Daniel Barenboim's West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, Uniting Young

Eastern Harmony Daniel Barenboim’s West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, uniting young Israeli and Arab musicians, is courting controversy this year by appearing at Ramallah on the West Bank. Daniel Jaffé went to see them on the eve of their tour t’s a perfect, hot summer’s day with This, of course, is no ordinary youth the principal timpanist from the Israel intense blue sky at the Lantana orchestra. Indeed, it seems an inadequate Philharmonic (Dan Moshayev). What is truly Seminary, just outside Pilas near description for an ensemble – albeit one extraordinary, though, is its bringing together Seville. Here for the past three weeks that has an upper age limit of 26 – which of musicians who would otherwise have had conductor Daniel Barenboim’s includes many of the world’s top players, nothing to do with each other: for the largest NINA LARGE Iextraordinary youth orchestra, the West- such as the principal double bass from the proportion of the orchestra is made up of Eastern Divan, has been busy rehearsing, Berlin Philharmonic (Nabil Shehata), the virtually equal numbers of Israelis and attending tutorials and seminars and generally cellist and violist from the Jerusalem Quartet Arabs from Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, PHOTOGRAPHY: preparing for its most ambitious tour yet. (Kyril Zlotnikov and Amihai Grosz), and and the occupied territories. 32 bbc music magazine september 2005 ! FEATURE WEST-EASTERN DIVAN ORCHESTRA west-eastern divan orchestra: (clockwise from left) Daniel Barenboim rehearses in Seville; Syrian violinist, Maria Arnaout, confers with the principal cellist; backstage tuning up; orchestra leader Michael Barenboim difficulty went one step further’. Last year’s harmony into the heart of the occupied showpiece was Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, territories, making their final concert in chosen particularly to display the orchestra’s Ramallah. This is a provocative gesture, now excellent group of brass players. since back in 2002 he roused Israeli ire by After holding workshops in Weimar for appearing at the Ramallah Conservatoire, their first two years, the orchestra reconvened playing Beethoven to students and holding in Chicago in 2001, then finally settled on masterclasses in defiance of official warnings this former seminary near Seville as its regular that the Israeli army could not offer protection. base. It is a richly symbolic choice. Southern Six years ago, inspired by conversations Spain is fondly remembered in Jewish history BREAKING THE ICE with his friend, the Palestinian spokesman as a rare haven for the Diaspora during Here in the Lantana Seminary, the atmosphere Edward Said, Barenboim recruited around medieval times: under Moorish rule from among the musicians is casual and friendly. I 80 musicians from Israel and neighbouring 711 until the mid-14th century, Jews were join a group seated in a common room. One Arab states and had them attend a two-week not only tolerated but well-treated, and lived of the young men decides to break the ice by course in Weimar. ‘Many of these kids had peaceably with Muslim rulers and Christian doing his Mr Bean impression – a comically never played in an orchestra before,’ he recalls. neighbours alike. long-delayed sneeze. That done, he attempts Initial moments of suspicion and friction were The orchestra’s profile has been increased to excuse himself on the grounds that he has a overcome, and he succeeded in making them in recent years by well-received tours; an violin practice to do. He is thwarted by cries of co-operate to perform Beethoven’s Seventh impressive CD-cum-DVD recording of their mock dismay from his colleagues: ‘Aw Misha, Symphony and other works. ‘I try to choose concert in Geneva last year – including the stay!’ (It is only later that afternoon, at the works which I feel I can work with them on Tchaikovsky Fifth – has been released by Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville when I see fundamental problems of music-making,’ Warner Classics (favourably reviewed last Misha on stage in the leader’s chair, waiting explains Barenboim. The following year the month). It is typical of Barenboim, after last for the rehearsal to begin, that I recognise the main work was Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony; year’s successful tour, that he should decide family resemblance and the penny drops: he is the next, the Eroica; ‘each time the technical this year to take this showcase of Arab-Israeli Barenboim’s 20-year-old son Michael.) > bbc music magazine september 2005 33 FEATURE WEST-EASTERN DIVAN ORCHESTRA BARENBOIM & THE WEST- EASTERN DIVAN ORCHESTRA THE STORY SO FAR striking accord: Barenboim with Edward Said 1999 Barenboim co-founds with Edward Said the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra: the name is taken from a volume of poems by Goethe, ‘divan’ signifying a ‘meeting room’. The first workshops, involving Yo-Yo Ma, are in Weimar softly softly: Barenboim encourages his Israeli and Arab musicians to listen to each other 2000 Divan workshops held again in Weimar 2001 Barenboim causes furore by conducting from the Middle East has revealed more musicians from countries she would otherwise Wagner as an encore in Jerusalem. The Divan common ground than differences, and not scarcely encounter: ‘I am very happy that I workshops held in Chicago just in music: ‘we have more “temper” than am musical,’ she says, ‘because I don’t think 2002 Barenboim defies Israeli authorities by you would find in musicians from America otherwise I ever would have met Arabic appearing in Ramallah. The Divan, funded by or England’ he says; ‘both Israelis and Arabs people from Syria and Jordan and Egypt if I the Three Mediterranean Cultures Foundation, have a fiery passion. We actually have a lot in wasn’t here.’ She agrees with Mina that Jews makes its regular base in the Lantana > Seminary near Seville; stages its first public common in the way we think and how we feel and Arabs have a lot in common emotionally concerts after the workshops, initially in the emotionally. And this informs the way we play US, in Spain and Germany our music. I think we bring something to the 2003 Second tour, to Spain, the UK, France, music which is different from what a musician THE CONDUCTOR SPEAKS Germany and Morocco (the orchestra’s from Europe or America brings.’ first appearance in a Muslim country). I suggest to him that having this emotional Barenboim on taking the Divan Edward Said dies of leukaemia rapport with colleagues from Israel and other Orchestra to Ramallah 2004 The Divan tours Germany, Spain, countries means that political differences Switzerland and the UK. The Geneva and issues are cast into perspective and no ‘What is extraordinary about these musicians concert recorded on CD and DVD – longer seem to be personal issues between the released by Warner Classics this year is their fearlessness. 2005 Tour Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, UK, musicians. ‘It’s interesting, because this year When a professional Germany and Ramallah we studied Wagner’s Prelude and Liebestod musician tackles a from Tristan ; it was very interesting because technically difficult Daniel Barenboim showed how the music was passage, he will take I strike up conversation with Mina Zikri, a put together and explained all the themes. the safe way, through violinist from Egypt now resident in Chicago, And there was an Israeli cellist who left in fear or professional who tells me he has gone to almost every the middle of the session. But she came back experience. But these session with the Divan orchestra since its for the play-through and she tried to play the youngsters have launch in Weimar. He had already studied music. And I could see tears running down neither fear nor professional experience: they take every risk in the book. But this is a really in Germany and Austria, but leapt at the her face as she played this music; I could see fantastic lesson for me: how to go 100 per cent chance to work over an extensive period with she wasn’t just making a scene – it really was for a musical idea and its realisation without Barenboim. Mina enthusiastically describes painful for her to play this music. And I felt for any fear or hesitation. the Divan Orchestra as ‘unique’. ‘I think it is her: even though I didn’t share her history ‘It’s amazing, too, to see what a role music most important above all for the friendships I realised there was a genuine pain there.’ has in the lives of people in Ramallah. There’s we make there,’ he says, adding that in the six By chance, I later meet that cellist, Noa a world of difference between a Palestinian years since he started to play with the orchestra, Chorin (‘I’m 21 in August’), who comes child who has to go to their violin lesson, the atmosphere has become even more friendly. from a kibbutz in north Israel. It is her first going through check points and under the ‘Most of the musicians originally came because time with the orchestra: ‘a friend of mine threat of bombardment; and a child travelling they wanted to make music and it was a unique who had already played with the orchestra from Hampstead to get to their lesson. When must you live in fear and it’s only when you play opportunity to study under Barenboim. But three times told me I go, just three days your instrument that you are free to express now many of us know each other and we keep before the audition!’ The attraction was not yourself, music matters. That’s why it’s so in touch throughout the year.’ only the reported friendly atmosphere of important to bring music to Palestinians – it For Mina, the experience of working and the orchestra and the opportunity to work gives them a sense of dignity, something CORBIS performing with Israelis and other nationalities with Barenboim, but also the chance to meet positive to live for.’ bbc music magazine september 2005 35 ! Barenboim is, of course, far from useless.

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