. Beqwanin: The beauty of the snow-covered hills and mountains of Lebanon leaves you breathless and inspires a bittersweet melancholy. Dedicated to the feeling this landscape evokes on wintry evenings, Beqwanin refers to the month of December and January in Lebanese dialect. “Kanun” is and old Babylonian word wich means Winter …
. Sarsoua: When strolling through Lebanese countryside, one encounters small streams here and there on the edge of the road or by a field. Emnanating from springs they flow gently into canals for farming or simply to beautify the terrain. The whisper of these water canals, at times smooth, or rough when running over stones, had been my inspiration for Sarsoua: “water flowing as a snake”.
. Story…
. Rachaya: On a beautiful day of December 1995, a friend asked me to come to Rachaya for a study of local television habits he was doing… The Red tiled roofs of the houses were reflected by the backdrop of Mount Hermon. The melody rase up from the valley…
. Through Life: Was composed around 4 o’clock in the morning, as i lay on the floor of my Parisian studio looking at the ceiling, contemplating the stages of my life.
. From Here From There From Everywhere…
. Outside: After many hours spent at home, you are gripped by a sudden urge to go out. You suddenly run, thirsty for the exterior. Once in the street the pulse of life reinvigorates the spirit. Outside.
. Evasion…
. Hawass: We are obsessed by many things which come knocking on our door… Hawass: Obsession.
. Nassim’s Prayer*: is a piano solo moment, improvised in studio on January 13th 2008, a Sunday morning before a recording session for a movie. On a theme by my friend Nassim Maalouf, the great trumpet player, called “Les vepres” extract from “Prieres en exil”. This solo was not on the first edition of this CD which was prior to this recording. Listening to it many years later, i felt like adding it as a bonus track in this second edition.