2 Fantasies Libanaises

Description

1- Fantaisie sur l’Hymne National Libanais 

Created in May 2020, this Fantasy on the Lebanese National Anthem is a vibrant and flamboyant tribute to my native country Lebanon. The theme of the national anthem, recognizable throughout the work, is transfigured through several harmonic, contrapuntal and rhythmic artifacts. The result is a very playful and piano-rich work.

Here is what I wrote when the work was first published in 2020:

“Lebanon is currently going through an unprecedented health, economic and political crisis. To the difficulties that the Lebanese are going through is added the Covid-19 epidemic which is pushing the country to its last entrenchments. From my Bièvrois apartment, the desire to compose is obsessive. How to pay homage to this captive country of its growing disarray? How to comfort and encourage, on my scale, the Lebanese in these dark times? »

Instruments: Piano

Level: difficult

Duration: about 2 minutes

Video : https://fb.watch/gvjt5eUUjv/

2- Fantaisie sur Aatini Al Nay

In regard to the current global situation, i haven’t composed anything for a while. What can i write while the world is burning?
One evening, i started to re-listen to some songs from my lebanese heritage. And then, I suddenly felt a strong desire to do something while listening to one of them : Aatini Al-Nay Wa Ghanni (give me the flute and sing). Is it the appeasing poem of Gibran? The haunting melody of Hankash? The divine voice of Feiruz? I can’t tell.

I created a new arrangement for solo piano where the idea of transgressing the obvious to make something more personal was my guiding line. More than a simple musical transcription of a known melody, it is a complete musical metamorphosis with a fresh and new approach with a careful attention to details and a polished piano writing.

Instruments: Piano

Level: advanced / difficult

Duration: about 3 minutes 

Video : https://fb.watch/gwX3Ih5z5D/