Perhaps the assertion is a little exaggerated, given the enormous diversity of cultural life in Berlin – and yet you want to say that the Oriental-inspired music in the German capital, just a bloom time. “There used to be a great enthusiasm for Irish music. Then the curiosity for Arab music suggested. Now is your time,“ says the Berlin-based composer and violinist Alexey Kochetkov. Together with five other musicians forms for 2015, the Berlin Oriental Group, a virtuoso chamber ensemble music, presented Arabic songs with a jazzy Timbre and bonds of electronic music. Sometimes Mediterranean pieces are woven into their own compositions. The Berlin Oriental Group is one of the most striking Ensembles in the field of new Arabic music, in addition to the Babylon of the orchestra and the Band Orphé.
Berlin attracts many of the emigrated artists, especially because of the artistic and cultural openness of the city. In addition, The Senate administration promotes especially alternative and integrative projects. This is the earth, on the Oriental-inspired music can grow. And the audience is interested in. Although they always take place on weekdays, attended the monthly “Arabic Music Jams” in the workshop of the cultures. Full rooms are also available at the “Arab Music Days” organized by the Barenboim-Said Academy in the new Pierre Boulez hall.
Large parts of the cultural elites have left in Syria
In Berlin plays not only existing Arabic songs or European compositions with Oriental instruments occupied. It thrives, increasingly, an entirely new Oriental-influenced music. The artists follow different approaches, such as two concerts illustrate in January: There is the “My home” – called the night of the Berlin Oriental Group on October 31. January in the concert hall, the concert “Syria meets Berlin” of the chamber Symphony on Monday.
the Former is Oriental-inspired, jazz-inspired world music, the latter consists of orchestral pieces, predominantly Oriental composers are juxtaposed with pieces by Bach. Jürgens Bruns, the head of Berlin’s chamber Symphony, selected for the concert, “Syria meets Berlin”, a biographical access. Because some of the musicians associations, Oriental as well as Western music tradition. Will had opened the concert with a work by the cellist Athil Hamdan, who was once Deputy head of the Opera house in Damascus. The European classical music he studied in Moscow and in his home country more developed. 2015 Athil Hamdan came to Berlin.
“Large parts of the cultural Elite in Syria – and it was a high culture – have left the country”, says Jürgen Bruns. “It reminds me of the Bleeding of Germany during the Second world war.”
Several works of musical “cross-border commuters”, as Bruns calls them, he selected for the concert of the chamber Symphony. Probably the most striking example is a Tango, written for the Oriental Lute Buzuk, of the Syrian Buzukvirtuosen Mohamad A. Karim. The beginning of the 20th century. Century acquired in the Orient such a celebrity that a German record company to Berlin. In the era between the world he toured wars, then through the whole of Europe, took out five plates and discovered the Tango. He took then back to Syria. As a result of the war, his Tango piece and is now back to Berlin. So the paths in the history of music are swallowed up sometimes.
close-knit community of dedicated musicians
to Western ears, most unusual characteristic of Oriental music Heterofonie: All instruments follow a melody line, take out but quite a bit of freedom to vary and decorate this as well as the rhythm. The Improvisation and the communication between the musicians is playing an important role.
“way Behind, a different mindset,” says the violinist Alexey Kochetkov of the Berlin Oriental Group. Especially develop this living interplay in chamber music ensembles. Kochetkov and his comrades-in-arms take on the classic Oriental pieces and folk songs and give them the Berlin liveliness and jazzy Fresh. Quarter-tones, which may initially sound sloppy for the West trained ear will soon be to the meandering enjoyment.
And yet something tells the Berlin Oriental Group about the local Oriental music movement: It is a tight-knit community of dedicated musicians, the she’s wearing. To do this, Kochetkov and his partner Valentina Bella Nova, discovered after her recorder studies their love for the Arabian bamboo flute Ney. The artists come from all Parts of the world, United by their passion for Oriental music.
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Arab Music Days in Berlin walking Barefoot on the Bass
Rolf Brockschmidt
The chamber Symphony of Berlin, occurs today, Monday, in the chamber music hall of the Berlin Oriental Group on October 31. January in the concert hall.
