Algerian Andalusian music

Andalusian music: what you need to know about its origins in Algeria

Known as Andalusian music, Arab-Andalusian music or Hispano-Arab music, San'a or malouf originated in North Africa. Their various roots can be found in Arab countries such as Algeria. We take you on a tour of this musical repertoire in Algeria.

Where does Andalusian music come from?

Although the subject has been the subject of controversy in the past among both Arabs and Andalusians, today it is easy to determine the origin of Andalusian music. Indeed, one of the episodes in the history of this magnificent musical style dates back to 1236, when the Algerian town of Tlemcen became the new home of the Cordovan Muslims driven out by the Reconquista. They settled in the region with all their traditions, including their music.

The birth of this music is attributed to Abu Al-Hassan Ali Ben Nafi, also known as Ziryab. This composer, born in 789 in Cordoba, arrived in the court of the Umayyad emirate of Cordoba in 822. His role was to create a new Arab-Muslim musical civilisation for the monarch. Where his predecessors, singers from Syria and Iraq, had failed, Ziryab succeeded.

By the age of twelve he had mastered the oud to perfection, and by 19 he was adding a fifth string to his barbats, winning the admiration of the Baghdad monarch. He nevertheless left the region to go to Kairouan, where his reputation grew before returning to Cordoba. His prestige earned him two hundred gold coins every month from the Umayyad Emir Abd al-Rahman II. He was also given land, houses and many other gifts.

The approaches and development of Andalusian music with Ziryab

According to Poché and Shiloah, two musicologists passionate about the study of Arab and Muslim culture, the creator of Andalusian music was simply a genius. The two experts are in fact basing themselves on the manuscript drawn up by al-Maqqari, a biographer who lived from 1561 to 1632. In his book, "Brises de parfums de la tendre arborescence Andalousie", al-Maqqari gives many more details about Ziryab.

According to the book, this musical genius laid the foundations of this music. He composed numerous songs based on forms of poetry such as muwashshah and zadjal. This musical system, similar to the Persian and Byzantine styles, is based on 24 noubas that correspond to each hour of the day. It also centres on 24 modes, which obviously refer to the 24 hours of the day.

The nouba is the very foundation of Andalusian music, and used to mean "to wait one's turn". The singer-composer perfected it by introducing castrati, whose voices are impressive and breathtaking. Even today, although only 12 of these original noubas are still in use, each one comprises a series of musical movements based on instruments and composed of poetry. These noubas also inspired other musical styles, such as the Cantigas de Santa Maria, the troubadours and even flamenco.

Its influence also extended to the West, where writers such as Camille Saint-Saëns used it to write their works. To perpetuate this heritage, Ziryab founded a music school and even tried to incorporate other forms of music such as romanceros and Gregorian chants into Andalusian music.

Andalusian music in Algeria after Ziryab

A few centuries later, Muwashshah and Zadjal were born, two poetic-musical forms that did not originate in the East. They marked the emergence of new poetic figures such as Yahya Ibn Baqqî, Abu Bakr Al-Abyad and Ibn Baja. The latter modified the nuba by inserting new forms of poetry.

He also wrote books, the most famous of which is "Tabrir al-Mutawahhid". In 1609, with the expulsion of the Muslims of Al-Andalusis to North Africa, Algeria, and in particular the cities of Tlemcen and Algiers, became the capital of the San'a, the name given to Andalusian music in Algiers. The repertoire of Arabo-Andalusian music developed at the Algiers school is most closely related to the Cordoba tradition. For its part, the Tlemcen school developed the Gharnati and exported it to Morocco at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Unlike the Algiers school, the Gharnati musical repertoire remains much more closely linked to the city of Granada. It should also be pointed out that the Constantine school had its own malouf, a learned Arab-Andalusian musical repertoire that is closer to Seville. In fact, there are no major differences between these three centres, which share the same texts in the mouachah and zadjal forms.

However, each has its own rhythms and melodies. Even today, Andalusian music is perpetuated by great Algerian names who have not hesitated to export it internationally. These include Esma Alla, Lila Borsali, Rym Hakiki and the late Kaddour Darsouni. And if you're wondering what instruments are used in this music, just remember that there are several types. They include the riqq, naqarat, darbouka, oud, rebec, nay and qanûn.