Harmony Across a Divide

02006-08-20 | Music, World | 4 comments

Harmony Across a Divide – New York Times
IT was an immensely appealing experiment, both in its idealism and in its simplicity: Let young Israeli and Arab musicians play together in an orchestra to show that communication and cooperation were possible between peoples who had long fought each other.

Oh my, please do read the whole article in the NYT. What a bright light in the darkness. I love the photograph of their performance in the Bullring.

“I once asked Manuel Chaves why he did it,” Mr. Barenboim said of the Andalusian president, “and he said: ‘It’s very simple. If Spain today is what it is, and especially Andalusia, it’s because Muslims, Jews and Christians lived and created here for many centuries. And if I can give a little back, it’s my duty.’ ”

Flamenco is unthinkable without those three elements.

4 Comments

  1. diran

    Hi
    Politicians make world like puzzle..Benefitis important than any humans
    interest to THEM.Atherwise ART ,MUSIC ,FOOD ,LOVE have the same language all over the world.
    PEACE.

    Reply
  2. marijose

    What a wonderful collaboration. I did a Google search and it looks like they’ve put a nice CD together from a performance in Ramallah last year: http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?PID=7014147 . This link also has mp3 samples from the CD. Couldn’t find it in iTunes.

    A great use of the bullring for sure. I still recall the huge tantrum I had during a bullfight in Spain when I was little, it was the first and last time that relatives tried to take me to a bullfight.

    Reply
  3. Jackie Dassler

    Mr. Barenboirn goes on to state that, “It is a school for life, a school for understanding the point of view of the other and adjusting yours.”

    …the world could use some “music lessons”.

    Reply
  4. dave

    Great, great article & idea. It goes a long way in speaking against what was mentioned in the preceding post, Virtual virtuoso takes a bow.

    Reply

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