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  • SATURDAY JULY 29 2006 9:00 PM

Lebanese Musician Duets with Israeli Air Force

Submitted by Colin_ORegan

Edited by Colin_ORegan

Tags: Lebanon, Israel, Israeli Air Force, Bombs, Mazen Kerbaj, Starry Night

During an Israeli bombing raid on Beirut, a Lebanese trumpeter grabbed his instrument and pressed record. From his apartment, 2 miles from a target site, Mazen Kerbaj could hear and see bombs exploding in the distance. Mazen afraid for his life was inspired to make a statement using the explosion of the bombs and destruction of his neighborhood as a sonic back drop for a sound piece. Using extended techniques on the trumpet he improvised over the sound of the city being attacked. The piece is entitled "Starry Night."

You can listen to a portion of Mazen's work here.

Mazen spoke to the BBC about the moment he decided to record the piece:


It is freaking for the nerves but I quickly understood that if I play music while it is happening, it is much better than just hearing it happening. Somehow my brain shifts and I focus totally on the music.


The music and bombs are sparse, punctuating a very quiet city. Without considering the political backdrop nor the quality of the art, the very act of doing this is amazing and a disturbing salute to the human's capacity for expression.

Many might find the composition offensive, or accuse the artist of exploiting a politically charged horrific situation for personal ambitions. But for those of us who can't conceive of a war literally ensuing in our back yards, sitting through six minutes in Mazen's is quite impactful. Mazen has this to say of his motivation:


the recording was a way of making people listen to what Beirut was facing. It's not like on CNN. It is not a Hollywood movie, it is really happening.



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Comments
scorpioopus

scorpioopus

San Francisco, CA
May 2004

JUL 30, 2006 12:16 AM

this may be the most terrifying thing I've ever listened to. And I keep listening to it.

alterviou1

alterviou1

France
August 2005

JUL 30, 2006 02:24 AM


I did a recording in 1990 when batteries of 40 missiles series felt on us day and night;i recorded it on a cassette that i left in Beirut. the sound is not that clear. Between shells my brother went to the 7th floor (roof) to turn the cassette to the other side!!!!! because the shelling was intense. We were so weird.
there are 6 distinctive sounds.. the most "scary" one is when you hear the far away deep departure and not the arrival 2 seconds later or the WHAAAA sounds that the missiles passed by your home (you re safe) and you're hit! (or your builbing).

I m not interrested in searching for it.
Good work from Mazen that s a good way to overcome fear and revenge when at home.

by the way we were safe that day.

Syrians palestinians israelis religious wars ... Iran ?
what's next after 20 years ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

rushlight

rushlight

Allen, TX
May 2004

JUL 30, 2006 10:19 AM

Some cry. Some pray. Some hold a loved one or important object. He plays music. If it keeps you calm and helps you through the situation, where's the harm?

Yes, he put it on the internet. And any given news outlet likely published photos of corpses from this same bombing lining a hospital or street. Which is worse?

Kudos to him.

davy

davy

United Kingdom
March 2005

JUL 30, 2006 11:38 AM

The human spirit and soul is constantly fascinating. As a piece of Art it's very striking and moving for obvious reasons. We get thick skinned from news broadcasts so a simple sound recording seems infinitly more intimate and "real".

I must admit though I can't help feeling it would have been even more striking had he been a concert violinist or pianist but I suppose here i'm putting my own social expectations onto it? I may not find it works musically for me but there's no denying it's worth as a piece of art.

I really don't see how we can judge anybody for publishing on the internet or suppling the media with little gems of soundbites these days, almost everything can be interpreted in a cynical way as contrived but in the end it's your responce to it that counts... before you start wondering about the motives

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