DESDE EL EÚFRATES AL GUADALQUIVIR
Pneuma se viste de lujo al presentar la última interpretación musical del extraordinario laudista Naseer Shamma. Desde este sello español le hemos pedido un viaje al siglo noveno por algunas de las antiguas escalas musicales del Bagdad de Ziryáb, para ahondar en las raíces de la música de al-Andalus. Su música deja una profunda impresión sobre el alma, ya que la materia espiritual del arte de la música es el alma de los oyentes.
Escuchando a Naseer Shamma recordamos las ideas neopitagóricas sobre la música del grupo islámico medieval los Hermanos de la Pureza (Risala Ijwán al-Safá), comunidad ismaelí asentada en Basora (hacia 983), que tuvo gran influencia en el mundo andalusí.
“Las melodías correctamente armonizadas deleitan los caracteres, alegran el alma y regocijan el espíritu, porque son sonidos y silencios que transitan en el tiempo imitando los movimientos de los astros. Cuando se escuchan tales melodías, las almas rememoran la dicha del mundo celeste y al tener conocimiento de ese mundo superior, anhelan acceder al mismo y fundirse con él.”
La música y la voz de Naseer Shamma, que canta por primera vez en una grabación, es una de las “mil y una” razones desde Bagdad para amar la cultura de Iraq y pedir la paz contra la guerra.
EDUARDO PANIAGUA
NASEER SHAMMA. Una trayectoria lúcida en busca de autenticidad.
Naseer Shamma comenzó a tocar el laúd a los 14 años en su ciudad natal Wasit (Iraq). Estudió cinco años en el Conservatorio de Música Árabe de Bagdad, conocido por sus grandes maestros del laúd: As-Sharif Muhyi al-Dín, Jamil y Munir Bashir, Salman Shukr y Alí al-Imám.
Fue apodado “el pequeño Ziryáb” en su primer concierto dado en Francia en 1985. Acabados sus estudios en 1986, comenzaron a otorgarle premios: Mejor melodía (Iraq 1986), mejor músico árabe en el Festival de Geras (Jordania 1988), homenaje de la Unión de Artistas Iraquíes en 1988, 1989 y 1990, mejor composición para teatro en Cartago (Túnez 1990), medallas y condecoraciones en Marruecos 1992, Túnez 1992 y Portugal 1996.
A los 25 años formó el grupo de laudistas Al-Bayariq. Poco después dio a conocer, junto a un investigador alemán, un manuscrito de al-Farabí conservado en Irlanda.
Como intérprete ha creado una técnica para tocar el laúd con una sola mano, motivado por sus amigos mutilados víctimas de la reciente guerra de Iraq.
Naseer ha profundizado en la Escuela de laúd iraquí, siendo conocedor de las escuelas turca, egipcia y persa. En un dialogo con el pasado ha rescatado música babilónica.
Ha sido profesor de laúd cinco años en el Conservatorio de Música Árabe de Túnez (1993-1998). Ha fundado la Casa del Laúd Árabe de Egipto, donde reside en la actualidad, y con sus alumnos ha formado el grupo Uyun, cosechando gran éxito.
Su labor como compositor enriquece la milenaria música árabe, mostrando sus composiciones en decenas de conciertos anuales como solista en los cinco continentes.
DISCOGRAFÍA:
-Le luth de Bagdad, 1994, Francia.
-Iluminación (Ishraq), 1996, Italia.
-Despedida de la luna (The moon fades), 1999, Francia.
-Maqamat Zíryáb, 2003, España.
-Ancient Dreames, 2004, Argelia.
-Hilal, 2005, España.
NASEER SHAMMA.
A lucid journey in search of authenticity.
Naseer Shamma started to learn to play the lute at the age of 14 in his native town of Wasit (Iraq). He studied at the Conservatory of Arab Music in Baghdad for five years famous by the great lute masters: As-Sharif Muhyi al-Dín, Jamil and Munir Bashir, Salman Shukr and Alí al-Imám.
He became known as “the little Ziryáb” after his first concert in France in 1985. No sooner had he finished his studies in 1986 than he began to win prizes: the best melody in Iraq 1986, best Arab musician at the Jarash Festival in Jordan 1988, award from the Union of Iraqi Artists in 1988, 1989 and 1990, best theatre composition in Carthage, Tunisia, in 1990, medals and awards in Morocco 1992, Tunisia 1992 and Portugal 1996.
At the age of 25 he formed the group of lutenists Al-Bayariq. Soon afterwards, he and a German scholar brought the Al Farabi manuscript to light, preserved in Ireland.
As a performer he has created a lute technique that allows the lutenist to play with only one hand, motivated by his mutilated friends, victims of the recent war in Iraq.
Naseer has concentrated on the Iraqi lute school, and is also familiar with the Turkish, Egyptian and Persian schools. Through his dialogue with the past he brings us Babylonian music.
From 1993 to 1998 he taught the lute at the Conservatory of Arab Music in Tunis. He now lives in Egypt where he founded the House of the Arab Lute, and with his pupils has formed the group Uyun, with great success.
He has enriched ancient Arab music through his work as a composer, giving numerous concerts every year as a soloist on the five continents.
DISCOGRAPHY
The Lute of Baghdad, 1994, France.
Illumination (Ishraq), 1996, Italy.
The Moon Fades, 1999, France.
Maqamat Zíryáb, 2003, Spain.
Ancient Dreames, 2004, Algery.
Hilal, 2005, Spain.
From the Euphrates to the Guadalquivir
It is an honour for Pneuma to present the latest musical performance by the extraordinary lutenist Naseer Shamma. From this Spanish label we have accompanied him on a journey to the 9th century by way of some of the ancient musical ports of call of the Baghdad of Ziryab, to further explore the roots of the music of al-Andalus. His music leaves a profound impression on the soul, as the spiritual content of the art of music is found in the soul of the listener.
Naseer Shamma’s music is reminiscent of the neo-Pythagorean ideas in the music of the medieval Islamic group the Brothers of Purity (Risala Ijwán al-Safá), an Ismaelite brotherhood that settled in Basra (about 983), that had great influence on the Andalusi world.
“Melodies in correct harmony delight the character, please the soul and comfort the spirit, because they are sounds and silences that travel through time imitating the movements of the stars. When such melodies are heard, souls remember the fate of the celestial world and having knowledge of this superior world, yearn to reach it and blend with it.”
The music and the voice of Naseer Shamma, who sings for the first time on a recording, is one of the “thousand and one” reasons from Baghdad to love the culture of Iraq and to ask for peace and not war. EDUARDO PANIAGUA
THE MAQAMAT OF ZIRYÁB
I spent four years of my life engrossed in the life and times of Ziryáb. I searched for all the material I could find about him and his music from the time when he was the first musician of Baghdad to his time in Al-Andalus and his role there. As I read, I always felt that in some way Ziryáb wanted to share his secret with me. This encouraged me to continue in my endeavour to study the lute exhaustively in order to be able to enter the space of inspiration occupied by Ziryáb and his instrument.
When I finished recording this album I discovered that it was quite different from my previous works, especially the improvisations and the Maqáms. My playing is not typical of the traditional world of the lute, neither does it repeat the forms of the Iraqi Maqám that I studied for six years in Baghdad. I have enjoyed a feeling of freedom, not wanting the music to reach an end, revelling in every moment of its dazzling spaces.
“Light of the soul” is a key piece played on the Maqám Hiyáz, and is very special to me because it is sad and meditative.
In Maqám as-Sabá transparent sadness predominates, in spite of being musically full of technique, movement and joy. Hilal is a new creation in a modal form that Y suggest to Arab music. It starts with a rapid movement, followed by a slow one before going back to the first. I have called it Hilal (crescent moon) as this is the symbol of our East and is closely related to our childhood, announcing the ´Id (the feast day) with anxiously awaited gifts.
“The Dance of the Horse” is a piece I composed years ago. The image of the horse represents the knight on his steed in both the Arab and the Spanish worlds (Al-Andalus), with all the connotations of chivalry and originality. The Maqám Awshar expresses nostalgia for the lands of the north, with its extreme delicacy, whilst in the Maqám Naháwand I describe the relationship between Ziryáb and his surroundings, with his attention to the details of elegance and etiquette that became his preoccupation at the time.
“Discourse of the Soul” on the Maqám Ajam combines diaphanous and agile playing. It represents the childhood of the soul and its sublime effort to conquer moments of difficulty and pain. The Maqám Rast, considered by the Arabs to be the most important, comes over here as though I were describing the steps of Ziryáb as he entered Al-Andalus to be received by the Emir.
All my experience from 1982 until the end of 2002 has gone into this album. I felt it more important to express myself, my heritage and my cultural identity, rather than to show off technical skills. I also wanted it to be a prolongation of the relationship that unites me to the Other, with whom I maintain a dialogue through music. Thus, many confessions and revelations of profound feeling latent in the Maqáms can be perceived in the compositions and improvisations (taqasim) on this album. It could be said that the Iraqi Maqám is a form of philosophy, expressed through music and not words. The maqám was used and practised by many philosophers, sages and scientists such as al-Kindí, al-Farabí, al-Urmawí, Ibn Sína, among others. Ziryáb himself adopted the maqam as a science, art and source of inspiration in the prosperous Al-Andalus, thus creating different musical and melodic forms. Many scholars are currently dedicated to the study of the art transmitted by Ziryáb and his Iraqi master, al-Mawsilí. The musical form of the Maqám has survived over many centuries being passed on from one generation to another. I bow before it as did my masters before me and as will my disciples after me. At the same time this album contains part of my cultural heritage and a contemporary style and vision.
In the last piece I was overwhelmed by the desire to unite the word to the melody, and sing a spiritual prayer of pure love through the verses written by Abú Medyán al- Gawz and my music. I chose to recite them as a message of love to God.
NASEER SHAMMA (translation Bahira M. Abdulatif)
