Ali Moraly (*1979) is a violinist, composer, teacher and writer/critic based in Berlin. Born in Damascus - Syria, where he studied at the Higher institute of Music. He holds Masters degree from the University of Music in Karlsruhe-Germany (Musikhochschule) and was commissioned by documenta14 in Kassel, the theatre of Oldenburg and BACH fest in Tübingen. He performed in the middle-East, Europe and the United States. Former member of the West-Eastern DIVAN co-founded by Eduard Said and Daniel Barenboim. He writes treatises and reviews on arts and culture for various newspapers and magazines

Photo: The Murriland Canvas by Gordon Hookey (Milani Gallery)

Songline (for Gordon Hookey) solo violin

Ali Moraly (*1979) is a violinist, composer, teacher and writer/critic based in Berlin. Born in Damascus - Syria, where he studied at the Higher institute of Music. He holds Masters degree from the University of Music in Karlsruhe-Germany (Musikhochschule) and was commissioned by documenta14 in Kassel, the theatre of Oldenburg and BACH fest in Tübingen. He performed in the middle-East, Europe and the United States. Former member of the West-Eastern DIVAN co-founded by Eduard Said and Daniel Barenboim. He writes treatises and reviews on arts and culture for various newspapers and magazines

Photo Credit: Alexander Steffens

Al Faradis Gate (Bab-al Faradis)

Schwarze Milch, wir trinken dich

Sulamith

Grab In Den Lüften

Rauch In Der Luft

An English version of a Podcast Ali Moraly has written and produced in Arabic language, for the media space Khatt30 and was released in April 2022

A Melody Voayage from a Confined Place to Open Space

A Sonic Poem, written, composed and produced by Ali Moraly
قصيدة صوتية. كتابة ، تأليف وإنتاج علي موره لي

ما بين العذوبة والعذاب واو، ألفٌ وتاء
أما الجذر فواحد
وكذا المنتهى.
تستمد العذوبة عذابها من حتمية زوالها
وحقيقة طروئها.
ويستمد العذاب عذوبته من أن لُقياه
إدراكٌ للحياة.
واو
واو الوعي، أوّل موانع اتحاد العذاب بالعذوبة 
إذ تَحوْل مرويّات الوعي دون تذوّق عذوبة العذاب
وعذاب العذوبة
فالوعي حيال البقاء
مجبورٌ على صونه
والبقاء يقتضي
ألا نذوق من العذوبة سوى العذوبة، فنرنوا إليها دوماً
وألا نذوق من العذاب سوى العذاب
فننآه أبدا    
ألف
ألف الأنا، ثان الموانع الحاصلة
إذ تحوْل تأوّلات الأنا دون تذوّق عذوبة العذاب
وعذاب العذوبة
فحضورها حائلٌ بينهما
إما أن تحتضن الأنا العذاب
فترتاح النفس ضحيةً
أو أن تَغمُر الأنا النفسَ عذوبةً
فتُلهيها عن عَوْد العذاب
تاء
التاء، ثالث الموانع ومُنتهى العذوبة
في آنٍ واحد
فالظاهر منها مانعْ
والباطن منها مانحْ
الظاهرُ المانع تاءُ التصوّر
إذ يُغلِق التصوّر مجال الوعي
حاجِباً المدى أمام الرؤيا
الباطنُ المانحُ تاءُ التجاوز
تسود،
حينما تؤول الحدود
معابرَ الأزل اللامنتهي
هناك
حيث مقابر الكلمات
ومنابت جذورها

An English interpretation of the Arabic prose

The two Arabic words, عذوبة, which means sweetness, and عذاب, which means suffering, stem from the same triconsonantal root, that is (عَذَبَ (ع ذ ب

Thus, the two meanings share the linguistic root and the twig tips. What sets them apart are three letters:

واو (waw),
ألف (alif),
and ت (ta’).

This prompts a semantic correlation between the two words ;
sweetness derives its suffering from the inevitability of its demise,
Whereas suffering derives its sweetness from the fact that; to suffer, is to be alive.

واو (Waw)
The first letter in the Arabic word for ‘awareness’ (وعي) . It represents the first obstacle to the union between sweetness and suffering.

The narratives constructed by awareness hinder you from savouring sweetness within suffering and suffering within sweetness.

For awareness, ought to maintain survival. 

Survival necessitates that you savour sweetness as nothing but sweetness, thus always yearn for it, while savouring suffering as nothing but suffering, thus, avoiding it for ever.

ألف (alif)

The first letter in the Arabic word Ego أنا, is the second obstacle.
The various interpretations of reality made by the Ego hinder you from savouring sweetness within suffering and suffering within sweetness.

Alas, the Ego could either embrace suffering, allowing the self to find solace at the altar of victimhood, or it could immerse the self in sweetness, diverting its attention from the relentless cycle of suffering.

تاء (ta')
The third obstacle, and simultaneously the utmost sweetness, since it is also the last letter in the Arabic word equivalent (عذوبة) . Its outward aspect serves as a hindrance, while its concealed nature acts as a benefactor.
The outward hindering aspect manifests in the ‘ta’ which is the first letter of the Arabic word ‘perception’ (تصوّر). Since perception draws barriers around consciousness, it blocks the expansion of vision.

The concealed benefactor is represented by the initial letter of the Arabic word ‘transcendence’ (تجاوز). It becomes apparent when finite barriers are viewed as gateways to endless infinity.
There,

where the graveyard of words lies,
and their roots sprout.

Between Sweetness & Suffering ما بين العذوبة والعذاب

Ali Moraly is a violinist, composer, educator, podcaster and writer/critic based in Berlin. Born in Damascus - Syria, where he studied at the Higher institute of Music. He holds Masters degree from the University of Music in Karlsruhe-Germany (Musikhochschule) and was commissioned by documenta14 in Kassel, the theatre of Oldenburg and BACH fest in Tübingen. He performed in the middle-East, Europe and the United States. Former member of the West-Eastern DIVAN co-founded by Eduard Said and Daniel Barenboim. He writes treatises and reviews on arts and culture.

Photos Credit: Alexander Steffens

Ali Moraly

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