Together we start a 7-year adventure (with the exception of this year’s “From Silence to Sound”) and explore the wonder of the vastness of music.
Thoughts of Ava-Rebekah Rahman, Artistic Director
During the festival series “Die sieben Schleier der Musik” (The Seven Veils of Music) we embark together on a 7-year musical and sonic adventure journey (not including the introductory year “From Silence to Sound”). By overcoming listening habits, i.e. the way we listen to music on a daily basis.
Consume, experience and feel, we will celebrate and rediscover the music, the sound, learn to hear again.
The number, Seven “is highly present in the phenomenological world. Cicero called it the foundation of our universe. There are the seven days of the week, the seven colors of the rainbow, the seven oceans, seven continents, most vertebrates have seven lumbar vertebrae, and there are seven essential energy charges of electrons orbiting the atomic nucleus. But also in the cultural and spiritual world, the seven play an essential role: the seven pillars of the House of Wisdom, the seven heavens in Islam and Christianity, the seven virtues, mortal sins, sacraments. The Hindus circle the wedding fire seven times, there are seven reincarnations, seven gurus and seven chakras. Taoism knows seven elements/ colors and the sword in Japanese mythology has seven forks.
The list could go on like this, but the most important thing for us is that there are seven notes in the diatonic scale.
In the following years we will reveal one tone at a time “and its singular meaning, as well as its relationship to the other tones in music, and make it audible. The Eifel Musik und Kunstfest will not only offer exciting concert programmes and musical events with world-renowned artists, but will also host lectures and seminars with renowned humanities and natural scientists, with the aim of examining the current number in more detail and illustrating its significance for our world. There will be a sound laboratory, an exhibition and the
Festival visitors will have the opportunity to experience sound “scientifically” in themselves. He can experiment and try his hand at rare instruments and “sensually experience” his own sound production. In addition, we organise seminars, workshops for children and adults and excursions to the Eifel National Park in line with the theme of the year.
The year 2019, the first year of the festival series, is entitled: VON DER STILLE ZUM KLANG The first day of the two and a half day festival opens with the presentation of the cycle: DIE SIEBEN SCHLEIER DER MUSIK followed by events and concerts on the second day on the theme: STILLE AND COSMIC RESONANCE On the last day we dive into the world of CYMATICS: the sound becomes visible! In the evening’s closing concert, the string quartet “The Seven Last Words of the Redeemer on the Cross” by J. Haydn will be heard, musically “interrupted” by interpretations and comments on the individual, seven words by all the artists participating in the festival.
We are happy to announce an additional event directly after the EIFEL MUSIK UND KUNSTFEST: The AISHA SALEM, which is already speaking about “Silence” in the festival, will hold a seminar on Sunday, 25.8.19 in the Bürgerhalle Kommern, musically framed by the ADITYA DUO. So there is the wonderful possibility to deepen the theme of the festival.
We would like to invite you to accompany us on this musical journey. We are looking forward to seeing you!
Notes from Ava-Rebekah Rahman – Artistic Director
In ‘The Seven Veils of Music’ series, we embark on an 7 year adventure together ( excluding Year Silence to Sound) , celebrating the very wonder of music, by imaginative interchanges that knock down boundaries of how we experience, listen , perceive , feel and think about the music we hear.
From our earliest records of mankind, thousands upon thousands and thousands of years ago…humans from every civilization/society and culture have used Music. The magnitude of Our Music, Humanity’s Music, is as awe-inspiring , complex, exquisite and profound as humanity itself.
We have used music to communicate, medicinally heal the physical and emotional body, for sexuality/mating, gender, politics, understanding the cosmos/universe, for war, for love in all of its forms, learning, memory, brain/cognitive functioning, friendship, emotional expression, joy, entertainment, dance, entering into different states like ecstasy and trances, religion, the Sacred, as devotion, for transcendence and, for truth itself.
The number 7, is highly present in our current world of phenomenon. Cicero stated 7 to be a fundamental number in the universe. There are 7 days of week, 7 colours in light ( a rainbow), 7 seas, 7 continents, almost all mammals have 7 cervical vertebrae, there are 7 principal energies for electrons around a nucleus. Also, in the our cultural and ‘spiritual’ world, 7 plays an important role : the 7 wonders of the ancient world, 7 pillars in the House of Wisdom, 7 heavens in Christianity and Islam, 7 virtues, 7 sins, 7 Sacraments, Hindu’s walk round their marriage fire 7 times , and state there are 7 worlds in our universe, 7 re-incarnation’s and 7 Guru’s, 7 chakra’s, the 7 set of swara’s ( notes) in an indian classical scale. There are 7 colours/elements in Taoism and a 7 branched sword in Japanese mythology. The list could go on like this… But what is most important for us here, is that there are 7 notes in a diatonic musical scale.
In the following years, we “unveil” the significance of each ascending number, as a singularity, in relation to the others, to ourselves and our whole world. The Festival Series will not only feature illuminating and exciting concerts with world class musicians, artists and writers, but also a series of talks, presentations and lectures from experts around the globe who will collaborate with the artists to demonstrate the various aspects of their field in relation to The Seven Veils of Music.
We delight in eliminating all genre boundaries as we bring together internationally renown Western Classical artists, Rock, Jazz, Indian, Asian, Arabian musicians and so on…dissolving differentiation within humans and particular musical accents.
In our unique KlangLabour and Art exhibition ,guests have the opportunity to experiment with instruments, scientific devices and machines. We will also be running meditations, illuminating seminars, art installations, nature tours, workshops for children and adults related to our theme of the year.
Year 2019, the first year of this series, is titled “ Silence to Sound”. This 2 and a half day Festival,will start with the introduction to the Seven Veils of Music, followed by an exploration of Silence and Cosmic Resonance on the second day. The last full day we dive into Cymatics , enabling us to visually see the vibrations and patterns sound and music creates and the physical effects it has on us. The Closing Concert culminates in an extraordinary and unique presentation of Haydn’s “ The Last Seven Words of Christ“ by the Minguet Quartet , which will feature artists of the Festival , in-between Haydn’s Movements , interpreting each ‘Word’ in their own musical language. A limited seated dinner to talk with our Artists follows.
We are also enthralled to be able to offer , a Post Festival Special Event on Sunday 25th ,featuring the Teachings of Aisha Salem with musical Interludes from Aditya Duo, for those who would like to continue to deepen their understanding of ‘Silence to Sound’.
We look forward ,and warmly welcome to you join us, for what will be a beautiful dive and journey into re-experiencing the joy of music .