This album presents a striking collection of solo and chamber works for cello by Naji Hakim, performed by Gwendeline Lumaret with 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 with Arabesque et Variations, a vivid solo work inspired by the Egyptian song Ya Chadi el Alhhan by 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 its themes from the Gregorian Mass IX. Each movement transforms the chant material into distinct sound worlds, from the expressive ornamentation of the Kyrie to the perpetual motion of the Sanctus and the luminous tranquillity of the Agnus Dei.

In Prélude et Habanera, Hakim pays homage to both Bach and the Spanish-inflected harmonies of Ravel and Debussy. The Prélude unfolds with the clarity of a Baroque toccata, while the Habanera evokes 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 Sacré-Coeur.

The album concludes with Levantine Variations for cello and piano, a work rooted in the popular song Bint 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.