"SOS Méditerranée", Solidarity concert at Saint-Esprit in Aix, 15/12/17

This is the echo to my previous post:
I was there and came early to be seated not too far in this huge nave so I could see and hear properly, though the spoken words were somehow muffled  because of the reverberation of the sound in the church.

For the voice however it was at times fantastic, especially when Moneïm Adwan made his amazing jumps so high in the vaulting: I had the strange impression my whole body was also vibrating to his voice like a bark in the wind. During the first song, which I managed to hear the title 'the Flûte' I felt some cries in oud and the voice together. So much emotion in this way of singing! It is like magic for me, although I did not understand the poem without a text translated to read beforehand.
When he arrived I could see Moneïm's oud wrapped in a light brown leather looking bag and they seemed to be just one soul ! (that is what I feel when his voice and oud start their amazing chant)
Like the late Yasser Arafat he always wears his keffiyeh.
It shows his support for his country, again outraged these last December days. There will be no Christmas Celebration in Nazareth this Christmas 2017…
 Moneïm Adwan, because of his presence at Aix festival in 2014 with the opera "Colombe  le Renard et le Héron" then, in 2016, with "Kâlila wa Dimna" was the only artist I knew in this concert. Because of his commitment with the association SOS Méditerranée, this composer, singer and oud player, gives his art and generosity to rise money for this amazing "Aquarius" with its teams of doctors and helpers who rescue the migrants on the coasts around here (so to speak). All the artists that night offered their art for this cause, and audience and artists were united in this fraternal faith which made all of us gather in Saint-Esprit.

 Between the two musical parts, the Baroque Christmas, sung by Monique Zanetti accompanied by cello and luth, wonderful artists too,( "Amarylli" the way Monique Zanetti did it, was such a beauty!) and the Oriental concert where Moneïm Adwan and Houdin Baghdadi took part,  two women members from the Association, read some texts collected from the Migrants after their rescue on the Aquarius.
 From Ghana, Mali or other parts of Africa and Middle east, all the stories  read showed violence, humiliation, violation of  women and young girls, atrocities in Lybia and so much human suffering that even the sound of the Sea, which had been recorded for this moment, had a mornful  chant.
What an appalling long lasting story of our time  which makes me ashamed of being part of that Europe which does not want to welcome the poor ones when there are here and there in Europe so many  very rich ones.

Then came the Oriental part with Moneïm Adwan and his Oud.
Up to last night, I kept my strong impressions of stunning emotions  during the three songs he gave us, but no comprehension of the poetry sung and there was no written programme, it would have been too expensive for La Cimade which organised the concert here at Saint-Esprit.
 Yesterday, I wrote on  Moneïm Adwan's facebook message page, asking him for links to translations and after two posts, he kindly sent me the three poems in French  with references, dates and names of the poets. I was so happy! What with all his travels and preparation, he took time to send me  the three poems... I am so grateful to him !
Today, he is performing at Cologne Philarmonie with Bernard Foccroulle and Alice, probably a concert like they performed at Saint-Jean de Malte in Aix.
What is reassuring these days is to witness that such artists are the real hope for us all, they federate all kind of people with their art towards Peace, when politicians do the opposite  leading often their countries to the state of war with some others.
Now, I know the three poems were centered on the theme of 'Love'.
 I felt it must have been  'love' or 'love lost'  which made Moneïm 's voice soar so high in the nave and irradiated so much warmth in that cold night there! Such a contrast after the second part of the concert! Love is always hopeful. As it is he si working with other musicians and artists on the theme 'Exile and Love' , and the three poems offered tonight are centered on both themes.
Soon I hope to be able to find in his singing and music on a CD the passage which says:
Écoute la flûte de roseau, écoute sa plainte
Des séparations elle dit la complainte
 Depuis que de la roselière on m'a coupée
En écoutant mes cris, hommes et femmes ont pleuré
Pour dire la douleur du désir sans fin
Il me faut des poitrines lacérer le chagrin
Ceux qui restent éloignés de leur origine
 Attendent ardemment d'être enfin réunis (...)
Here are the poems, sent  last night: (I had understood  the first one 'La flûte' when he introduced it, the only words I managed to catch from where I was).
 1-La Flûte
Asghi ilal ney – Ecoûte la flûte" - Jalalu'ddin Rumi (1207-1273) ) / Moneim Adwan
Extrait du Ma'navi, ouverture
 " La complainte de la flûte
 Écoute la flûte de roseau, écoute sa plainte
Des séparations elle dit la complainte
 Depuis que de la roselière on m'a coupée
En écoutant mes cris, hommes et femmes ont pleuré
Pour dire la douleur du désir sans fin
Il me faut des poitrines lacérer le chagrin
Ceux qui restent éloignés de leur origine
 Attendent ardemment d'être enfin réunis
Moi j'ai chanté ma plainte auprès de tous
 Unis aux gens heureux, aux malheureux, à tous
Chacun à son idée a cru être mon ami
Mais personne n'a cherché le secret de mon âme
Mon secret pourtant n'est pas loin de ma plainte
Mais l'oeil ne voit pas et l'oreille est éteinte
 Le corps n'est pas caché à l'âme ni l'âme au corps
Ce sont les yeux de l'âme seule qui pourraient le voir
Le chant de cette flûte, c'est du feu, non du vent
Quiconque n'a pas ce feu, qu'il devienne néant
 C'est le feu de l'amour qui en elle est tombé
Et si le vin bouillonne, c'est d'amour qu'il le fait
 La flûte est la compagne des esseulés d'amour
 Et nos voiles par ces notes ont connu la déchirure "
2-Sakana I Layl / Le Chant de la Nuit – Khalil Gibran (1883-1931) / Moneim Adwan
"Le silence règne dans la nuit, et sous la parure du silence
Se cachent les rêves.
 La pleine lune parcourt le ciel,
et il est des yeux dans la lune
Qui scrutent les jours.
 Ô fille des champs, allons donc visiter
 La vigne des amoureux ;
Peut-être ce verjus là-bas saura-t-il étancher
 L’ardeur de nos désirs.
 Écoute le rossignol qui, à travers champs,
Déverse ses mélodies
 Dans les airs où les collines exhalent
La fragrance du myrte.
N'aie pas peur, mon cœur, car les étoiles
Savent être discrètes.
 Et la brume de la nuit, dans ces vignes lointaines,
Voile les secrets.
N'aie crainte, car la bien-aimée du djinn se love
Dans sa féerique caverne ;
Si grisée qu'elle s'est livrée au sommeil, échappant presque
Aux yeux des houris.
Et si le roi djinn venait à passer, il s'en irait,
Ployé par l'amour. Car étant aussi amoureux que moi, comment peut-il révéler
 Le secret de son chagrin !"
3-  Ruh Al-Quds – L’Esprit de Sainteté - Muhyi-d-dîn Ibn ’Arabi (1165-1240) ) / Moneim Adwan
Sur le CD du chœur Ibn Zaydoun
Celui par qui les esprits s’élèvent
Insuffle aux esprits :
Si je meurs, qui après moi lui sera dévoué
Quand l’amour sera ébruité
Je demande pardon à Dieu de ma faute et de mon excès
Auprès de celui qui dispense les joies
Procureront-elles quelque quiétude ?
Les évènements sont moments changeants
L’instant apporte rapprochement et éloignement
Chacun passe par gêne et aisance
Dis en pensant à moi :
Compagnon, as-tu vu qui s’est reposé [sans trouver le repos] ?
Celles qui apportent la joie
L’Esprit de sainteté par notre souffle
A illuminé les aurores
Accorde un don, ô espoir du fou d’amour qui s’en est allé
Les ailes coupées
(Ce poème s’inspire en partie d’un muwashshah (poème strophique) du Dîwân p. 542-3.)
Now understanding the words and signification of the poem better,
These three poems translated in French have to be explored at the light of the references given by Moneïm Adwan.
I shall have to wait until the Summer to hear his amazing voice and his music on the Oud when in May his new opera will be performed before the Festival opening. Let's hope for the best for this composer who really shares his art with people like me and younger people too ! But meanwhile I will receive the first record of his music and singing, it will be my Christmas present !

The Iranian musician Houdin Baghdadi ended the concert with wonderful Persian music, I enjoyed  the amazing fast hammering on the santour, looking very clever and almost acrobatic!
I left before the end, it was getting colder and colder and I had to walk to my hotel beyond the cathedral.
This concert with the baroque songs and the Oriental ones opened even wider my desire to know more about both!  La Cimade-Aix and SOS Méditerranée are associated to help the Migrants, it was through music  that night, music,which is a language without borders, luckily.
Il était une fois en Palestine