Born in Mashghara, in the southwest Bekaa region of Lebanon on
July 4th 1916, Zaki Nassif was the son of Chaker Nassif, an industrial merchant,
and Rashideh Ibrahim, a musically-sensitive mother who nurtured Zaki’s
musicality in early life with her singing at home. Egyptian Sheikh Salama
Hijazi’s singing of classical Arabic and both, Sheikh Mohamed Rifaat’s and
Sheikh Mustafa Ismail’s reciting verses from the Holy Qur’an influenced his
musical sensibilities that were further developed by his attendance of Syriac
and Byzantine (Greek Orthodox) church services. His exposure to traditional
dabkeh developed also his conviction that these Lebanese folkdances could be a
true expression of collective celebration, of joy, and of solidarity, or
“dalouna” . In 1920, during the early days of the French mandate in Syria and
Lebanon, his family moved to the Beirut , the new capital of Lebanon. As the
youngest of two girls and three boys, his childhood was happy during the years
1922 - 1933, despite the first family bankruptcy in 1925. During that period, he
had his initial exposure to regional instruments, including the plucked-string
“oud” and the “mijwez” flute. In 1933, a serious foot condition left him with a
life-long handicap. It forced him to leave his high school studies at the French
Lay Mission (presently the “Lycée Français”) at an early age and joined later on
the “School of the Holy Saviour”. Zaki Nassif’s study of music began at the
Institute of Music of the American University of Beirut in 1936. His instructors
were made up largely of members of the Kouguell family: Arkadie and his wife
taught him voice and piano, and Arkadies’ brother Rudolph taught him cello. The
noted composer Toufic El Bacha (1924-2005) was also a close friend and colleague
of Zaki Nassif during these days of study at AUB. Also, El Bacha’s uncle Khalil
Maknieh mentored Zaki during that period. In spite of some interruptions caused
by the family business, he remained at AUB until 1941 after which he continued
his classical music studies with Bertand Robillard. As were many other students
at AUB, he was affected by prevailing social and political ideas. These ideas
deeply influenced his patriotic and social beliefs throughout his life, shaping
up as well his musical outlook, characterized by a genuine interest in folk
music, poetry and dance in addition to an encyclopedic knowledge of Byzantine
& Syriac music traditions. A second family financial setback in 1949 had a
strong effect on the composer, and following this event, he dedicated himself to
the music profession. In doing so, he eventually contributed significantly to
what became to be known as the "Lebanese Renaissance." This period was the
beginning of a golden age for Lebanese-produced music in general and Lebanese
folk-dance-influenced works in particular. Zaki Nassif, Toufic El Bacha,
Philemon Wehbeh (1916-1985), Assi (1923-1986), husband of the famous singer
Fairouz, and Mansour Rahbani (1923-2009) were among the leading components of
this music. They, except Wehbe, also formed a quintet, with Abdel Ghani Chaaban
(1925-1977) named ‘The League of Five’ that was modeled after the Russian circle
of composers “The band of Five” (1856-1870) whose objective was to promote
musical modernism along side the local musical identity. Their focal points were
first Near East Radio (1953-1956) and Radio Liban in Beirut, then the Baalbeck
festival in 1957 & 1959, in collaboration with Marwan and Wadiha Jarrar
(1930-2011), Sabri Sherif (1922-1999), Badi' Boulos and others. These
collaborations also played a significant role in the development of regional
dance, in the form of formalized stage choreography for the dabkeh. In 1960,
“The Story of Lebanon” performances were given by the Anwar Group, championed by
the journalist Said Fraiha (1905-1978) and directed by Nizar Mikati: this time
with only Zaki Nassif and Toufic El Bacha participating alongside Wadi’El Safi
and Afif Redwan (1929- 1972). The Anwar Group ended their activities in 1964
after presenting another program at Baalbeck Festival entitled “Our Land
Forever” preceded by three years of touring in the Arab countries and Europe.
Starting from 1965, Zaki Nassif worked solo and achieved two major
participations in the 1970 and 1974 Baalbeck festivals besides composing many
songs for choruses, as well as for celebrated singers like Sabah, Wadi El Safi,
Nasri Chamseddine (1927-1983), Majdala, Widad, Suad Hachem, Najah Salam, Samira
Toufic and Joseph Azar. After the Lebanese War started, Nassif composed his
masterpiece performed by Fairuz “Ya Banni Oummi” (1981) based on Gibran Khalil
Gibran’s texts and continued his contribution to music in Lebanon with his more
than a decade long collaboration with Caracalla Dance Troop and writer Antoine
Ghandour for theatre and TV. He also worked with a new generation of singers
like Majida El Roumi, Ghassan Saliba, Ali Hleihel and others. One of his most
important and influential songs of the late 1980s was “Raje'h Yit'Ammar
Loubnan”, for which he wrote both words and music. In Lebanon, it became an
extremely popular song, rivaling even the national anthem. This afforded him
nation-wide recognition and generous and significant royalties from the Lebanese
Broadcasting Corporation that supported him for the remaining years of his life.
His last masterpiece, lyrics and music, is "Mahma Yitajrah Bladna", that
expresses passion and sincerity for the plea of his homeland, after the first
Qana massacre in 1996. Zaki Nassif died on March 11, 2004, leaving a rich and
vibrant musical heritage consisting of about 1,100 of songs and pieces of music
belonging to various genres and styles. He may be considered the founder of a
new Lebanese Arabic school of compositions, unique in a genre that combines
words, music, orchestration and dance.