Hamsa Al Wadi Juris

An article originally written in Arabic by: Nadia Khost

Translated by: Imad Moustapha and Carlos Juris

Art unites two entities: its overwhelming predominance which captures you, and its freedom which carries you into endless horizons.

The concert at  the Azm Palace (Tuesday, 29 June) has evoked in me memories of Maria, the Italian piano teacher, and Wasfi who taught the young girls of our neighborhood how to play the violin.

From here and from there, it was a lengthy path, with no institutions to nurture the yearning, thus, it led to nowhere.

Images of bygone times are still lingering in my memory, I still remember Mr. Sawaf, our schoolteacher, carrying along his violin in a school trip to Lattakia, playing to us Mozart.

Shades  reside in my memory of music I heard or concerts I attended, unforgettable moments. These include the Greek Callas, and the Russian Oistrakh. Oaises of fresh breeze when the air is too hot to bear. What has distinguished them, and gave then that special position in our minds and hearts? It should be their dexterity that transcends into grace.

The moment the tune was completed, Hamsa rose her head, it seemed as if it were immersed in light. A player's movements and gestures betray him; is it merely skill and theatricals, or is it skill and soul? Here, it is not a case of performer and score, the pianist has become the composer. It is not a "reading", but a "living". Thus, the listener receives multiple visions. Reading, dancing and playing at peak skills resembles the sufi     incarnation.

Grace in the "Mawlawi" dervishes dance is an equivalent to grace in ballet dance. With Hamsa as a performer, those who she is playing for are forgotten, and, consequently, the audience also forget themselves, and relive those who they are watching.

The path of yearning and quest for perfection lies between us and the Italian Maria. This pianist has crossed the path.

At the beginning, it was an impenetrable wall: notes, words, and colours without soul, then you delve into it; both conqueror and vanquished, hoping to unravel the mystery. Once the secret is revealed, you are tempted to go farther. This is agonizing toil and labour. It is what the ballerina Galina Ulyanova meant when she said that she squeezes the towel three times after training. Then comes pleasure and infatuation. And you feel that you have attained the greatest degree of happiness ever possible. With it, you cross unprecedented distances, you transcend pettiness as well as haughtiness, and transform vanity into self confidence, approaching a point in which childhood is verging on maturity.

Hamsa seemed to be a pianist's who enjoyed this vast freedom, both on professional and spiritual levels. A freedom which allows her hands to fly and land down in grace, creating the illusion that the music stems from the hands not the instrument. She is the captive of this passion that leaves no room for anything else. In her attitude, Hamsa was like the devoted architect who has drawn the murals behind her, like a mystic poet. She is capable of making you hear water drops, waves, whispers, and storms, all presented in one evening. Her soloist brilliance allowed her to outshine today's on stage assembled players, and yesterday's architect whose spirit abides in the building.

Yes, art has its majesty on the platform. Had you seen the pianist emerging on stage, she would have seemed to you a tender, sweet, and simple young woman because her countenance is as simple as when our arms are laid relaxed at our sides!