0:05 – Introduction to piece and Arab music 樂曲及阿拉伯音樂簡介
1:00 – Start of music 音樂開始
18:08 – List of maqāmāt 馬卡姆調式列表

Eminent as a cradle of civilisation, the 7000-year-old city of Aleppo in Syria has been ravaged by the Syrian Civil War, which broke out in 2011. Much of the Ancient City of Aleppo, an UNESCO World Heritage Site, lie in ruin, and the citizens of Aleppo live in abject misery. This piece pays tribute to a rich cultural heritage devastated by war, and expresses hope for the city to be restored to its former glory in time to come.

“Aleppo” is based on extensive research on the maqāmāt (melodic modes, singular: maqām) and īqā‘āt (rhythmic modes, singular: īqā‘) of traditional Arab music. Many of the maqāmāt used in this piece are microtonal, involving three-quarter tone (or neutral second) intervals, which lie between a semitone and a whole tone. Combining Chinese instruments, Arab musical elements and symphonic composition techniques, this piece presents a narrative that transcends boundaries.

敘利亞七千年古城阿勒頗是人類文明的搖籃，其老城區被聯合國列為世界文化遺產。自2011 年敘利亞內戰爆發，阿勒頗民不聊生，許多歷史古跡毀於一旦。這首曲既展現了阿勒頗的文化魅力，也警示人們戰爭所造成的摧毀力，並祝願阿勒頗恢復昔日的光輝。

《阿勒頗》根據傳統阿拉伯音樂中的 maqām （調式）及 īqā‘ （節奏模式）而創作，所采用的許多的 maqām 含有微分音，即處於小二度與大二度之間的“中二度”音程。此曲結合華族樂器、阿拉伯音樂素材及交響樂作曲技法，體現了音樂的國際性。

Sanxian: TSAI Yu-Tung | Conductor: CHIEN Wen-Pin
Commissioned by the Taipei Chinese Orchestra and premiered on 18 Nov. 2017 at the Zhongzheng Auditorium, Taipei Zhongshan Hall.
Composer: WANG Chenwei (Singapore)

三弦：蔡雨彤 | 指揮：簡文彬
臺北市立國樂團委託創作並首演於2017 年 11 月 18 日，臺北市中山堂中正廳
作曲：王辰威（新加坡）

كونشرتو السانصيان "حلب"؜
ملحّن: وانغ تشان واي (سنغافورة)؜

References 參考資料:
Synopsis of the piece 中英文樂曲解説
https://wangchenwei.wordpress.com/aleppo

Maqam World – a website explaining Arab maqāmāt and īqā‘āt, and one of my main resources while researching for this composition.
http://www.maqamworld.com/en/

The Maqam Book – A Doorway to Arab Scales and Modes (2010) – a comprehensive book by David Muallem describing the characteristics of every maqām.
https://www.ortav.com/sunshop/index.p...

The Archaeomusicology of the Ancient Near East (2005) – a book by Richard J. Dumbrill which includes his decipherment cuneiform tablet bearing the Hurrian Hymn No. 6.
https://books.google.com/books/about/...