A New East-West Polyphony

Composer and pianist Malek Jandali performs at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. by Thomas May Dan Carmody A New East-West Composers inspired by n April 24, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Sym- phonic Choir unveiled Mohammed Fairouz’s ambitious new their Arabic, Turkish, oratorio Zabur. The piece was commissioned by a consortium of and Iranian roots are performing arts groups, schools, universities, and houses of wor- ship throughout Indianapolis. Taking its name from the Arabic enriching America’s title for the Psalms of David, Zabur was just one of an aston- ishing seven world premieres this season for the young Arab- orchestral life. American composer, a native of New York who spent time growing up in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and the Gulf. And that’s not counting the regional first performances of Composer Mohammed Fairouz meets the other major Fairouz compositions: February saw a new production of the chamber opera Su- Symphonic Choir of the Indianapolis Symphony meida’s Song at Pittsburgh Opera, while across the continent the Reno Philharmonic pro- Orchestra at an early rehearsal for his oratorio Ogrammed his Violin Concerto. Not yet 30, Fairouz is working simultaneously on two large- Zabur, which premiered on April 24. scale opera commissions, as well as another orchestral work, Pax Universalis, to be premiered in October by California’s Santa Rosa Symphony. With the recent release of his debut record- ing for Deutsche Grammophon, Follow, Poet—including the new song cycle Audenesque and Sadat, a ballet—he’s the youngest composer in the label’s history to release an entire album focused on his music. Fairouz is one among a remarkable wave of composers working today in America whose music incorporates Middle Eastern idioms that up until very recently were routinely pigeon- holed as “exotic.” This wave includes such names as Fawzi Haimor, Mariam Adam, Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol, Kinan Azmeh, Kareem Roustom, Karim Al-Zand, Malek Jandali, and Reza Vali—to mention just the figures discussed in this story. They encompass not only Arabic traditions but the intricate musical legacies of Turkey and Iran as well, representing the genu- ine diversity of approaches and commitments that interest these artists. Overall, these com- Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra posers are subverting the clichés by which the Islamic world has so often been represented 40 symphony SUMMER 2015 in the Western canon—from the “janissary” And this trend isn’t happening only in the es and enable reconciliation pervade such military bands “alla Turca” in Mozart or in large pluricultural centers of New York and works as his Third and Fourth Symphonies. Beethoven’s Ninth to the enticing, luxurious Los Angeles, as you might expect, but across The Third (“Poems and Prayers”) sets the “Orientalism” of Rimsky-Korsakov. Accord- the country. Kaddish, the traditional Jewish prayer often ing to the literary critic Edward Said’s for- used when mourning, along with texts by mulation of the concept of Orientalism, the Breaking Down Stereotypes modern Arabic and Israeli poets, while the Western world’s colonialist objectification Merely being identified as an Arab-Amer- Fourth draws inspiration from Art Spie- of (primarily) Arab peoples and cultures de- ican composer in the post-9/11 world trig- gelman’s graphic novel In the Shadow of No picted the latter as not only different but in- gers expectations of a political dimension Towers, an anguished response to 9/11. “We ferior. These blinders, Said famously stated, beyond whatever specific piece of music is need to turn down the volume on the matter reinforced the Western prejudice that “the being discussed. “There’s no doubt that we’re of misunderstanding,” Fairouz emphasizes. one thing the Orient could not do was to in a moment of vital transition between the “Music is a key to forging the bridge of un- represent itself.” so-called Arab world and “Symphony orchestras derstanding. I don’t mean Far from simply offering an updated ver- Europe and the U.S.,” says understand that their in a kumbaya way, because sion of musical tourism—a 21st-century Fairouz. “I think we need it’s much more rigorous programming needs to spicing of Western ingredients with “the to work hard toward un- than that.” Other”—Fairouz’s compositions, for ex- derstanding one another draw on the influences Why, then, has it taken ample, integrate his Eastern and Western and appreciating each of how the world so long for these voices to models into complex, original wholes. A other’s cultures. You have actually looks,” emerge as a critical mass profound understanding of and admiration to dehumanize someone says composer in the American music for Bach, Schubert, and Britten underlies his to be able to go to war with Mohammed Fairouz. scene? incorporation of Arabic maqamat (modes) them, and that is almost The 32-year-old Arab- and their melody-centered, microtonal in- impossible when you ap- American conductor Faw- flections. preciate the others’s culture and poetry. It zi Haimor points to reasons within Arabic “We can do wonderful things if we apply was dehumanizing of the Jews in Europe culture itself: “Although our musical tradi- by Thomas May our collective effort and break down walls,” that enabled the Holocaust.” tions date back for centuries, in the past observes Fairouz. “That is what a renaissance Fairouz’s convictions about the power of 100 years or so, music was not necessarily is defined by: the breaking down of walls.” art to subvert our worst destructive impuls- embraced in the Middle East or in Middle POLYPHONY Composer and musician Kinan Azmeh in performance with the Silk Road Ensemble, Royal Opera House Muscat, Oman Khalid Al Busaidi americanorchestras.org 41 As to why there Eastern households. But now people in the which has commissioned a new concerto Michigan Philharmon- are not more Middle East and those who have moved to from Fairouz for the Israeli-born Ameri- ic and the Michigan- Arab-American the West want to express themselves musi- can cellist Maya Beiser. Erik Rönmark, the based National Arab women cally. I was Western-trained and grew up in DSO’s general manager and artistic admin- Orchestra that will composers, an environment where I heard Arabic folk istrator, observes that the fusion of Western combine the Western Imani Winds music, but at the same time was playing forms and orchestral sonorities with influ- orchestra with the takht violin in Western orchestras.” Regarding the ences indigenous to non-Western or non- (the chamber ensemble clarinetist issue of music in Islamic theology, Haimor mainstream cultures “is not a new concept. of Arabic music). The Mariam Adam argues that the naysayers have it wrong: “I’m Bartók used folk music influences. But the world premiere will says that “over a Muslim musician and obviously believe Arabic part of the world has not often been take place in September the next decade music is compatible with the religion. The represented in a way that doesn’t make it with Michigan Phil- there will be call to prayer itself is inherently musical in into an ‘exotic’ other. Like any composer,” harmonic Music Di- more women nature.” continues Rönmark, “Mohammed draws on rector Nan Washburn Israel, by contrast, has had a robust in- his experiences, but being as talented as he is, conducting. “One of graduating with frastructure in place to promote the insti- he’s able to create something interesting and our brands is to present the degrees and tutions of Western classical music since its unique from this. He writes in what we refer music that introduces competition founding. The Israel Philharmonic, after all, to as Western form, for symphony orches- our audiences to new accolades was founded in 1936 by the Polish-born tra, but he’s melding two separate traditions cultures,” explains Beth needed to launch Bronisław Huberman as the Palestine Sym- in a way that asks questions and stimulates Stewart, the orchestra’s a composing phony Orchestra, and Leonard Bernstein dialogue. Orchestras are trying to find points executive director. “For maintained a lifelong commitment to the for people to relate to music today.” our collaboration with career.” ensemble starting in 1947. There has been a Pierre Ruhe, director of artistic planning the National Arab Or- tradition of touring to the U.S., with advo- for the Alabama Symphony Orchestra— chestra, we wanted a cacy of contemporary Israeli composers like which premiered Fairouz’s Violin Concerto piece that would com- Shulamit Ran and Avner Dorman. (titled Al-Andalus) last year to acclaim—says bine both ensembles. The gatekeepers of what we call classical that while Fairouz’s Arab heritage is a sig- We did a lot of research music are realizing that “we need to debunk nificant influence, it shouldn’t pigeonhole and chose Kareem the perception that it’s an elitist art form,” him. “He has so much depth as a person, and because the orchestra Fairouz remarks. “But we have a long way such an enormous range of technical skills loved his music. It has just what we were to go before the concert hall becomes a truly as a composer—you hear it all in his music,” looking for: a lot of Middle Eastern flavor inclusive place. Symphony orchestras under- Ruhe says. “He’s trying to say serious things, while still being very classical in format. For stand that their programming needs to draw but he’s doing it with freshness and simplic- this project, he’s using the concerto grosso on the influences of how the world actually ity. Part of what makes Fairouz’s voice so model to create a dialogue between the two looks.” compelling is how he uses folk elements in cultures.” Among the ensembles determined to do his music, often in a raw or unstylized way.

Load more