Was uns bewegte

From 19 p.m. on one could already observe how the guests arrived bit by bit and sat down calmly on the couches, in happy expectation of the coming hearing experience which was organized in cooperation by Simon publishing company for library knowledge and AFRIKA-HAUS Berlin. Right at the doors of the house the guests were welcomed by the host Dialo and the publishing company owner and organizer of the evening Mrs. Elisabeth Simon. About 20 o'clock the hall was already packed up to the last seat.

At the centre of attention during this evening was the book kisir and tanbūra (the complete title: kisir and tanbūra. Dahab Khalil, a Nubian musician of Saï, in the interview with Artur Simon from Berlin, in two languages (English and German); ISBN 978-3-940862-34-1; price: 26.00€). It describes the life and creative work of the Nubian musician Dahab Khalil who gives some insights into his personal music world during the interview with the author Artur Simon. The attached CD with music examples adds to the impressions of the book perfectly.

After the preface of the publishing company owner Mrs. Simon and the ICTM* chairperson Mrs. Klebe (*ICTM: Internationally Council of Traditional Music) which has written, the introduction to the book, the guests could get the first idea about it. Some parts of the interview were performed. Subsequently the guests could imagine very well how the conversation took place between the author and the musician at that time. Then the guests posed their questions to the writer Artur Simon.

The first sounds of the Nubian music which flowed out through the space announced the end of the official part, and the rest of the evening people were occupied in entertaining and the sampling of real African dumplings, accompanied by the mysterious lyre music from the far African country of Nubien.

Elisabeth Simon 
April 2012

Samples from the CD