Nidaa Abou Mrad & The Arabic Classical Music Ensemble
The Annunciation: A Mystical Islamic-Christian Oratorio
Classical Oriental | Lebanon | 2009
The mystery announced to the Virgin Mary represents a crucial point of convergence between Islam and Christianity, as much from the scriptural narrative perspective as from those of faith and of mysticism. This oratorio (spiritual concert in a dramatic vein) consists in a traditional musical creation centered on the cantillation of religious texts (from the Bible and the Qur'an) and mystical writings (by Saint Maxime the Confessor, al-Ḥusayn ibn Manṣūr al-Ḥallāj, Muḥyī d-Dīn ibn ‘Arabī, ‘Umar ibn al-Fāriḍ, and Master Eckhart). It evokes the Marian mystery, speaking through a musical tradition deeply imbued with a spiritual hermeneutics: the art music of the Eastern Arab world in its encounter with ecclesiastical music, both Medieval and living, from the Antioch Orthodox, Latin Gregorian, and Syriac Maronite traditions.
Tracklisting:
01. Listening 8:40 | 02. Sūra of Mary 5:41 | 03. Virginity 7:14 | 04. Love 6:48 | 05. Gospel of Saint Matthew 4:09 | 06. Theophany 4:39 | 07. Sūra of the Family of ‘Imrān 4:35 | 08. Grace 2:18 | 09. Gospel of Saint Luke 2:18 | 10. Logos and melos 6:17 | 11. Birth 7:05
Credits & Product details:
Featuring: Nidaa Abou Mrad – Concept and violin | Shaykh Salah Yammout – Qur'an cantillation and singing | Mohamad Ayach – Singing | Mikhael Hourani – Scriptural cantillation | Mustafa Saïd – Singing and ‘ûd (short-necked lute) | Father Joseph Bouraad – Scriptural cantillation and singing | Ghassan Sahhab – qânûn (plucked table zither).
Booklet: 36 p. informative booklet in 3 languages (English / Arabic / French)
Producer: Tony Sfeir
Calligraphy: Samir Sayegh
Graphic Design: Karma Tohme
Format: Digipack
No. of Discs: 1
Year of Release: 2009
Label: Incognito
Country: Lebanon
