Muwashah Ya Ghosna Naqa (Iraq)

The lyrics were written by the poet Ibn Zahr al-Andalusi (1094–1162) and the music by an unknown composer. It is a famous piece that, unlike the first three muwashahat in this wasla ,  starts with the aqd hijaz and descends to the tonic. The khana rises to the top of the octave with the illustrative lyrics “Lao Sadafa Nohu Dam’a Ayeni Ghariqa ( If Noah ran into my tears he would’ve drowned )” and finishes with the high D saying “Lao Hummilat al-Jibalu ma Ahmiluhu Sarat Dakkan wa Kharra Mousa Sa’iqa ( Neither mountains would bear what I am bearing, nor Moses would be able to tolerate such suffering )”.  Use of such figures in his lyrics was daring as he removes them from their pedestal in order to highlight his pain. This is particularly insightful when we consider that he was living in Andalusia about a thousand years ago.