Music As the Best Politics
Reminiscences of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra Performance in Moscow on January 15
It happened at last: the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and its famous conductor, Daniel Barenboim, came to Moscow for the first time in their short, but glorious history! The orchestra has performed in the Salle Pleyel, La Scala Theatre, Berlin’s Philharmonic Hall, Carnegie Hall and in location in the Middle East, but never before in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory.
The programme was absolutely gorgeous: first Mozart (1756–1791), Concerto No. 7 for three pianos in F major (K242) (1776) (Allegro, Adagio, Rondeau, Tempo di Menuetto), next Schoenberg (1874–1951), Variations for Orchestra, op. 31 (1928) – and the entire Act II was devoted to Brahms (1833–1897), Symphony No. 4 in E minor, op. 98 (1885) (Allegro non troppo, Andante moderato, Allegro giocoso, Allegro energico e passionato).
For Mozart, the three Steinways, completely deprived of their tops (thus all their inner strings were visible), were brought together in the centre of the stage, to form an unusual jig-saw puzzle. Orchestra members were assembled around. Legendary Barenboim came in, and after a hearty applause, started to play the piano and conduct the orchestra, both jobs being done performed so brilliantly that the audience gasped in admiration. Yet he gave us no chance to cherish our very first impressions, carrying the audience very far away, back to the 18th century, to the epoch of the genius of Mozart – as beautiful as it was contradictory, as any other epoch…
Barenboim was performing with tremendous virtuosity, as if the sounds of the piano were descended from heaven, piercing, storming, clear, scattering like diamonds throughout the air, reaching the eager ears ready for a marvel. Such “zvukoizvlechenie” was unknown to me. And Brahms’s symphony surpassed all our expectations! I knew that Barenboim and his orchestra were particularly renowned for playing Brahms, but the degree of their excellence was, indeed, striking. The exquisite Brahms performance was, undoubtedly, the evening’s highlight and a proud achievement which didn’t lose its energy to the end… The sophisticated Moscow audience gave the orchestra a ten-minute standing ovation which finally brought some smiles to the serious young faces on the stage. A great catharsis and great relief were palpable in the Great Hall…
Daniel Barenboim – a Jew of Russian descent, born in Buenos-Aires, with Palestinian citizenship… At the age of seven he gave an official concert in Buenos Aires. At eleven he was regarded as a phenomenon… his only teachers were his parents. Later he toured all over the world – both as a soloist and a conductor.
The West-Eastern Divan is a unique Israeli-Arabian orchestra. It was founded in 1999 by Daniel Barenboim and the Palestinian literary scholar Edward Said to pursue an idea of the social and political dialogue among different national cultures. Over time the West-Eastern Divan evolved into one of the leading young orchestras of the world, symbolizing an intimate cultural unity.
According to Barenboim, the orchestra’s name originates from a collection of poems by Johan Wolfgang Goethe, as Goethe was the one of the first Germans to be truly interested in other countries – he started to learn Arabic when he was 60.
The orchestra consists of about 80 young musicians from thirteen to twenty-six years old, from Israel, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Europe. Each of the musicians has his own life philosophy, his own understanding of the world; still a common idea unites them: fight for peace with music.
In this connection it is necessary to point out that Daniel Barenboim is not just a brilliant musician, a charismatic conductor, a writer and a citizen of the world, but he is also a great public figure involved in political affairs. He also carries the title of the United Nations Messenger of Peace. Barenboim frequently contributes articles to leading newspapers and journals. Here is a quote from his article in The Guardian dated 01.01.09:
“I have just three wishes for the coming year. The first is for the Israeli government to realize once and for all that the Middle Eastern conflict cannot be solved by military means. The second is for Hamas to realize that its interests are not served by violence and that Israel is here to stay; and the third is for the world to acknowledge the fact that this conflict is unlike any other in history. It is uniquely intricate and sensitive; it is a human conflict between two peoples who are both deeply convinced of their right to live on the same very small piece of land. This is why neither diplomacy nor military action can resolve this conflict. (…) The only truly viable plan for long-term security in Israel is to gain the acceptance of all of our neighbours. I wish for a return in the year 2009 of the famous intelligence always ascribed to the Jews. I wish for a return of King Solomon’s wisdom to the decision-makers in Israel that they might use it to understand that Palestinians and Israelis have equal human rights.”
Daniel Barenboim is sure that the destinies of the two peoples are inextricably linked, obliging them to live side by side. They have to decide whether they want to make of this a blessing or a curse.
In 2009 the West-Eastern Divan enjoys its Tenth Anniversary. Many happy returns of the day!