When you see Guzheng (a major Chinese musical instrument), what can you imagine? An ancient woman in an elegant oriental costume is playing Guzheng in a Chinese pavilion near a peaceful lake?
When you see Xiao (a Chinese vertical flute), what can you imagine? Chinese
painting of oriental landscape with water and mountain , very spiritual and
clam.
Maybe you can think of the Chinese martial art novel η¬ε²ζ±ζΉ π(The Smiling, Proud Wanderer) … Not θ΅θ±ε―Άε Έ, Not θΎιͺεθ, But η΄η°«εθ π (not Sunflower Manual, not Bixie Swordplay Manual, but Qin Xiao Compose Manual which is the same as Guzheng ➕ Xiao π)
If we apply Guzheng and Xiao to an Arabic song, what would happen❓ Far East music and Middle East music are very different. Why I have this question … because of inspiration (like the name of my blog)! I have been inspired by the video …
Although the musical instruments are not the same, they look
and sound similar. Qanun is like Guzheng, except it is played by a muscular
powerful man with sunglasses on π (cool!) and he is very skillful. I believe Qanun
can be used to play a soft song too to express the beauty of Middle East. Just
like Guzheng can be used to play a soft song to express the beauty of Far East.
Ney is like Xiao, both can be played to express the beauty
of their countries (like Palestine in video) and their cultures.
Talking about musical instrument, there is a very
interesting and special one that I have never seen before. It is called reed,
which you can hear it at the beginning of this video (Mawtini = My Homeland).
From listening to the sound of this instrument, I can imagine the mysterious
Middle East but it’s very touching at the same time. Must be a masterpiece!
And it is also a respectful song … suddenly everybody started to stand up! Maybe because the song was a popular poem written by the Palestinian π Now is the national song of Iraq.
This song is called “Give us our childhood”. The first few
sentences are very touching and impressive: We’ve come to celebrate with you.
This holiday we ask you. Why don’t we have decorations or festivities? O
People, my land is burned down.
It was performed by a Syrian girl, she started crying once she sang “our sky is dreaming and it’s asking the days”. I was interested in the judges’ reactions since I had no idea who they are and where they are from.
The female judge, should be the youngest among the three,
was very sweet π She was the first one to press the button, turned around and
opened her arms to greet the girl. When she saw the girl cried, she went up to
the stage and sang together.
The younger male judge was the second one to react. He
pressed his and the other male judge’s buttons (was this allowed?). Also went
up to the stage, sat down and waved his hands. He must enjoyed the performance
very much π
The last judge, didn’t press the button nor go up to the
stage. However I could feel he was full of emotion through his eyes π I think he
has lots of sadness and pain memories in the heart.
I searched more information on the internet, then I realized
the sweet female judge is a Lebanese, the encouraging male judge is an
Egyptian. The one with less motion but full of emotions through eyes is an
Iraqi.
Normally Arabic songs in my mind are mysteriousπand Arab beauties would link to belly dance. But this video shows me the other side. The opening has a very warm heart melody (very similar to the cosy Cantonese songs that I listened in the 80s).
The singer in this video is just like a fairy π· The song expressed their desire for peace. I
was influenced by her when she dropped tears …
My song is for the child and childhood
For the innocence's shy laugh
For boys playing with sand
Their voices open a thousand
doors
From stingy eastern stories
My song for a child and
childhood
My song is a plane saying: in
our East the Deprivation has not flower
Why can't the child in my
country receives the same kindness that children receive in other countries?
Some Arab children are born in wars
Some Arab children are raised in wars
