Hamad bin Hulais Al Sanani

Hamad bin Hulais Al Sanani: born in the Omani city of Sur in 1900. He marked the beginning of singing in Sur as it is known to this day. He taught himself to play the oud and to master the rhythms, until he became famous and distinguished for it. A number of distinguished singers studied at his hands, such as the singer Salem bin Rashid Al Suri, the singer Hamad bin Rashid Al Ghailani known as "Wad Qash", his son the singer Awadh bin Hamad Hulais Al Sanani, and others.

When he travelled to Bahrain and met his friend and pupil the singer Salem Rashid Al Suri, he recorded with him at his company his first songs, among them "Bu Uwaid Yaqul", "Abu Awad Qal Ifham ya Fahim", "Qal Al Fata Bu Mohammed" and "Bin Zamil". The artist-singer Hamad bin Hulais Al Sanani is among the few whose vocal recordings are kept by the British Music Museum, and among his finest songs:

The song "Ya Ghusn Rayyan", whose words say:

O lush bough

in the tower of paradise

easily you stand firm

you have shamed the roses

O bough that has not bent

drawing near, laden with fruit

in the bosom, two swelling buds

Reference:
Hammoud bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Ghailani

Maritime History and Shipbuilding in the Omani City of Sur — Arabic Press — 2006

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