Mélange Oriental
A transcultural promenade through the sounding heart of Jerusalem
photo (c) Christian Jungwirth/bigshot

Musicians of different cultural and stylistic backgrounds meet for a musical stroll through the Old City of Jerusalem. They discover, trace and reflect the multiple voices, the history and the soul of the Muslim, Jewish, Armenian and Christian quarters. The journey includes the interpretation of traditional pieces and original music on Western and Oriental instruments, improvisations and ambient sounds recorded on selected sites of the Old City. Mélange Oriental, as the name suggests, blends these elements with Christian Jungwirth's visual impressions of Jerusalem and creates a new language to tell the story of a sounding city.

Ensemble (varying in size):

Taiseer Elias - Oud (Israel/Palestine)
Mahran Moreb - Qanun (Israel/Palestine)
Ahmed Eid - Double bass (Palestine)
Erich Oskar Huetter - Cello (Austria)
Stefan Heckel - Accordion (Austria)
Christian Jungwirth - Visuals ( Austria)

Listen here:

SALTARELLO
anonymous Italian 13th century (period of the crusades)
arr. Stefan Heckel (c) AKM Austria

BAB AL AMUD
Stefan Heckel (c) AKM Austria
Bab Al-Amud (the Damascus Gate leading into the Muslim Quarter)

IRME KERO MADRE
Ladino-sephardic traditional / Spain 15th century, arr. Stefan Heckel (c) AKM Austria
"Mother Let Me Go"

KRUNK
Komitas/Armenian traditional, arr. Stefan Heckel (c) AKM Austria
famous emigrant song about the crane

ambient sound: SHABBAT HORN
recorded on the eve of Shabbat on Jaffa Street, Jerusalem

ambient sound: MUEZZIN
recorded in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City

ambient sound: BELLS OF JERUSALEM CHURCHES
recorded on Sunday in the Old City

ambient sound: BIRDS OF JERUSALEM
recorded in various places in the Old City

 

Performances of Mélange Oriental

new CD released June 2010
webshop & distribution: www.extraplatte.at

contact/booking: stefan@ohmsk.net