfn|Lundberg|2009|p=166}}<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Zeitoune |first=Abboud |date=December 8, 2022 |title=History of Modern Assyrian Music |url=https://mardutha.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Banipal-Magazine_NO-47_for-website.pdf |access-date=July 18, 2025 |magazine=Banipal |publisher=Syriac Heritage Museum |location=Ankawa |page=236 |volume=47}}</ref> Before his passing, he published a book titled "The Syrian Music Throughout History" ({{Langx|ar|الموسيقى السورية عبر التاريخ}}),<ref name=":2" /> which documented musical nodes and an ancient Syriac musical scale. His last song, ''Ema G-ḥozena Shlomo?'' ("When will we see peace?) was recorded in 1984.<ref name=":4" />{{Sfn|Zeitoune|2007|p=531}}
== Personal life and death == Asaad's son Sardanapal was encouraged to take up fine arts and studied music with the help of Asaad.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sardanapal Asaad |url=http://www.syriacmusic.com/singers.asp?menuid=mm&id=19&area=singer |access-date=July 18, 2025 |website=www.syriacmusic.com}}</ref> He moved to Sweden in 1979 where he would stay for the rest of his life.<ref name=":2" /> He died on July 6, 1997, at the age of 90.
== Legacy == Asaad, like other Assyrian nationalists such as Naum Faiq, regarded music and poetry as being a means of uniting people.{{Sfn|Lundberg|1998|p=22}} When asked about the developments of Assyrian folk-pop music, Asaad remarked that he was proud that it could now be played freely without issues.{{Sfn|Lundberg|1998|p=26}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lundberg |first=Dan |title=Virtual Assyria: Expressive specialists – Svenskt visarkiv |url=http://old.visarkiv.se/online/assyria/virtual_assyria_9expressive.html |access-date=July 19, 2025 |website=old.visarkiv.se}}</ref> He is remembered as the leading composer for West Assyrian music during the 1930s and 40s, and whose music created a backbone for Assyrians in Sweden as they began building up activities.{{Sfn|Lundberg|2009|p=163}} His work is also regarded as a conquest for taking back Assyrian folk-pop music from the realm of the church, who restricted its adherents from composing music.{{Sfn|Lundberg|2009|p=166}}{{Sfn|Lundberg|1998|pp=21–22}}
Asaad's compositions have since been documented by his son Sardanapal, and his compositions have become a standard among Assyrians today.<ref name=":3" /> In 2006, a collection of his work was released in Sweden on a CD titled "An Assyrian Music Pioneer".{{Sfn|Zeitoune|2007|p=531}}<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=مؤسس الموسيقى السريانية الحديثة .عن موقع الجزيرة كوم |url=http://www.ishakalkomi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=371:2010-10-31-10-30-13&Itemid=15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325235156/http://www.ishakalkomi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=371:2010-10-31-10-30-13&Itemid=15 |archive-date=March 25, 2012 |access-date=July 19, 2025 |website=www.ishakalkomi.com |language=ar-aa}}</ref> His legacy was additionally carried on by other musicians in the Western Assyrian community.{{Sfn|Lundberg|1998|p=22}}
==See also==
* List of Assyrian musicians * Assyrian folk-pop music
== References ==
<references />
== Bibliography == {{div col|colwidth=30em}} *{{Cite journal |last=Lundberg |first=Dan |date=December 1, 1998 |title=Welcome to Assyria – your land on the Cyber Space: Music and the Internet in the establishment of a transnational Assyrian identity |url=https://etnomusikologia.journal.fi/article/view/101081/58602?acceptCookies=1 |journal=Etnomusikologian vuosikirja |location=Finland |volume=10 |pages=13–28 |doi=10.23985/evk.101081|doi-access=free }} * {{Cite book |last=Lundberg |first=Dan |url=https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783839410745-009/html?srsltid=AfmBOoofeJk-T8aJGPy7vAzu1Mdfqsj1VNDEHbgEDq-b_MapVS4nN2Kj |title=Music in Motion |publisher=Transcript Verlag |year=2009 |isbn=978-3-8376-1074-1 |pages=153-172 |chapter=Translocal Communities: Music as an Identity Marker in the Assyrian Diaspora |doi=10.1515/9783839410745-009}} * {{Cite book |last=Zeitoune |first=Abboud |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/%DC%92%DC%AA%CC%88%DC%98%DC%A0%DC%90_%DC%95%DC%A1%DC%98%DC%A3%DC%9D%DC%A9%DC%9D_%DC%95%DC%92%DC%9D%DC%AC%CC%A3%DC%A2/eFz0AAAAMAAJ |title=Music Pearls of Beth-Nahrin |year=2007 |isbn=3931358097 |pages=530-531}} *{{Cite book |last=Zeitoune |first=Abboud |title=Music Heritage of Mesopotamia |publisher=Assyrischer Jugendverband Mitteleuropa e.V. |year=2016 |isbn=978-3-00-053601-4}} {{div col end}}
==External links==
* [https://qeenatha.com/artists/GabrielAsaad/222/ Qeenatha] * [https://www.assyriatv.org/2018/08/gabriel-assad-sohde-d-othur/ Sohde d'Othur Performance] * [https://www.assyrianflag.org/anthem Ho Denho Shemsho translation] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXy0QWJt4QY Assyria TV Lecture in Turoyo] * The Syrian Music Throughout History
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20111008041831/http://khabour.com/ara/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=29&func=view&catid=47&id=5742 الموسيقار الملفان كبرئيل أسعد] , كريم إينا {{Commons category|Gabriel Asaad|Gabriel Asaad}}{{Assyrian musicians}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Asaad, Gabriel}} Category:1907 births Category:1997 deaths Category:Turkish emigrants to Sweden Category:Assyrian nationalists Category:Assyrian musicians Category:Assyrians from the Ottoman Empire Category:Syriac-language singers Category:Swedish people of Assyrian descent Category:20th-century Syrian male singers Category:20th-century composers Category:People from Midyat Category:Syriac Orthodox Christians {{Authority control}}