Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

An extraordinary recital of the best classical Arab music

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The last of ROHM’s Lunch Music series of the season took place at the Opera Galleria this weekend. It was an extraordinary recital of classical Arabic music performed by five of the best musicians from Jordan. The Al Haleem Ensemble was formed by Qanoon player Haleem Al Khatib together with his brother, the fiddle player Abdel Rahim al Khatib, and three other of Amman’s best traditional Arabic musicians. On Saturday at noon, they presented an impressive group as the Quintet sat in an arc on a raised platform, facing a growing audience of all ages and nationalities, which later on became a ‘standing room only’.


The recital started straight in with a Qanoon intro from the leader in his own composition, ‘Samai’ Hijaz Haleem’, backed by the other Ensemble members. The tempo moved on, to end with a faster Qanoon solo. ‘Zikrayati’ or ‘Memories’ is a famous instrumental composition by the Egyptian, M. al Qasabaji, though sounding quite folk-like. It opened with a beautiful, slow Nay melody from Hassan al Faqir who added much throughout the recital on his bamboo, vertical reed flute. It was punctuated by glissandi from the Qanoon – a trapezoid Arabic Zither – and an Oud solo from Humam Eid ending with lively rhythmic Qanoon sweeps.


Another instrumental by Haleem, ‘Ightiraab’ (Exile) was a lively, rhythmic composition, sounding almost like an Indian Raag, with an interesting violin or ‘Kamenche’ solo from Abdel Rahim. ‘Lamma Bada’ (When she began to Sway), a mid 19th century art song, was the most beautiful performance, beginning very quietly with a tender duet between Qanoon and Oud (the short-neck fretless Arabic lute) and continuing with a chromatic Qanoon melody echoed by the Nay, all over hypnotic repeating ostinati from the group, creating a dream-like quality.


‘Longa Riyad’ was a fast and lively instrumental dance by Riyad al Sunbati, a playful, amusing piece full of foxy, syncopated rhythms for the whole troupe to enjoy. It was followed by Khatib’s rhythmic Tango, ‘The Mermaid’s Passage’, featuring an extended Oud passage from Humam with each musician given a chance to shine.


A song made famous by Umm Kulthum had the Egyptian in the row behind singing along to, ‘Darit al Ayyam’ (Days Have Passed) by Abdul Wahab, a fairly slow, long, winding melody which everyone could identify with. ‘Longa Shahnaz’ by Adham Effendi was a well-known, busy, rhythmic dance, featuring a fine high Nay tune. There was a slower middle section with more chromatic syncopated themes from Qanoon, and then up tempo again to conclude, with cheers and great applause from the assembled.


The final section of the programme began with a long virtuoso Qanoon solo intro to Haleem al Khatib’s ‘Ensiyaab’ (Flow). It flowed into a strongly emphasised Waltz-tempo for the quintet, including a fine Nay improvisation from Hassan al Faqir. A syncopated, off-beat fiddle solo, performed brilliantly by Abdel Rahim, gave Muhammad Joudeh a great challenge on Tar (drum).


In contrast, the slow, moody ‘Handsome Girl’ folksong, made famous by Lebanese singer, Fairuz, became a Qanoon solo in this reincarnation. It was followed by the syncopated and lively, ‘Eternal River’, (Al Nahr al Khalid) again by M. Abdel Wahab about Egypt’s famous River Nile. It allowed percussionist Joudeh to switch to the Riqq, or tambourine, to emphasise its dance-like qualities.


The Finale was simply entitled, ‘Sirtu Nahawand’. The modal system in classical Arabic music is called ‘Maqam’, and this fast dance piece by Turkish 19th-century composer, Jamil Beh Tanburi, is based on Maqam Nahawand. It opened with a cool classical Qanoon and Oud duet, immediately launching into a fast ensemble gallop, with improvised solos for each musician in turn, including a virtuoso Qanoon break. The recital lasted exactly an hour – a perfect length for the average concentration span – but to round it off, a famous and popular lively encore sent the applauding listeners on their way with its jazzy rhythms until the next lunchtime recital in September.


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