X-CHANTS

Ten (X) chants with powerful and even today alive christian-arab traditions

The warm voice of FADIA EL HAGE, Beirut/Lebanon leads us to the first mysterious centuries of Christianity, to spirituality and wisdom of our ancestors.

VOXs new project goes beyond any of the groups previous experiments. It is a synthesis of the central ideas and musical elements of the preceding projects: Diadema" - a transformation of Hildegard von Bingen's songs into the present, and From Spain to Spain "- a musical journey through the tradition of the Arabic-Spanish musical culture.

The starting point of the new journey is the musical and spiritual origins of early Christianity. Chants from the early Christian Middle East tradition come face to face with a surreal landscape of sound and with the warm voice of FADIA EL HAGE, born and living in Beirut/Lebanon.

Thus a dialogue has been created with the intention to comment on the changes which the many ideas, stated beliefs and hopes expressed in the songs had to undergo in the course of history.

Early Christian Women's Chants in the Middle Eastern Churches.

The liturgical music of many early Christian churches of the Near East can be traced back to the Patriarch of Antiochia and its rites. In the same way the Maronitic church, a Christian denomination which emerged at the time of the first crusades in Syria and in todays Lebanon, was shaped by its Middle Eastern surroundings.

Till today, in spite of many changes and reforms in the details, the Maronitic as well as the Melchitic and Syrian-catholic rites have handed down and kept alive chants dating back to the first centuries of Christianity.

The early Christian-Syrian heretics (i.e. Bardaisan and Paul of Smosota) cultivated womens choirs and womens solo chants (although the apostle Paul had already forbidden women to sing church chants). However, this powerful and even today alive tradition provoked a ban (if only officially) in the late 4th century which forbade women's chants in the liturgy.

Fadia El-Hage (born in Beirut, April 15th, 1962) Vocalist
In her student years she was vocal soloist for the professional ensemble The Lebanese Folk Group" which played compositions by the Brothers Rahbani.
1978-79 Vocal soloist in two Lebanese musical-theater pieces.
1980-81 Several recordings with Lebanese pop music and folk songs.
1980-84 Studied psychology and received her degree at the Lebanese University of Beirut.
1985-90 Studied singing at the Richard-Strauss Conservatory in Munich with Prof. Felix Rolke.
1990-92 Further education in Opera singing.
Since 1989 a member of the SARBAND and VOX ensemble with international concerts, CD recordings and workshops in various countries.
Since 1997 assistant Prof. at the Lebanese University (Art Academy) as a voice trainer for actors.
Lives with her family in Beirut.

Press reviews:

Still though, the music is very religious sounding and involves a great deal of voice: Gothic, ethnic, and hymn-like, with much use made of delay harmonies, multi-tracking and such-like. With the increased instrumental presence some of it gets almost rocky, in a Miranda Sex Garden fashion, but largely the instruments are used for colour and added variety. - Audion, Alan Freeman, Sommer 97