Baalbeck Recounts... The Musical Chehabism of the Rahbani Brothers
Alain E. Andrea 21/11 22:08 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Fayrouz Rahbani Baalbeck Festival Music
If a country had eyes, she would be its eyelids — fluttering like butterflies, grazing the dawn with their delicate wings to summon contemplation. A discreet yet all-consuming reflection on the landscape. The light awakens us, stirs us from lethargy, and intoxicates us. Beneath our hungry gaze, an idyllic land is instantly adorned with a ...
Baalbeck Recounts... The Dawn of an Idyllic Lebanon
Alain E. Andrea 17/11 18:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Winter awakens early in Lebanon, shaken by the breath of time. Winds of violence reignite the embers of war, buried beneath the ashes of a peace that, alas, hangs by a thread. The rain turns furious, desperate, ashy and absurd. A snow of fire and blood falls, heavy and relentless. Its impudent crimson stains a humanity stripped from its soul. The ...
Baalbeck Tells Its Story: A Special Series on This Is Beirut
Alain E. Andrea 16/11 16:25 - Reading : less than a minute
Amid the ancient temples of Baalbeck, war has rekindled its embers in Lebanon. A living memory of a country that once welcomed the world’s greatest artists, the City of the Sun now trembles beneath the blows of a world losing its balance. Through the genius of the Rahbani Brothers, the magic of Fayrouz’s seraphic voice, the ...
Diabetes, a disease with a bitter taste
Alain E. Andrea 15/11 16:21 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by abnormally elevated blood glucose levels. Often asymptomatic in its early stages, it primarily affects the vascular system. Inadequately managed chronic hyperglycemia leads to progressive damage to blood vessel walls, resulting in microangiopathy (pathological changes in small blood ...
Climate Change: “The Wasted Time Has Been Paid in Lives”
Alain E. Andrea 04/11 23:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
The 2024 Lancet Countdown report on health and climate change reveals that global warming poses an increasingly significant threat to public health. Compiled annually by researchers from various universities and UN agencies, the study highlights the multiple dangers facing the global population. “Data in this year’s report show that people all ...
Unpublished Waltz by Chopin: The Shadow of a Doubt
Alain E. Andrea 02/11 18:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
A mysterious yet nostalgic breeze seems to lift the dust of centuries, heralding the arrival of a musical harvest. The recent announcement, made on September 19 in Leipzig, Germany, of the discovery of a seven-movement string trio likely composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) during his youth, between the mid and late 1760s, has sparked ...
Polio: The Aborted Eradication of a Preventable Disease
Alain E. Andrea 25/10 15:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Poliomyelitis, or polio, is a viral disease caused by the poliovirus, which invades the nervous system and spreads primarily through contaminated water or food. Highly contagious, it affects mainly unvaccinated children under five, with symptoms ranging from mild fevers to irreversible paralysis and death. Despite extensive global efforts, polio ...
Malaria: Egypt Eradicates the Pharaohs' Disease
Alain E. Andrea 22/10 17:49 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
In Egypt, malaria has long been a public health scourge. It intensified in the 20th century to become a major health issue, particularly in the rural areas of the Nile Delta, where environmental conditions favored the spread of the disease. However, a significant event occurred recently. On October 20, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced ...
Food Poisoning: The Fear on Our Plates!
Alain E. Andrea 20/10 19:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
In recent weeks, Lebanon has seen a notable rise in food poisoning cases, a phenomenon that cannot be separated from the socio-economic conditions burdening the country. The war context alone increases these risks, as we will explain later. However, other factors also play a role. First, the chronic lack or shortage of electricity severely ...
Leif Segerstam, the Architect of Musical Emotions
Alain E. Andrea 15/10 13:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Leif Segerstam, the Finnish maestro, passed away on October 9 at the age of 80. Known for his unconventional approach to conducting and boundless energy, he leaves behind a rich and vibrant musical legacy. Born on March 2, 1944, in Vaasa, Finland, Segerstam made a significant impact on the world of Western art music through his passionate ...
The War in Lebanon: A Catalyst for Infectious Diseases
Alain E. Andrea 13/10 13:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
WHO Health epidemic displacement
With the intensification of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon finds itself at a critical juncture for multiple reasons. This crisis has resulted in devastating consequences for the country, characterized by massive material destruction, a relentless exodus of residents from war-affected areas, and an alarming decline in living ...
Nobel Prize in Chemistry: The Revolution of 'Smart' Proteins
Alain E. Andrea 10/10 12:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
On October 9, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences honored Americans David Baker and John Jumper, alongside Briton Demis Hassabis, for their exceptional contributions in the field of proteins. According to the Academy's statement, Baker received half of the prize for his method of "computational protein design," which involves using computer ...
Nobel Prize in Physics: A New Era Beyond Human Intelligence
Alain E. Andrea 08/10 17:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Nobel Physics Artificial intelligence
The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to British-Canadian John Hopfield (born 1933) and American Geoffrey Hinton (born 1947) for their fundamental discoveries that paved the way for "machine learning" through "artificial neural networks." Their work, conducted since the 1980s, highlights the importance of theoretical physics in the rise ...
Nobel Prize in Medicine 2024: A Great Reward for a Small Regulator
Alain E. Andrea 07/10 15:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
On October 7, the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to Victor Ambros (born 1953) and Gary Ruvkun (born 1952), two American biologists, for their "discovery of microRNAs and their role in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression." This discovery, made in 1993, profoundly ...
Mpox in Africa: Preventing a Pandemic at All Costs
Alain E. Andrea 07/10 12:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRG) has recently reached a significant turning point in its fight against mpox, a potentially deadly viral disease. On October 5, the DRC launched a vaccination campaign in response to a concerning epidemic that has impacted the African continent, particularly the Congo Basin region. However, mpox is not a new ...
Heartfelt Cries to Heal a Wounded Lebanon
Alain E. Andrea 27/09 18:20 - Reading : 8 minute(s)
Caught in a war that tears it apart, Lebanon is far from being abandoned to its sad fate. Artists from around the globe lend their voices to This is Beirut, expressing their solidarity against unbearable violence. The sky darkens, once again plunging Lebanon into a night devoid of promise. As the wounds of the past, much like those of the ...
Naji Hakim, an Apostle of the Paschal Light
Alain E. Andrea 20/09 14:39 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
On September 21, Karim Saïd will conduct the Amman Chamber Orchestra in the world premiere of "Nour," an orchestral rhapsody honoring the Holy Land, composed by Naji Hakim. Oh Lebanon, oh despair. How difficult it is to describe you in these bleak times. Were you not once celebrated as the land of superlatives? Glorious at times, tragic at ...
The Day God Pronounces the Final Verdict
Alain E. Andrea 14/09 19:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
It is already midnight, and the city is collapsing under the weight of the imminent apocalypse. The following text aims to be a sketch, in words and music, of what the future seems to promise. It is already midnight. The city seems numb beneath a cloak of ink. The stars struggle to adorn this black veil that stretches into infinity. Everything is ...
Gilbert Amy: The Quest for a New Golden Age of Music (2/2)
Alain E. Andrea 11/09 19:49 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Gilbert Amy notes that the contemporary era is marked by a perpetual change in musical principles, influenced by technology and media, while asserting that artificial intelligence will never replace the human essence of musical art. The Turbulent Infinite. A nickname evoking the vigor and uncompromising nature of a composer for whom music ...
Gilbert Amy: The Quest for a New Golden Age of Music (1/2)
Alain E. Andrea 06/09 17:37 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Considered a major figure in contemporary French music, Gilbert Amy continues to shine at the dawn of his eighty-eighth year. From his residence in Courbevoie, he invites us to explore his musical universe by revisiting the past and contemplating the present and future of Western art music. In his warm Courbevoie residence, just minutes from ...
Paradise or Hell: The Ultimate Kiss of Life (2/2)
Alain E. Andrea 03/09 20:13 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
In the shadow and light of paradise, the quest for the ultimate kiss of life leads us to a crossroads between celestial aspiration and earthly realities. Through the works of Liszt, Fauré, and Abou Mrad, this article explores, through music, the promise of eternal bliss and the transcendence of divine communion. Paradise. A word that evokes such ...
The Hour of Epidemics Has Struck
Alain E. Andrea 01/09 17:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Between environmental disasters and geopolitical crises, the proliferation of epidemics is emerging as an inevitable consequence of the erosion of ecological balances. The 21st century will be dominated by epidemics. This is neither superstition nor a conspiracy theory. The planet is in distress. The great ecological balances that have sustained ...
Paradise or Hell: The Ultimate Kiss of Life (1/2)
Alain E. Andrea 27/08 17:39 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
The striking contrast between Paradise and Hell remains an inexhaustible source of artistic inspiration, where the promise of eternal redemption clashes with the ultimate desolation of darkness. In the first article of this series, we will explore, through three works, the night of infinite torments. "Abandon hope, all ye who enter here." This ...
A Lebanese State That Mirrors... an Orchestra
Alain E. Andrea 24/08 18:31 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon is mired in an increasingly unbearable chaos, partly due to the persistent neglect of music education. Yet, music could offer a clear path to peace and, above all, harmony. One person affirms, “We need to restore our ties with the West,” in desperation, while another insists, “We must turn to the East,” pointing a finger. ...
Mpox: An International Emergency, but (Still) Not a Pandemic
Alain E. Andrea 23/08 12:47 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
In response to the resurgence of mpox, the World Health Organization has declared, for the second time in two years, a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern." However, this viral disease is far from being the "new COVID-19." In 2022, as SARS-CoV-2 was mutating into less virulent strains, monkeypox (mpox) infections were gradually ...
Gene Therapy: A New Era of Cancer Treatment Begins…
Alain E. Andrea 20/08 18:57 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Gene therapy is redefining modern medicine with its successes in hematological cancers and recent advances in treating solid tumors, particularly synovial sarcoma. Gene therapy is on the rise. Having made its first steps at the end of the 20th century, it has since accumulated several successes. This revolutionary approach, which involves ...
Nidaa Abou Mrad: Lebanese Sparks Illuminate the Sorbonne
Alain E. Andrea 16/08 17:51 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Nidaa Abou Mrad continues to uphold the torch of scientific excellence through pioneering research and prestigious collaboration between Antonine University and Sorbonne University. The history of Lebanon has been shaped by visionaries who dared to dream beyond conventional paths and imposed borders. By climbing the ladders of success, they ...
Beit Tabaris: Sowing Music, Reaping Peace
Alain E. Andrea 13/08 18:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
The musical season at Beit Tabaris concluded on a bright note, despite the incessant crises afflicting Lebanon. This artist residency has kept the flame of Western art music alive throughout the year, asserting its central musical role in a Beirut engulfed in turmoil. The curtain has finally fallen on a particularly rich musical season. Beit ...
Contemporary Music, a Controlled Chaos
Alain E. Andrea 10/08 17:52 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
After rejecting the harmonic conventions of the past, contemporary music now manifests as a controlled chaos, integrating noise experiments and redefining the boundaries of auditory experience. This article explores three notable works that illustrate this sonic evolution. Omnipresent in the living world, "selfish genes" are fundamental agents of ...
Music Therapy: When Music Becomes Medicine
Alain E. Andrea 08/08 11:59 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
From the modal music therapy of the Greeks and Arabs to contemporary neuro-music therapy, this field has evolved over the centuries, making use of the psychophysiological effects of music on both body and mind. According to Plato, if music soothes the soul, it also holds therapeutic virtues. Over the centuries, human experience has ...