TRACK NOTES

Kareem Roustom

Syrian Folk Songs - Book I

Syrian Folk Songs—Book 1 is the first installment of what I hope will be a long-term effort to re-imagine rural and urban folk music from historical “Greater Syria” for the medium of the string quartet. The primary aim is to highlight the beauty and variety of the folk music found in the region at different periods in time. To do so is to recognize that national borders are problematic because they are artificial constructs, manipulated by politicians and put into place by force. Despite this, culture permeates them. By seeking out the beauty of folk music from this region, made by people of varied religions and cultures, one might begin to understand the nuances and complexities of a region that is often misrepresented as monolithic. 

The text to This Tawny Beauty gives voice to one who is suffering from unrequited love: This tawny beauty, I am tired oh dear heart / Your love has thrown me / You with the wide eyes / Have put pain in my heart.

As She Leaves Her Father’s Home is a well-known song from Aleppo and is from the perspective of a young man who sees a young woman going from her father’s home to the neighbor’s. On her way there he stops her and asks her, “Oh beautiful one, quench my thirst and let me see your cheeks.” She replies, “Go away you pathetic guy / my cheeks are like the apples of Damascus.”

Blessed Are Your Wedding Garments is a traditional Palestinian village song. The groom marches almost naked between two lines of his closest relatives, each handing him a piece of the distinctive wedding attire to wear for the special night. Blessed are your garments, Muhammad (typical groom’s name) / Your mouth is chatting with us, but your eyes are all over the bride / Blessed is the iqal (traditional black wool double rings that hold the headdress), put it on Muhammad, blessed is the iqal / Your mouth is chatting with us, but your eyes are on the doe (his bride).[1]

Under My Parents’ Watchful Eyes has its origins in modern day Iraq and is from a genre called mulia. The lyrics tell the story of a lovesick son who crossed the bridge so often to see his beloved, that the bridge collapsed. His parents, aware of his lovesickness, are keeping a close eye on him. According to the late musicologist, Hassan Abbas, the word mulia is connected to the Mesopotamian goddess of war and fertility, Ishtar. The word has connotations of abundance, fullness, satisfaction, etc.[2] This work is dedicated to the memory of the Syrian singer, Karawan (Jamila Nassour, 1932–2001). Know that you are remembered.

[1] Zaghareed (Music From The Palestinian Holy Land) on the Sounds True Direct label, 1999.

[2] Abbass, Hassan, Traditional Music in Syria, Beirut: UNESCO, 2018.

String Quartet No. 1 - Shades of Night

String Quartet No. 1—Shades of Night was commissioned by the Grand Teton Music Festival and had its premiere there in July of 2018. It is dedicated to the festival’s music director, Sir Donald Runnicles. This work takes its inspiration from archaic Arabic words that describe the different times of night. The definitions of these words are often poetic and elaborate in the colors and moods that they evoke. This work expresses the sentiments evoked by a journey—both inward and outward—from light to dark, and to light again.

Gnizo

Gnizo (pronounced G-nee-zo) is a Syriac word that means “invisible,” but it is also a word that refers to a category of poetry that is sung in hymns during certain services of the Syrian Orthodox church. Such occasions might include the eve of Palm Sunday, while the faithful are returning to the church at the end of a procession. There are no specific religious references in my work for violin and percussion. Rather, I hope to evoke the feeling of calm and groundedness that listening to recordings of these hymns, which come from the Syrian Antioch liturgy, has given me during the time of pandemic. This work was commissioned by EmmaLee and Piero, who premiered it remotely during the lockdown, and it is dedicated to them.

Four Dances from Clorinda Agonistes

Four Dances from Clorinda Agonistes comprise a suite from a larger work, titled Clorinda Agonistes (”Clorinda the Warrior”). Co-commissioned by the London-based Shobana Jeyasingh Dance company, the Sadler’s Wells Theatre, and the Royal Philharmonic Society, Clorinda Agonistes is a hybrid opera and dance scored for mezzo-soprano, tenor, string quartet, and electronics. Cast in two acts, the first half begins with Claudio Monteverdi’s 1624 opera, Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, which is then followed by my “response” to that work. In the latter, Clorinda, the fierce Saracen warrior, is re-imagined as a contemporary woman from the Near East, now seeking refuge in a Western city. 

Transitions marks the transition from the world of Monteverdi’s opera to Act II. Here, the viola takes the melody that was originally scored for mezzo-soprano.

Pursuit is constructed from the main harmonic materials of the entire score and sets the tone for Clorinda’s escape from danger. The jagged rhythms give sharp edges to the movements of the dancers.

Yearning was composed early on for Clorinda Agonistes but was deemed to have too many quick changes for dancers. Though this movement now has a new life as a concert work, dance and motion are still its inspiration, and the restlessness of nostalgia its spirit.

Unity (We Dance Together) is based on an Iraqi line dance called Chobi. Though refugees often carry very little with them when fleeing violence, they can carry knowledge and memories of song, dance, poetry, and art. This movement is an homage to both the things that are left behind and those that are carried in the heart.