On the occasion of Armanshahr/OPEN ASIA 15th anniversary and the new publication Zeer o Bam (a Study of traditional Music from
Badakhshan, Herat and Badgeis)
Armanshahr Foundation in collaboration with the French Institute of Afghanistan is pleased to invite you to its 83rd (year VI) GOFTEGU
Melodies and variations
Exceptional concert by Master Wahid Qasemi
Musicians : Zalai Pakta- Ney, Mir Afghan Hamidi- Tanbour, Mirweiss Kazemi-Tabl
Date et Horaire/Date & Time
Jeudi/Thursday 27 OCT. 2011, 15:00 H
Lieu/Venue: Institut français d’Afghanistan/French Institute of Afghanistan
Tel: 0779217755 & 0775321697
E-mail: armanshahrfoundation.openasia@gmail.com
http://armanshahropenasia.wordpress.com
Wahid Qasemi, endeavouring to guard original music
The 83rd (6th year) Goftegu, a bridge between the elite and the citizens, of Armanshahr Foundation, marking the 15th anniversary of Armanshahr/Open Asia, was held at the French Cultural Institute of Kabul on 27th October 2011, with a performance by Master Wahid Qasemi, singer, composer, musician and music researcher.
The programme included a Zeer o Bam concert and introduction to Zeer o Bam (a Study of Traditional Music from Badakhshan, Herat and Badgeis) and was attended by 400 cultural activists, writers, musicians, academics and government officials. It was an exceptional program applauding the genuine culture of this land that had brought together a large number of the elite.
The moderator opened the event by reciting the Masnawi of Mowlawi:
Listen to this reed, how it makes complaint/telling a tale of separation/ Ever since I was cut off from my reed-bed/men and women all have lamented my bewailing…
He continued:
We believe it is not possible to solve any problem in this land without referring to cultural roots. Therefore, during its nearly 6 years of activities in Kabul and Herat, Armanshahr Foundation has concentrated on culture as one of its most important fields of activities.
The first Goftegu public debate, a bridge between the citizens that the elite, was held in Kabul around six years ago with a cultural topic. During all those years, Armanshahr Foundation has organised literary festivals, weekly poetry reading meetings, book reading sessions, screening and making films, plays, concerts and published books on culture, in the midst of its social activities.
Subsequently, Wahid Qasemi performed several songs with lyrics written by Afghan lyricists reaching the song:
My cage is small and my heart in tempest/the clouds are imprisoned in my body/there is not an umbrella to provide me cover /the sky is rainy, the sky is rainy
The audience gave an enthusiastic welcome to all those songs signalling the nostalgia of the people who have lost the pleasant sound of flute, tambourine, drum and harmonica to the sound of bullets and explosions.
Mr Qasemi, accompanied by Messrs Zali Yekta (flute player), Mir Afghan Hamidi (tambourine player) and Mir Weis Kazemi (drummer), performed nine songs.
There was, however, a more important part in the meeting and that was the introduction and distribution of Zeer o Bam(a Study of Traditional Music from Badakhshan, Herat and Badgeis), compiled, researched and written by Wahid Qasemi and published by Armanshahr.
Having started with Masnawi, the moderator closed the meeting with a sonnet from Shams:
Did I not say to you, “Go not there, for I am your friend; in this mirage of annihilation I am the fountain of life?”
To view the publication related to this Goftegu Public Debate, please refer to the following link: http://openasia.org/item/2111
Invitation for 83rd Goftegu Public Debate: Melodies and variations
