Naji Hakim
Encyclopedia
Naji Subhy Paul Irénée Hakim (born 31 October 1955 in Beirut
; ) is a Lebanese
-French
organist
, composer
, and improviser. He studied under Jean Langlais
, and succeeded Messiaen
as organist at the Église de la Sainte-Trinité, Paris.
and Gleason. In 1975, he moved to Paris to finish his engineering studies at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications since the Ecole Supérieure d’Ingénieurs de Beirut in Lebanon closed because of war. He continued his organ studies in performance and improvisation with the famous French organist-improviser-composer Jean Langlais
(1907-1991). Hakim worked with Jean Langlais for about ten years, and Langlais became like a second father to him: very encouraging and demanding. With Jean Langlais’s encouragement, he entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique
in Paris where he obtained seven first prizes in organ performance, organ improvisation, harmony, counterpoint, fugue, analysis, and orchestration. He was in the classes of Rolande Falcinelli
(organ and improvisation), Roger Boutry (harmony), Jean-Claude Henry (counterpoint), Marcel Bitsch (fugue), Jacques Castérède (analysis) and Serge Nigg (orchestration).
He was the organist of the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, Paris from 1985 until 1993, when he succeeded Olivier Messiaen
at the Église de la Sainte-Trinité, Paris, from 1993 until 2008.
Hakim has composed works for organ, two organs, organ duo, and organ with other instruments, as well as orchestral and concerto works, solo instrumental and chamber works, and vocal works. He has won many awards for performance, improvisation, and composition. For example, his Symphonie en Trois Mouvements won the composition prize of the “Amis de l'Orgue” in 1984. The Embrace of Fire won first prize in 1986 in the International Organ Competition in memory of Anton Heiller
, at Southern Missionary College in Collegedale, Tennessee. In addition, he was awarded the Prix de Composition Musicale André Caplet from the Académie des Beaux Arts in 1991. He has also been the recipient of first prizes at the International Organ Competitions held in Haarlem, Beauvais, Lyon, Nuremberg, St. Albans (where he has since served on the jury), Strasbourg, and Rennes.
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
; ) is a Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
-French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, and improviser. He studied under Jean Langlais
Jean Langlais
Jean Langlais was a French composer of modern classical music, organist, and improviser.- Biography :Jean Langlais was born in La Fontenelle , a small village near Mont St Michel, France...
, and succeeded Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
as organist at the Église de la Sainte-Trinité, Paris.
Biography
Naji Hakim was introduced to the organ during his elementary school studies at the Collège du Sacré-Cœur in Beirut. He began with private piano lessons, but when he was nine or ten years old, he began work on his own at the organ using various methods such as Marcel DupréMarcel Dupré
Marcel Dupré , was a French organist, pianist, composer, and pedagogue.-Biography:Marcel Dupré was born in Rouen . Born into a musical family, he was a child prodigy. His father Albert Dupré was organist in Rouen and a friend of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, who built an organ in the family house when...
and Gleason. In 1975, he moved to Paris to finish his engineering studies at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications since the Ecole Supérieure d’Ingénieurs de Beirut in Lebanon closed because of war. He continued his organ studies in performance and improvisation with the famous French organist-improviser-composer Jean Langlais
Jean Langlais
Jean Langlais was a French composer of modern classical music, organist, and improviser.- Biography :Jean Langlais was born in La Fontenelle , a small village near Mont St Michel, France...
(1907-1991). Hakim worked with Jean Langlais for about ten years, and Langlais became like a second father to him: very encouraging and demanding. With Jean Langlais’s encouragement, he entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique
Conservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
in Paris where he obtained seven first prizes in organ performance, organ improvisation, harmony, counterpoint, fugue, analysis, and orchestration. He was in the classes of Rolande Falcinelli
Rolande Falcinelli
Rolande Falcinelli was a French organist, pianist, composer, and pedagogue.-Biography:Rolande Falcinelli entered the Paris Conservatory in 1932, where her teachers were noted pianist and pedagogue Isidor Philipp and Abel Estyle , Marcel Samuel-Rousseau , Simone Plé Caussade , Henri Büsser , and...
(organ and improvisation), Roger Boutry (harmony), Jean-Claude Henry (counterpoint), Marcel Bitsch (fugue), Jacques Castérède (analysis) and Serge Nigg (orchestration).
He was the organist of the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, Paris from 1985 until 1993, when he succeeded Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
at the Église de la Sainte-Trinité, Paris, from 1993 until 2008.
Hakim has composed works for organ, two organs, organ duo, and organ with other instruments, as well as orchestral and concerto works, solo instrumental and chamber works, and vocal works. He has won many awards for performance, improvisation, and composition. For example, his Symphonie en Trois Mouvements won the composition prize of the “Amis de l'Orgue” in 1984. The Embrace of Fire won first prize in 1986 in the International Organ Competition in memory of Anton Heiller
Anton Heiller
Anton Heiller was an Austrian organist, harpsichordist, composer, conductor.-Biography:Heiller was born at Vienna. After undergoing his initial church music training with Wilhelm Mück — organist at the Stephansdom Anton Heiller (September 15, 1923 — March 25, 1979) was an Austrian organist,...
, at Southern Missionary College in Collegedale, Tennessee. In addition, he was awarded the Prix de Composition Musicale André Caplet from the Académie des Beaux Arts in 1991. He has also been the recipient of first prizes at the International Organ Competitions held in Haarlem, Beauvais, Lyon, Nuremberg, St. Albans (where he has since served on the jury), Strasbourg, and Rennes.
Organ Solo
- Cosmogonie (composed 1983. Unpublished.)
- Petite suite (composed 1983. Waltham Abbey, Essex: UMP, 2004)
- Symphonie en Trois Mouvements (composed 1984. Paris: Combre, 1984)
- The Embrace of Fire: Triptyque (composed 1986. Paris: Combre, 1986)
- Hommage à Igor Stravinsky. Triptyque (composed 1986. Paris: Leduc, 1990)
- Expressions (composed 1988. Chicago, Illinois (USA): H. T. FitzSimons, 1988)
- Memor (composed 1989. London: UMP, 1990)
- Rubaiyat (composed 1990. London: UMP, 1991)
- Variations on two themes: "Old hundredth" & "Donne secours" (composed 1991. London: UMP, 1991)
- Rhapsody for organ duo (composed 1992. Waltham Abbey, Essex: UMP, 2005)
- Mariales (composed 1993. London: UMP, 1993)
- Incantation
- Pastorale
- Antienne
- Hymne
- Danse
- Le Tombeau d'Olivier Messiaen: Trois Méditations symphoniques (composed 1993. London: UMP, 1994)
- Vexilla regis prodeunt (composed 1994. Paris: Leduc, 1995)
- Canticum (composed 1995. London: UMP, 1996)
- Sinfonia in honore Sancti Ioannis Baptistæ (composed 1996. London: UMP, 1997)
- Pange lingua (composed 1996. Paris: Leduc, 1997)
- Pange lingua
- Nobis datus
- In supremœ nocte cœnœ
- Verbum caro
- Tantum ergo
- Genitori, genitoque
- Te Deum (composed 1997. London: UMP, 1998)
- Bagatelle (composed 1997. London: UMP, 1998)
- Chant de Joie (composed 1997. London: UMP, 1998)
- The Last Judgment (composed 1999. Paris, Leduc, 2000)
- Quatre Études-Caprices for pedal solo (composed 2000. Paris: Leduc, 2001)
- Gershwinesca (composed 2000. Mainz: Schott, 2008)
- In Organo, Chordis et Choro (composed 2001. Paris. Leduc, 2002)
- Le Bien-aimé: Suite symphonique (composed 2001. Paris: Leduc, 2002)
- 1. J'ai trouvé celui que mon cœur aime
- 2. Notre joie et notre allégresse
- 3. Viens, mon Bien-Aimé
- 4. Avant que souffle la brise du jour
- 5. Son aspect est celui du Liban, sans rival, comme les cèdres
- 6. Ses traits sont des traits de feu
- 7. Voici qu'il arrive sautant sur les montagnes, bondissant sur les collines
- Ouverture Libanaise (composed 2001. Paris: Leduc, 2004)
- Agapê (composed 2001. London: UMP, 2002)
- Bach'orama: Organ Fantasia on themes by Johann Sebastian Bach (composed 2003. Paris, Leduc, 2004)
- Gregoriana (composed 2003. Paris: Leduc, 2004)
- Salve Regina (composed 2004. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
- Sakskøbing præludier (composed 2005. Paris: Combre, 2006)
- 1. Mit hjerte altid vanker (Always my heart wanders to the birth place of Jesus)
- 2. Nærmere, Gud, til dig (Nearer, my God, to Thee)
- 3. O Gud, du ved og kender (O God, Thou knowest)
- 4. At sige verden ret farvel (The last farewell to life on earth)
- 5. Hil dig, Frelser og Forsoner! (Hail You, Saviour and Atoner)
- 6. Den mørke nat forgangen er (The gloomy night to morning yields)
- 7. Nu blomstertiden kommer (Now the flowers are blooming)
- 8. Påskeblomst! (Paschal Flow'r! why do you care to come forth?)
- 9. Op, al den ting, som Gud har gjort (Arise, all things that God has made)
- 10. O kristelighed! (O thou, image of Christ!)
- 11. Så vældigt det mødte os først i vor dåb (How wonderful, that the Word first met us in baptism)
- 12. Befal du dine veje (Commit thy way [unto God])
- Mit seinem Geist: Variations on "Ein feste Burg" (composed 2006. Mainz: Schott, 2007)
- AALAIKI'SSALAAM: Variations on a Lebanese theme (composed 2006. Mainz: Schott, 2007)
- Esquisses Grégoriennes en forme de Messe basse (composed 2006. Mainz: Schott, 2007)
- 1. Nos autem (Entrée)
- 2. Ave maris stella (Offertoire)
- 3. Pater noster (Élévation)
- 4. Ave verum (Communion)
- 5. O filii et filiae (Sortie)
- Hommage à Jean Langlais (composed 2006. Mainz: Schott, 2008)
- Glenalmond Suite (composed 2007. Waltham Abbey, Essex: UMP, 2007)
- 1. Strømmende
- 2. Favnende
- 3. Smilende
- 4. Jublende
- To call my true love to my dance (composed 2007. Mainz: Schott, 2009)
- 1. Theme
- 2. Cantabile
- 3. Valse
- 4. Deciso
- 5. Arabesque
- 6. Burletta
- 7. Tango
- 8. Scherzando
- 9. Berceuse
- 10. Finale
- All my founts shall be within you (Alle mine kilder skal være hos dig) (composed 2007. Mainz: Schott, 2009)
- Ich liebe die farbenreiche Welt (Jeg elsker den brogede verden/I Love The Colourful World) (composed 2008. Mainz: Schott, 2009):
- 1. Präludium
- 2. Tanz-Toccata
- Arabesques (composed 2009. Unpublished.):
- 1. Prélude
- 2. Pastorale
- 3. Libanaise
- 4. Arabesque
- 5. Litanie
- 6. Rondeau
- Amazing Grace for organ (and soprano ad libitum) (composed 2009. Unpublished.)
Organ with other instruments
- Old Hundredth for brass and organ (composed 1983. Paris: Leduc, 1995)
- Fantaisie sur "Adeste, Fideles" with 2nd organ ad libitum (composed 1986. Paris: Bornemann/Leduc, 1988)
- Duo Concertant for organ and piano (or two pianos) (composed 1988. London: UMP, 1990)
- Rondo for Christmas for trumpet and organ (composed 1988. London: UMP, 1990)
- Hymne au Sacré-Cœur for 7 trumpets and organ (composed 1992. Paris: Leduc, 1995)
- Sonate for trumpet and organ (composed 1994. London: UMP, 1995)
- Suite Rhapsodique for horn and organ (composed 2002. London: UMP, 2002)
- Capriccio for violin and organ (composed 2005. London: UMP, 2005)
- Variations on "Wie schön leuchtet der MorgensternWie schön leuchtet der MorgensternWie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern , BWV 1, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach composed the cantata in Leipzig for the feast of the Annunciation and first performed it on 25 March 1725....
" for oboe and organ (composed 2008. Mainz: Schott, 2009)
Orchestral and Concertos
- Fantaisie Celtique for piano and orchestra (composed 1985. London: UMP, 1997)
- Concerto for organ and strings (composed 1988. London: UMP)
- Les Noces de l'Agneau: Trois tableaux symphoniques for orchestra (composed 1996. London: UMP, 1997)
- Hymne de l'Univers for orchestra (composed 1997. London: UMP, 1998)
- Seattle Concerto for organ and orchestra (composed 2000. London: UMP, 2000)
- Concerto for violin and orchestra (composed 2002. Paris: Leduc)
- Concerto No. 3 for organ and string orchestra (composed 2003. London: UMP)
- Ouverture Libanaise for orchestra (composed 2004. Paris: Leduc, 2004)
- Sakskøbing præludier for chamber ensemble (flute, clarinet, bassoon, harp, violin, viola, and cello) (composed 2005. Paris: Combre, 2006)
- 1. Mit hjerte altid vanker (Always my heart wanders to the birth place of Jesus)
- 2. Nærmere, Gud, til dig (Nearer, my God, to Thee)
- 3. O Gud, du ved og kender (O God, Thou knowest)
- 4. At sige verden ret farvel (The last farewell to life on earth)
- 5. Hil dig, Frelser og Forsoner! (Hail You, Saviour and Atoner)
- 6. Den mørke nat forgangen er (The gloomy night to morning yields)
- 7. Nu blomstertiden kommer (Now the flowers are blooming)
- 8. Påskeblomst! (Paschal Flow'r! why do you care to come forth?)
- 9. Op, al den ting, som Gud har gjort (Arise, all things that God has made)
- 10. O kristelighed! (O thou, image of Christ!)
- 11. Så vældigt det mødte os først i vor dåb (How wonderful, that the Word first met us in baptism)
- 12. Befal du dine veje (Commit thy way [unto God])
- Påskeblomst for string orchestra (composed 2005. Waltham Abbey, Essex: UMP)
- Concerto No. 4 for organ and chamber ensemble "Det strømmende og uudslukkelige..." (composed 2007. Paris: Combre)
Other Instruments and Chamber Music
- Prélude et Fugue for bassoon quartet (composed 1983. London: UMP)
- Shasta: Suite for harpsichord (composed 1986. Cleveland, Ohio (USA): Ludwig Music 1988)
- Divertimento for guitar quartet (composed 1987. London: UMP)
- Jeu for harp solo (composed 1987. Paris: G. Billaudot, 1990)
- Sonate for violin solo (composed 1994. Paris: Leduc, 1996)
- Caprice en Rondeau for flute and piano (composed 1998. Paris: Leduc, 1999)
- Sonate for violin and piano (composed 2000. Paris: Leduc, 2002)
- Dumia for piano solo (composed 2001. London: Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, 2001)
- Ouverture Libanaise for piano solo (composed 2001. Paris: Leduc, 2004)
- Påskeblomst for string quartet (composed 2007. Waltham Abbey, Essex: UMP)
- Kammerconcert "Solen skinner altid på Beirut" for flute, clarinet, bassoon, harp, piano, violin, viola and cello (composed 2008. Paris: Leduc
- AALAIKI'SSALAAM: Variations on a Lebanese theme for piano solo (composed 2006. Paris: Leduc, 2009)
- Glenalmond Suite for piano solo (composed 2007. Waltham Abbey, Essex: UMP, 2009)
- 1. Strømmende
- 2. Favnende
- 3. Smilende
- 4. Jublende
- Hymne til Alberto Giacomettis Kvinde på Kærre for carillon (composed 2009. Unpublished.)
Vocal Works
- Saul de Tarse: Oratorio for choir, soloists and orchestra (composed 1991. Paris: Leduc, 2000)
- Missa resurrectionis for soprano solo (composed 1994. London: UMP, 1995)
- Missa redemptionis for SATB choir a capella (composed 1995. London: UMP, 1995)
- Phèdre: Cantata for mezzo soprano and piano (composed 1997. London: UMP, 1998)
- Children for SATB choir a capella (composed 1999. London: UMP, 1999)
- Messe Solennelle for choir and organ (with 2nd organ ad libitum) (composed 1999. London: UMP, 1999)
- MagnificatMagnificatThe Magnificat — also known as the Song of Mary or the Canticle of Mary — is a canticle frequently sung liturgically in Christian church services. It is one of the eight most ancient Christian hymns and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn...
for soprano, violin and organ (composed 1999. Paris: Leduc, 2002) - GloriaGloria in Excelsis Deo"Gloria in excelsis Deo" is the title and beginning of a hymn known also as the Greater Doxology and the Angelic Hymn. The name is often abbreviated to Gloria in Excelsis or simply Gloria.It is an example of the psalmi idiotici "Gloria in excelsis Deo" (Latin for "Glory to God in the highest")...
for choir and organ (composed 2002. London: UMP, 2002) - Ave maris stellaAve Maris StellaAve Maris Stella is a plainsong Vespers hymn to Mary. It is of uncertain origin and can be dated back at least as far as the eighth century. It was especially popular in the Middle Ages and has been used by many composers as the basis of other compositions...
for choir and organ (composed 2003. London: UMP, 2003) - Phèdre for mezzo soprano and orchestra (composed 2004. London: UMP)
- The Dove for tenor and string quartet (composed 2005. Mainz: Schott, 2006)
- The Dove for tenor (or soprano) and organ (composed 2005. Mainz: Schott, 2006)
- The Dove for tenor and string orchestra (composed 2005. Mainz: Schott, 2005)
- Jesu Redemptor omnium for choir, brass quintet, timpani and percussion (composed 2005. London: UMP)
- Det strømmende: Canon (composed 2005. Unpublished.)
- Magnificat for three treble voices and organ (composed 2006. Mainz: Schott, 2008)
- Nunc dimittisNunc dimittisThe Nunc dimittis is a canticle from a text in the second chapter of Luke named after its first words in Latin, meaning 'Now dismiss...'....
for three treble voices and organ (composed 2006. Mainz: Schott, 2008) - Magnificat for soprano and organ (composed 2006. Mainz: Schott, 2008)
- Verbum caro factum est for three treble voices and organ (composed 2007. Mainz: Schott, 2008)
- The Angel Cried (MegalynarionMegalynarionThe term Megalynarion is used to describe several hymns in the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite...
of PaschaEasterEaster is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
) for SATB choir and congregation (composed 2007. Mainz: Schott, 2008) - Set Me As A Seal Upon Your Heart (Læg mig som en seglring ved dit hjerte) for SATB choir a cappella (composed 2008. Mainz: Schott, 2009)
- Amazing Grace for soprano (ad libitum) and organ (composed 2009. Unpublished.)
See also
- Angelo, Carl. Naji Hakim’s “Symphony in Three Movements for Organ”: Historical Background and Structural Analysis. D.M. document, Indiana University, 1991.
- Chase, Thomas. “An Interview with Naji Hakim.” The American Organist 30 (1996): 68-70.
- Davis, Hope Alysia. An Examination of Compositional Techniques in Selected Organ Solo Compositions of Naji Hakim. D.M.A. document, Louisiana State University, 1996.
- Dawes, Christopher. “Le Style, c’est l’homme...: an interview with Naji Hakim.” Organ Alternatives 9 (Autumn/Winter 2001): 2-5.
- Dhaussy, Jacques. “Naji Hakim : « Rendre la musique d’église à des personnes compétentes »” Una Voce 216 (Janvier-Février 2001): 24-26.
- Dufourcet, Marie-Bernadette. “Entretien avec Naji Hakim.” L’Orgue 210 (April, May, June 1989): 20-21.
- Johansen, Amy. “Naji Hakim: An Introduction to His Life and Works.” The American Organist 24 (May 1990): 288-290.
- Larson, Karen E. Pitch and Proportion in “The Embrace of Fire” by Naji Hakim. D.M. document, Indiana University, 1993.
External links
- The official website of Naji Hakim, composer and organist
- Naji Hakim SchottSchott MusicSchott Music is one of the oldest German music publishers. It is also one of the largest music publishing houses in Europe and is currently the second oldest music publishing house. The company headquarters of Schott Music was founded by Bernhard Schott in Mainz, Germany in 1770.Established in...
- UMP Composers - Naji Hakim