Monday 26 May 2008

A late post,,,, Al-Maraqi

I know I am sending this after 20 days of the actual event time, but my knowledge that culture, music and art never age :) made me cross the barrier of time...

Sulaiman Al-Dikan
Al-Maraqi



Tuesday 6.5.2008
7pm

Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyah organized the event that took place in Al-Midan cultural center as a part of the 13th cultural season events. Al-Maraqi means the stairs in the old Kuwaiti accent, and they are called so coming from the arabic word "Ruqei" meaning going higher and in a more common use can be translated to "Sophistication" in the sense of one adding more to him self. Al-Maraqi is meant to mix the past with the present literally and musically.


He started playing his fluent easy music that stepped into my heart, the rhythm along with the instruments composed a state of peace and joy like no other. Suliman Al-Dikan, son of Ghannam Al-Dikan the famous Kuwaiti music composer who composed the national anthem has inherited and exceeded the talent of his father and re-defined Kuwaiti modern music, he stands almost alone in that, I love that as original and authentic his music pieces are, they are performed by instruments from all over the world and not original Kuwaiti instruments only.

The evening started with a lovely piece called “Prelude Henda” : Sailors voices intermingling, and then the program went on, at times he left the stage to let the musicians perform either solo or play a renewed piece for famous kuwaiti musicians.

Although I was very tired the day before and had a long day, but I definitely enjoyed my night out with the genuine Kuwaiti music mixed with western instruments and eastern ones as well, he incorporated that mix to give us pieces filled with passion, joy and art. The last piece in the concert called “Helwat El-Leban” an expression that refers to the mother and its famous in the Gulf region and in Kuwait, it literally means “she, with the sweet milk” and that comes form the fact that a mother feeds her kids her milk when they are young, so every one go tell your mother I love you “Helwat El-Leban” :}

With Helwat El-Leban I end my post, wishing this small artistic event to reoccur in Kuwait on a wider scale, art is a form of community and culture growth, lets not keep it quiet.

About the artist:

After you enter the site you will hear lovely music, this is composed by Sulaiman Al-Dikan and was/is being used in Kuwait TV. In Aldikan.com if you follow the following you can hear some of his pieces from his 3 CD [ Enter - The Artists - Sulaiman Al-Dikan : you will find information about the artist and his music too]


ْUseful links for the event coverage:

- Awan: Kuwaiti Newspaper
- Aljarida: Kuwaiti Newspaper
- Kuwait News Agency
- Alnahar: Kuwait Newspaper
- Al-Rai: Kuwaiti Newspaper


The following is a clip from a concert he made long ago, the piece is called "Allah Ma'ak" meaning may Allah be with you.



original draft 9.5.2008




7 comments:

Jewaira said...

It was a beautiful concert. They did a wonderful job

Purgatory said...

OK off topic, what happened to Falafel and Bo6a6 reviews :P?

Q80-ChillGirl said...

Jewaira

I couldn't agree more :)

Purg!!!!!!!!!!

LOL, i didn't think it was that popular "being a joke and all" ;p will get one soon in a few days

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much Chillgirl for this wonderfully written piece on your experience of the amazing music of Sulaiman Al-Dikan that night ( I was not very familiar with his work other than just knowing his name and his writing the national anthem, and had been very curious and eager to attend that night). I had wanted to go very much but sadly could not be there. But reading what you wrote gave me a sense of what I missed. And I missed a great night it seems :)

I also just want to say that I always come here to your blog to read your soothing, gentle and beautiful posts and learn something new or get a new perspective on something I knew little of. You also make me more aware of the amazing creativity that lies within our own society, and for that I thank you. It's one of the things that make you one of my all-time favorite bloggers :*

P.S. I was just remembering and thinking today of your old recipe posts, the ones where you made things like hot dogs and eggs. I loved them! :) Like Purg, I await your falafel and bu6a6 reviews too ;)

Q80-ChillGirl said...

Ms.Baker

It was a lovely evening and I know you would have enjoyed it a lot,,, thank you very much for ur sweet words :* its a gret push forward :D

food: i took pictures of a few things i did a while ago, looks like i will post about them ;p

Thank you, the boost came in time

Desert-Roses said...

What a lovely?

Now, I remembered why I like to visit your blog..each time I feel like a strange in a blog-0-sphere..

I looked at the video u posted...u know the music is nice except that talfezyoon el kuwait o ta9werhom el ta3ban...beside el disorganization mal el kid voice :)..but it is pretty
on the other hand, I can notice teh mix of cultures..musicians from other countries..performing for us...

I remembered how I always wanted to learn paino :)..don't know why?..
never got the chance..u think I can at this age?
I feel old..becoming 22 sooon !!!

Q80-ChillGirl said...

Desert Roses :D

i love ur comments, they make me feel so happy ,, thank you

old? lol im 27 and in two months of time i will be 28 ;p ,, cheer up you have 5 years to catch me ,, its never too late to learn :D