Living Islam Today
A Magazine for Muslim Americans
Vol. 1 Issue 2           Winter 1421/ 2000

Music Reviews
IFNA

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate Source of All Mercy

Highlights from the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music: Bismillah
     Bismillah and Hamdulillah are two double Cd recordings of a festival that takes place in the ancient city of Fez.  Now, while the titles suggest an exclusively Islamic musical experience, it's not.  The idea behind the festival is to bring about a sense of unity between the three main faiths under the umbrella of musical creativity.  For some, this may seem unheard of, but for others it presents the chance to hear the message of Islam (unity) bring together a variety of artists.    
     Many people associate the idea of festival music with something bland.  Why?  It always seems to sound the same.  One really can't distinguish one track from another.  Let's face it, after a while vocal vibratos and tablas based songs start to sound alike.  It can become background music for a restaurant.
     Do these double Cd's fall into this category?  Well, yes and no. Since the songs themselves are rather lengthy (the average song is 6 min. while the longest is 39 min.), you are literally taken into a rhythm that suspends you between the singer and the instrument.  At its best it can be quite enchanting, for example, Hussayn Al Azami's piece with Ensemble Al Kindi on Hamdulillah.  At its worst, the music becomes a blur with no real high spot.  Unless you read the linear notes (or if you understand Arabic) it may be difficult for you to follow what's actually being said.
     The opening track of Bismillah is of the Adhan. After its beautiful recitation, it swells into a symphonic wave of sound.  The orchestra is from Bosnia-Herzegovina, and this festival marked the first time they played outside of Sarajevo.  While the underlying tension which the orchestra added to the Adhan was good, the full blow movement of the piece illustrated how beautiful the call to prayer is on its own.
     One piece that doesn't suffer from that is 'Madih: Chanted Poetry in Praise of the Prophet' (saw) by Shiekh Ahmed Muhammed.  His pitch and use of pauses and starts enable you to immerse yourself in the rhythm of the chants.  Unfortunately, this piece alone is not enough to sustain the Cd itself.  While there are other tracks that work well on the Cd, the Berber music from Northern Atlas for example, I sometimes felt as if there were something missing.

     In 1994 The Fez Festival of World Sacred Music was formed.  The idea was to bring about a feeling of peace by finding a connection in music.  The Fez festival is coordinated by The Fez-Saiss Association for Cultural, Social and Economic Development. 
     Their purpose is to transcend cultural, national and regional boundaries so as to bring about and international sense of cooperation to aid children, youth and women.   
    As such, groups of different faiths gather together in Fez Madina to celebrate their commonalities and help those who need it at the same time.         

Fes Festival of World Sacred Music- Vol. II: Hamdulillah
         The same can be said of Hamdulillah.  Even though there are some wonderful highlights, like the ethereal vocal styling of Amina Alaoui, there are some pieces which are rather monotonous, such as the haunting bell sounds of Wacana Budaya Gamelan. However, the behemoth of a song: The Whirling Dervishes of Konya is the highlight of the Cd.   
     Weighing in at 39:06 minutes in length, it almost commands respect from the beginning.  The first five minutes is a slow arpeggio of notes.  When the vocals finally kick in, you feel as if you're going on a journey, for the male voices seem to swagger to and fro from the speakers.  And then it begins.  The voices begin to speed up. (after 11 min.)  By 20 min. you're in your tribal stance!  Is this enough, however, to justify an expensive Cd?  Maybe not. Both Cd's have very long pieces that seem to meander without really going anywhere.  We've heard such instrumental tapestries before and better.
     Both Cd's suffer from this: not enough palatable pieces to have you come back for more.  Suffice it to say, this may not be everybody's cup of shai.  If the eclectic groupings don't deter people, the inclusion of Jewish and Christian choirs may.
      The intention of the foundation is a good one.  Whether or not the accompanying music enhances this is another story.         

                 

Alim Qassimov

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