January 7, 2008
Baghdad In C Minor
CNN Correspondent Morgan Neill filed a truly inspiring story on the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra for this month's edition of Inside the Middle East.
He sent me this picture and accompanying text chronicling his shoot in the Iraqi capital a few weeks ago:
Morgan wrote: "This picture shows Iraq’s National Symphony Orchestra, practicing in their temporary rehearsal space. Their determination to brave the dangers of Baghdad’s streets several times a week for the sake of music is, honestly, very hard to understand at first. But when you come from the streets filled with endless checkpoints and with armed men to hear the woodwinds, the violins, or the cello, it’s hard to overstate the impact. The sound seems so out of place here – not just because of its beauty, but because it instantly transports you beyond the consuming details of security in Baghdad. When we met with Rania, a 15-year old french horn player, my first thought was, “What parent would allow their child to run these risks?” But after 4 years of war, the members of the orchestra refuse to hide in their homes and abandon the music they love, the thing that very obviously gives their lives meaning. Everyone in this orchestra has felt loss, most know firsthand how real the dangers are. And as violinist Mohammed tells me, so many former members have fled the country, you could form a complete second orchestra with the members living outside Iraq. But for those who remain, music isn’t a source of risk, it’s one of the few things they look forward to. As Rania told us just before the concert, “I’m happy that the concert is here, but sad because it will soon be over.” " Check out Morgan Neill's story on cnn.com/ime and click on "Iraq's Top Musicians" --Posted by Hala Gorani 2 Comments
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It is refreshing to hear of something so beautiful as music in a place that has been so war torn and where the people are weary and leery of the future. I suppose it is true that people can find beauty in even the most ugliest of places. The unfortunate thing is that it has taken 4 years and an outside invasion into a country that never asked for such intervention by the West in the first place. The horrific loss of the lives of people that had nothing to do with September 11th 2001 and the attack on America. What a price those poor people and their families have paid. I don't know how they can possibly comprehend what has happened to them. They had normal lives up until America invaded their country and caused the deaths of over 84,000 innocent people for some American cause and not a cause of their own. How could anyone put words to a tune so sad. There is only hope for the Iraqi people as everything else has been taken from them by America and its force fed Democracy. What remarkable people to still find joy in music.
Who would break a violin; what kind of mind would want to permanently silence the music of a person’s home or even a country? The spirits of Yehudi Menuhin and Antonio Stradivari would be deeply troubled by such an action. Bravo to you hearts who believe in the power of music to give consolation and hope; bravo to you lights in the darkness. THIS TOO WILL PASS. Take courage and be of the passion of the great soprano Anna Netrebko - make music incarnate in your own day, however difficult the situation may be. The sweet sound of your music will make even the breaker of violins shed tears of regret. Hala thank you for your posting and to Morgan for such an inspiring story.
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