London harpist celebrates Eid Al Fitr with concert featuring Muslim composers

The concert's range was wide — from jazz greats to music composed by Ottoman sultans, as well as a new style of Muslim pop that is taking hold around the world. Reuters

Olivia Jageurs showcased musicians little known to western audiences on Friday with an online concert of music by Muslim composers to mark Eid Al Fitr.

The range was wide — from jazz greats to music composed by Ottoman sultans, as well as a new style of Muslim pop that is taking hold around the world, from Sweden to Indonesia.

“The audience that normally attends my concerts didn’t know any Muslim composers. When I asked them to send their song requests, the only artist they knew was Cat Stevens,” she said, referring to the British songwriter and convert to Islam, who is now known as Yusuf Islam.

The concert was inspired by her recent trips to the Middle East as a concert harpist. In December last year, she played alongside Max Richter at the Dior catwalk show at the Pyramids of Giza, and with Qatari composer Dana Al Fardan at the World Cup in Doha.

“That’s how I was introduced to Middle Eastern instruments and music,” she said.

Harps have a long history in the Middle East, said Jageurs, admitting that playing scales popular in regional music was her biggest challenge.

“The ancient Egyptians played the benet, or bow harp,” she added.

The qanun, a flat string instrument used in Middle East music, may have evolved from the bow harp.

“It’s like a flat, horizontal harp.”

Her line-up began with American jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, who passed away this week. This was followed by The Wedding, by South African jazz composer Abdullah Ibrahim.

“I love the harmonies and the simplicity of the piece — it’s very romantic,” she said.

Then, she moved on to contemporary classical music by Dana Al Fardan, with songs from her musical Rumi.

“The story she is telling with this musical is specific to the region and she mixes Middle Eastern and western influences,” said Jageurs, who will be returning to Doha to play with the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra in May.

The concert also showcased historical Muslim composers in classical music. In the courts of the Ottoman Empire, European musical genres such as waltzes, polkas and marches were popular.

Italian musicians, such as Callisto Guatelli Pasha, were employed to teach the rulers and their children the various musical styles.

For this reason, Jagueurs played Hicazkar Sirto by Sultan Abdulaziz, who ruled in the 19th century.

“It’s a fun, dance-like piece in the rondo form, where you go back to the same refrain after each section,” she said.

Jageurs previously collaborated with Iranian chang player Rahele Firouzi on a duet to showcase the differences and similarities between the Middle Eastern and western harps.

“The strings all look the same, but instead of the sound board being near your body as it is with western harp, with the chang, the sound board runs diagonally away from your head,” she said.

She even attempted a Lebanese dabka, traditional dance music, during the concert.

“Quarter tones aren’t possible on the harp, unless you pre-tune them. On a wind instrument like the clarinet, you can suspend the pitch more easily,” she said.

Muslim composers of classical music also rose to prominence in the Soviet Union. The Azerbaijani composer Muslim Magamayev wrote the propaganda opera Nargiz in 1935, and was also known for collecting Azerbaijani folk songs.

“Nargiz is interesting because it isn’t traditionally operatic, it sounds more jazzy and not of its time,” she said.

Around the world, Muslim pop singers are bringing faith into their music.

Indonesian singer-songwriter Opick is known for his songs with religious themes, such as the country-style 2012 song Ramdan Tiba, which Jagueurs played during the concert.

In Sweden, songwriter Maher Zain sings religiously inspired songs to R&B music.

“I feel so alive; it’s like my soul thrives in your light,” sings Zain, in his 2013 song Ramadan.

Among the final pieces in the concert was Yusuf Islam's 1971 Peace Train, which became a cult anti-war song during the Vietnam War.

Decades later, the artist commented on the song’s renewed relevance after the 2003 Iraq invasion.

“Although that was the only artist my audience knew before, now they know many more,” said Jageurs.

She will be playing more work by Muslim composers such as Mohammed Oweda and Candra Bangun Setyawan at an online concert on May 12, which showcases new compositions for the harp.

More information can be found here: www.harpyhour.co.uk