The Semitic Link in Music Between Jews and Arabs

At the turn of the century, Argentine-Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim and American-Palestinian scholar Edward Said won acclaim for founding the Western-Oriental Divan Orchestra. This initiative brought together musicians and intellectuals from various Middle Eastern countries, but primarily from Israel and Palestine.

The musicians' professional skill resulted in immediate success. In 2012, a performance in the presence of Pope Benedict XVI to commemorate the founding of the Benedictine order was followed by Barenboim's performance of the complete cycle of Beethoven's nine symphonies at the BBC Proms.

This culminated in 2015 with the creation of the Barenboim-Said Academy in Berlin. Initially, scholarships were awarded to ninety aspiring musicians from the same Middle Eastern countries as the Divan Orchestra, and the awarding of university-level degrees and diplomas was authorized. Under the inspired leadership of Barenboim and a constellation of international artistic patrons, such as the Argentine pianist Martha Argerich, the Foundation has produced a stream of projects that meet the needs of orchestras worldwide. Financial donations enabled the construction of the Pierre Boulez Concert Hall for the performance of chamber music and modernist compositions.

Before his untimely death in 2003, Edward Said emphasized that the Divan orchestra's intention was to bring together, through music, a sense of loving coexistence that would overcome the brutality of political activism that continually plagues relations between Semitic peoples.

Inevitably, his principles provoked furious condemnation from both determined Zionists and fanatical Islamists (including non-Arab Iranians), whose fervent religious beliefs in ethnic superiority fueled the terrible tragedies of genocide in Gaza and elsewhere in the war-torn Middle East.

Two composers have just released works that are highly relevant to this context:

On "After The Last Sky," Tunisian oud master Anouar Brahem collaborates with musicians Anja Lechner, Django Bates, and Dave Holland to present eleven evocative tracks, with titles such as "The Eternal Olive Tree," "The Sweet Oranges of Jaffa," "Dancing under the Meteorites," and "Edward Said's Reverie." These are not "protest songs," but rather a meditation on the Palestinian discomfort caused by seemingly endless persecution. The style is a blend of chamber music and ethno-jazz, demanding special attention.

Equally demanding is the work of modern minimalist Steve Reich, who draws deeply on his Jewish ancestry and biblical scholarship with "Jacob's Ladder," in which the imagery of Bruegel and William Blake is evoked by climbing ladders to allow God's messengers to bring deliverance to the Chosen People. In contrast, "The Traveler's Prayer" is comparable to Brahem's "Endless Pilgrimage" and recalls the often abysmal plight of those seeking refuge from calamity.

I recommend listening to these interesting but disturbing works as a companion to watching the videos and photographs of the horrific scene in Gaza, which have just been published by The Washington Post.

Tomar, August 4, 2025