The Proposal
“A cortege of elderly priests conducted the service, accompanied by a string of echoing laments of almost unearthly beauty, sinuous alleluias which floated with the gentle indecision of falling feathers down arpeggios of dying cadences before losing themselves in a soft black hole of basso profundo.” Excerpt about the Urfalees of Aleppo, Syria from William Dalrymple’s book, “From The Holy Mountain.”
The lands and buildings of the Christian faith – some of the very foundational elements of Christianity – seem distant, almost mythical, here in the United States. Growing up the son of a Southern Baptist minister, I did not necessarily feel the supreme reverence experienced by followers of other Christian traditions. My search for the roots of Christianity combined with my passion for music, history, and travel has taken me all over the world. In 2001, I had the great opportunity to play three concerts in Israel. Entering the Holy Sepulcher and attending an Easter sunrise service at the Garden Tomb changed my life. In 2002, music brought me back to Europe. Having three weeks between tours, I decided to travel to Turkey’s Eastern Anatolia. Alone, I flew into Diyarbakir, rented a car, and drove 3000 miles over seven days visiting every holy site possible. It was on the plains of Mesopotamia where I discovered the Syrian Orthodox Church. At the time I did not know Aramaic was still spoken, let alone used for liturgy, and the history that abounds within the Church amazed me. It is my intention to share with the public the sense of holiness, reverence, and history that the Syrian Orthodox Church offers. I propose to do this by traveling to Aleppo, Syria, during spring 2006 to photograph, research, and record the culture of the Urfalees of St. George's Syrian Orthodox Church.
I first learned of the Urfalees by reading William Dalrymple’s book, From the Holy Mountain. I have corresponded with Dalrymple directly and he claims that "the earliest [Christian] chants can be found not in a monastery but in the church of the Urfalees in Aleppo: if you get a taxi driver to take you to the Syrian Quarter, the Hayy el-Surian, and ask there for the Church of St George, you will soon find it.” The Urfalees are a small sect of the Syrian Orthodox Church that were exiled from Urfa, Turkey in 1924 under the rule of Ataturk who was concerned with “Urfa’s ethnic purity.” The Urfalees settled in Aleppo, Syria and are the only people who have kept the original Edessian School of Aramaic liturgy in practice. The Edessian School is the original liturgy that all Syriac liturgies have evolved from dating back to the hymns, homily, and poetry of St. Ephraem (303-373 CE). St. Ephraem’s most prolific writings were aimed against heresies of the times, specifically the teachings of the Gnostic Bardaisan (154 -222 CE) who is generally credited with the origins of Syriac poetry.
I have spoken with Father Joseph Tarzi, world expert on the Edessian School, and he has confirmed there are no quality performance recordings of these chants, only an incomplete cassette collection floating somewhere within the church. This will be the first time the West has heard some of the most ancient Christian music. Syria is one of the least familiar of the Middle Eastern countries to people in the United States. Housing one of the oldest Christian traditions in the back streets of antiquity inspires the imagination and offers all a sense of mystical reverence. It is of the utmost importance to preserve this ancient tradition, in addition to affording the modern world an ear to this rich heritage.
My four-part objective:
1. Acquire a high-quality stereo recording of the entire Beth Gazo or “The Treasury of Chants” of the Edessian School, which would be recorded on site in the Urfalees’ church of St. George's in Aleppo. To ensure a superior recording, I have employed the services of Josh Bonati. Mr. Bonati is a Johns Hopkins University/ Peabody Conservatory graduate with a master's degree in Acoustics and Recording Arts and also holds a bachelor's degree in Acoustical Engineering from Purdue University. After completing the initial recordings, these recordings would be transferred to reel-to-reel tape and given to the Syrian Orthodox Church for archival purposes. The entire Edessian Beth Gazo would be assembled over several CDs with introductions and lyrics in Aramaic, English, and Arabic.
2. Interview and record Yousef Namak, who was 12 during the Urfalees' exile in 1924 and is one of the few, if not the last, remaining survivors. With permission, I would compile his favorite chants and have him explain their personal significance and social value. A CD of chosen chants and his testimony of the exile would be assembled for commercial sale. I have spoken with D. A. Sonneborn, Assistant Director of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, and he has voiced his utmost enthusiasm for this project. We will be meeting in August to discuss Smithsonian involvement. He has suggested the highly regarded record label, Harmonia Mundi, for an international release.
3. Document the entire project through 35mm and digital photography, capturing the essence of the Urfalee worship, living, and heritage. In addition to photographing Aleppo, I plan to photograph the Urfalee exile route north into Turkey ending in Urfa. Renowned photojournalist, David Holloway, has joined the team and will accompanying us on all parts of the project.
4. Write a book based on this project. It will contain the story of my research and adventures into Syria and the world of the Orthodox. I am in the preliminary phase of assembling a manuscript and have not chosen a publisher.
This project will appeal to many, especially Christians. The uncovering of the incomparable heritage of the Urfalee of St. George’s Church will grab the interests of anthropologists, ethnographers, and ethnomusicologists alike while my ambitions and experiences show that anyone can do anything once they put their mind to it. The culture of the Urfalees is one that can resonate with any and all who encounter them. It is my wish to honor these ancient and largely unknown traditions.
The lands and buildings of the Christian faith – some of the very foundational elements of Christianity – seem distant, almost mythical, here in the United States. Growing up the son of a Southern Baptist minister, I did not necessarily feel the supreme reverence experienced by followers of other Christian traditions. My search for the roots of Christianity combined with my passion for music, history, and travel has taken me all over the world. In 2001, I had the great opportunity to play three concerts in Israel. Entering the Holy Sepulcher and attending an Easter sunrise service at the Garden Tomb changed my life. In 2002, music brought me back to Europe. Having three weeks between tours, I decided to travel to Turkey’s Eastern Anatolia. Alone, I flew into Diyarbakir, rented a car, and drove 3000 miles over seven days visiting every holy site possible. It was on the plains of Mesopotamia where I discovered the Syrian Orthodox Church. At the time I did not know Aramaic was still spoken, let alone used for liturgy, and the history that abounds within the Church amazed me. It is my intention to share with the public the sense of holiness, reverence, and history that the Syrian Orthodox Church offers. I propose to do this by traveling to Aleppo, Syria, during spring 2006 to photograph, research, and record the culture of the Urfalees of St. George's Syrian Orthodox Church.
I first learned of the Urfalees by reading William Dalrymple’s book, From the Holy Mountain. I have corresponded with Dalrymple directly and he claims that "the earliest [Christian] chants can be found not in a monastery but in the church of the Urfalees in Aleppo: if you get a taxi driver to take you to the Syrian Quarter, the Hayy el-Surian, and ask there for the Church of St George, you will soon find it.” The Urfalees are a small sect of the Syrian Orthodox Church that were exiled from Urfa, Turkey in 1924 under the rule of Ataturk who was concerned with “Urfa’s ethnic purity.” The Urfalees settled in Aleppo, Syria and are the only people who have kept the original Edessian School of Aramaic liturgy in practice. The Edessian School is the original liturgy that all Syriac liturgies have evolved from dating back to the hymns, homily, and poetry of St. Ephraem (303-373 CE). St. Ephraem’s most prolific writings were aimed against heresies of the times, specifically the teachings of the Gnostic Bardaisan (154 -222 CE) who is generally credited with the origins of Syriac poetry.
I have spoken with Father Joseph Tarzi, world expert on the Edessian School, and he has confirmed there are no quality performance recordings of these chants, only an incomplete cassette collection floating somewhere within the church. This will be the first time the West has heard some of the most ancient Christian music. Syria is one of the least familiar of the Middle Eastern countries to people in the United States. Housing one of the oldest Christian traditions in the back streets of antiquity inspires the imagination and offers all a sense of mystical reverence. It is of the utmost importance to preserve this ancient tradition, in addition to affording the modern world an ear to this rich heritage.
My four-part objective:
1. Acquire a high-quality stereo recording of the entire Beth Gazo or “The Treasury of Chants” of the Edessian School, which would be recorded on site in the Urfalees’ church of St. George's in Aleppo. To ensure a superior recording, I have employed the services of Josh Bonati. Mr. Bonati is a Johns Hopkins University/ Peabody Conservatory graduate with a master's degree in Acoustics and Recording Arts and also holds a bachelor's degree in Acoustical Engineering from Purdue University. After completing the initial recordings, these recordings would be transferred to reel-to-reel tape and given to the Syrian Orthodox Church for archival purposes. The entire Edessian Beth Gazo would be assembled over several CDs with introductions and lyrics in Aramaic, English, and Arabic.
2. Interview and record Yousef Namak, who was 12 during the Urfalees' exile in 1924 and is one of the few, if not the last, remaining survivors. With permission, I would compile his favorite chants and have him explain their personal significance and social value. A CD of chosen chants and his testimony of the exile would be assembled for commercial sale. I have spoken with D. A. Sonneborn, Assistant Director of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, and he has voiced his utmost enthusiasm for this project. We will be meeting in August to discuss Smithsonian involvement. He has suggested the highly regarded record label, Harmonia Mundi, for an international release.
3. Document the entire project through 35mm and digital photography, capturing the essence of the Urfalee worship, living, and heritage. In addition to photographing Aleppo, I plan to photograph the Urfalee exile route north into Turkey ending in Urfa. Renowned photojournalist, David Holloway, has joined the team and will accompanying us on all parts of the project.
4. Write a book based on this project. It will contain the story of my research and adventures into Syria and the world of the Orthodox. I am in the preliminary phase of assembling a manuscript and have not chosen a publisher.
This project will appeal to many, especially Christians. The uncovering of the incomparable heritage of the Urfalee of St. George’s Church will grab the interests of anthropologists, ethnographers, and ethnomusicologists alike while my ambitions and experiences show that anyone can do anything once they put their mind to it. The culture of the Urfalees is one that can resonate with any and all who encounter them. It is my wish to honor these ancient and largely unknown traditions.
posted by Jason at 12:49 PM
4 Comments:
I'm stoked about this project and the way you are adapting your vision to make it happen. This is gonna be another highpoint in your Journey. Way to go, bro! On the road of Life there are passengers and there are drivers (chin on chest). Saddle up!
wow...this is absolutly amazing. you'll be in my prayers my friend.
While I was dissapointed to see Decahedron go through some rough times (Jake Brown is a good friend), this is pretty amazing. God bless, man - this is just freaking cool as anything.
One of the most interesting blogs around! Have you ever wondered: how to write a poem It's all there: how to write a poem
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