Diversity Macht Frei
October 8, 2017
This is beautiful. The scene is Cruj, Romania, on 1 October, where a performance of the The Armed Man is taking place. This is an oratorio written by the Welsh composer Karl Jenkins*, featuring a One Worldesque, anti-war theme. As part of its multicultural outreach, the piece incorporates texts from a variety of world traditions, including the Muslim call to prayer.
As the muezzin is heard, Romanian nationalists get up and start singing the Romanian national anthem. Afterwards they declare “No mosque will ever be built in Romania!”.
*Jenkins’ music is not actually that great but you have to give him credit for at least attempting to compose classical music in the tonal tradition.