This memorable night triggered my life-long infatuation with music, and particularly, the violin music.
Nearly three decades have passed now, but my heart still melts down for the soaring sound of a violin transferred by the fiddle of a virtuoso into a world of beauty, pleasure, and dreams.
With time and age I learned to appreciate other instruments as well, my musical taste developed, I had the chance of attending world class concerts in which internationally renown violinist gloried in their art. I came to know other talented Syrian violinists: Riad Sukkar, Arfan Hanbali, Bassam Nashawati, and others. Nonetheless Najmi Al- Sukkari will always have his very special place in my heart.
Najmi does not live in Syria any more, he started an itinerary life-style that landed him eventually in France where he currently lives, teaches the violin, and performs in recitals from time to another. He visits Syria once a year, and the annual concert he usually gives there has become a milestone in the cultural life of Damascus.
Out of his many recordings, one he has made with the Buenos-Aires Symphony Orchestra (Mendelssohn's violin concerto) is the best representative of his artistic character, in which the beauty and clarity of his sound, combines with extraordinary warmth of interpretation, and seamless technical virtuosity to make an outstanding reading of this masterpiece.
I have to admit that I had very little chance to hear other recordings done by Najmi Al- Sukkari, on the other hand, I have never missed a concert he held in Damascus in the past decade or so.
This is a tribute to Najmi Al- Skkari, a distinguished artist from Aleppo, who considerably contributed through his art in inspiring a young Syrian generation to look for a more sublime musical form and language, and to explore a richer world of art and beauty.
Mail me: Imad Moustapha {I.Moustapha@surrey.ac.uk}
Last modified 28/4/97 by Imad Moustapha (mep2im@surrey.ac.uk)
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