Gwendeline Lumaret – Gwendeline Lumaret Plays Naji Hakim [CD]

Description

Naji Hakim: A New Voice for the CelloGwendeline Lumaret explores the fusion of Eastern and Western traditions in Hakim’s striking solo and chamber works.This album presents a striking collection of solo and chamber works for cello byNaji Hakim, performed byGwendeline Lumaretwith clarity, virtuosity, and deep expressive insight. Known for his distinctive synthesis of Western classical traditions and Middle Eastern influences, Hakim’s writing is both intricate and immediate, drawing on sources as diverse as Gregorian chant, Levantine folk music, and the harmonic innovations of French modernism.The album opens withArabesque et Variations, a vivid solo work inspired by the Egyptian songYa Chadi el Alhhanby Sayyed Darwish. The piece moves through four contrasting variations, shifting from playful dance to contemplative lyricism before concluding with an intimate, improvisatory coda.Missa Cum Jubilo, also for solo cello, takes it’s themes from the Gregorian Mass IX. Each movement transforms the chant material into distinct sound worlds, from the expressive ornamentation of theKyrieto the perpetual motion of theSanctusand the luminous tranquillity of theAgnus Dei.InPrelude et Habanera, Hakim pays homage to both Bach and the Spanish-inflected harmonies of Ravel and Debussy. ThePreludeunfolds with the clarity of a Baroque toccata, while theHabaneraevokes a sultry, shifting landscape of rhythm and color.Montmartre, written in 2023, is a deeply personal reflection on the history and spiritual resonance of the Parisian district where Hakim served as organist of the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur.The album concludes withLevantine Variationsfor cello and piano, a work rooted in the popular songBint El Shalabiya. The melody’s modal inflections and asymmetrical rhythms are explored through five transformations, ranging from contrapuntal chorale to martial intensity and a dazzling final movement that merges symphonic variation with sonata form.With world premiere recordings of these works, this album is a significant contribution to the contemporary cello repertoire. Gwendeline Lumaret, a performer of remarkable versatility, brings out the rhythmic and expressive richness of Hakim’s writing, illuminating the music’s interplay of Eastern and Western traditions with precision and artistry.

Tracklist:

1. Arabesque and Variations~I. Arabesque – Allegro con spirito
2. Arabesque and Variations~II. Variation 1 – Scherzando
3. Arabesque and Variations~III. Variation 2 – Moderato con fantasia
4. Arabesque and Variations~IV. Variation 3 – Con moto
5. Arabesque and Variations~V. Variation 4 – Calmo quasi improvisando
6. Missa Cum jubilo~I. Kyrie
7. Missa Cum jubilo~II. Gloria
8. Missa Cum jubilo~III. Sanctus
9. Missa Cum jubilo~IV. Agnus Dei
10. Prlude et Habanera~I. Prlude
11. Prlude et Habanera~II. Habanera
12. Montmartre
13. Levantine Variations~I. Theme – Allegro energico
14. Levantine Variations~II. Variation 1 – Moderato
15. Levantine Variations~III. Variation 2 – Allegro moderato
16. Levantine Variations~IV. Variation 3 – Andante grazioso
17. Levantine Variations~V. Variation 4 – Marziale
18. Levantine Variations~VI. Variation 5 – Vivace

UPC: 809730713026
Label: Metier
Release Date: 6.20.25
Format: CD