By Archpriest John Abdel-Karim

Andraos Mouaikel was born at Aita Al Fakhar of South Lebanon in 1890. He Studied Byzantine Music in North Lebanon at Mitri el Mur the first, then at the Clerical Patriarchate School of Jerusalem at the Holy Land. He did chant with Emmanuel Bamboudakis in Jerusalem as his student [1].

He was ordained as a deacon by his Beatitude Gregorios the fourth (Haddad) Patriarch of Antioch, and appointed by him to be the manager of the printing- press of the Patriarchate in Damascus.

When he returned to his civil life and was married, he remained six years in Damascus as the Protopsaltis of Al Maryamieh the Cathedral of the Patriarchate, then all the rest of his life as the Protopsaltis of the Cathedral of Saint George in Beirut-Lebanon. He had no children of his marriage.

He was distinguished by his patience and beneficence in teaching for free Byzantine music and establishing the only Choir of the Antiochian Greek Orthodox Church in Lebanon of his time. His compositions and style were special, extremely beloved by both the clergy and lay people of the Orthodox Church and others. All the deacons of the Archdiocese of Beirut were encouraged by him to learn Byzantine music. We do remember some of them: his Beatitude Ignatius the fourth (Hazim) Patriarch of Antioch, Elias Corban Metropolitan of Tripoly-Lebanon, Emilianos Abdul Karim (Alexis) Metropolitan of Homs-Syria and Nicholas Badawi Archimandrite and Vicar of the Archdiocese of Beirut.

Andraos Mouaikel died in Beirut in 1964.

'Σήμερον Κρεμάται", Εκφωνητική απαγγελία / "Simeron Krematai", Ekphonetic reading [rm, 372 Kb] (from stgeorgebeirut.org)
Compare with same piece by Mitri El Murr [html]

The following was offered and commented by Tony Badran.
His version of Tin Simeron Mystikos, which is by far the most used version in the Antiochian tradition, surpassing Murr. This copy (and the orthography) is by Joseph Yazbeck, and it includes analytical renditions of certain phrases following oral tradition in Lebanon. As for the "extra" non-Byzantine signs, they're for the purpose of choir leading, added by Joseph himself for his students.

page 1 [jpg, 160Kb], page 2 [jpg, 160 Kb], page 3 [jpg, 140Kb]

It was said that Andraos Mouaikel studied Byzantine Music at Khalki Orthodox Theological College in Khalki Island, Turkey.

[1] When Andraos Mouaikel was a deacon he obtained an Anthologia book of Bamboudakis as present from His beatitude Gregorios the fourth Patriarch of Antioch, signed by his vicar. The book now is kept with Archpriest John Abdel-Karim of Brisbane Australia). Here is a copy of the first page of the book (click for larger):

Fr John Abdel-Karim Started to learn and practice B.Music at A. Mouaikel , having with him Michel Abdel- Nour as teacher. Then he did high studies at George Karakasis. See above the Andraos photo with Archimandrite Ignatius Hazim (Patriarch of Antioch) and some members of his choir in 1961, from the Left: Archimandrite Ignatius Hazim, Antoine Khoury, Rafoul Maqdisi, Kamil Boutros, Andraos Mouaikel, Michel Abdul-Nour, Elie Homsi, Labib Boutros, Robert Maamary, Gothard Abdel-Karim (Archpriest John), Simon Smaha. And we do remember some of his other students: Dimitri Chehadi, Elie Nicholas Khoury, Gregory Maqdisi, Elias Qoulfat, Jermanos Abi-Farah, Abdo Elias, Elie Choueyri.

Andraos voice was distinguished by a very large range of nearly three scales.

His style of chanting was different than Mitri el Murr's. Fr. John Abdel-Karim is still keeping some recording tapes of their chanting.