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“Poems and Prayers,” Fairouz’s Symphony for Peace
by Sherri Rase     |      Bookmark and Share
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photo © Samantha West
Composer Mohammed Fairouz
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Rising star composer Mohammed Fairouz treated New York City to yet another World Premiere event, the debut of his Symphony Number Three, “Poems and Prayers,” on February 16, at the Miller Theatre on the Columbia University campus. The theatre was filled to capacity with collaborators, fans, students, and people hearing Fairouz’s work for the first time. The hall was abuzz with friends old and new greeting one another and getting seated, but the moment the lights went down there was instant quiet. I love New York concerts! And after an expectant pause, we were begun.
Symphony No. 3 “Poems and Prayers” was created as a commission for the Middle East Center for Peace, Culture and Development at Northeastern University and, as you’d expect, it combines a number of traditions. In fact, in his pre-performance speech, composer Fairouz said that we would hear languages including ancient and modern Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, and more. During the course of the varying movements, the languages combine toward the common goal of peace and, without a doubt, we experienced that one-ness, that harmony of purpose.
Enhancing the premiere was such a talented soloists as mezzo-soprano Rachel Calloway, who will make her Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall debut this Spring when Fairouz’s opera “Sumeida’s Song” is performed there. Ms. Calloway’s richness and sense of adventure were well displayed in the modern challenge of the symphony’s score. David Kravitz’ rich baritone soared in Miller and celebrated clarinetist David Krakauer and award winning violinist Hwi-Eun Kim rounded out the soloists. This dream team included Ensemble 212, the orchestra of young professionals, under the baton of Yoon Jae Lee, and The Young New Yorkers’ Chorus, directed by Michael Kerschner. The chorus occupied the balcony, and hearing the melodies, both modern and ancient, at the same time, from the rafters above, literally added dimension to the orchestra and soloists’ work.
“Kaddish” is the first movement, with Ms. Calloway beginning and then Mr. Kravitz joining to give a sense of Creation, even in the sense of changing circumstance, and the swirling of desperation and hope for a better future that permeates the work. The open-sounding modal harmonies sweep us to a vast and sun-baked crescent where life and faith began, setting up for the benighted “Lullaby,” the second movement, which is accompanied by a brilliant clarinet solo by Mr. Krakauer, which is the melody line of the child’s spirit–the mother is singing a lullaby to and for her son who has died. The mournful virtuosic flourishes by Mr. Krakauer permeate the beauty and lushness of Ms. Calloway’s paean, with grace notes at times dis-chord-ant, from the strings, that echo the pushing and pulling of the mother’s heartstrings to lend even greater emotion. The text for “Lullaby” comes from a Mahmoud Darwish poem, as translated by the composer.
There is a small entr’acte between the second and third movements, “Minyan,” where the men’s voices combine in a very lush treatment of the “Oseh Shalom.” The men are praying and, while there are very resonant portions, where the lower voices prevail, we end–literally–on a higher note, with the tenors finishing, leaving us somewhat uplifted.
“Night Fantasy” is the third movement, where Hwi-Eun Kim’s solo violin is sobbing, in commiseration with Ms. Calloway, at the futility of words to protect her family, her community, and her country. The sound again is modal, though with the occasional modern harmony and “blue” notes and, deep, deep, deep in the depth of the mezzo soul, chest voice with notes of despair. This is followed by another version of the “Oseh Shalom.” featuring a more austere path where the women’s voices sound like angels who hover over the battlefields of philosophy that causes countries to go to war.
“Memorial Day for the War Dead” is at times a sonic wall so substantial as to appear to be made of brick. alternating with a pastoral type of sound, featuring large, open chord contemplation. This time Mr. Kravitz begins, then after a while Ms. Calloway joins in the midst of seeming chaos–again I was reminded of Creation. There is a heraldic-sounding triumphant return for the baritone. and then a flute line brings the mezzo tone back–painting with every color in the palette and more, the orchestra and all voices of the chorus flirt with dynamics, pulsing the sound throughout, that at one point come to a crescendo that is perhaps emblematic of the adventure that these poems and voices bring to Peace.
Would you like to hear more? Mr. Fairouz’s work is heard next in the New York area on March 31, in the Village. and on April 2, at the Zankel Hall performance of “Sumeida’s Song.” For more information about this exciting composer, be sure to visit his website at www.mohammedfairouz.com.





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