Classical music from Algeria. ‘La noria des modes’.
In this episode of Orient Express we will listen to ‘La noria de modes’ (Na’ourat Al-toubou’ aka Djessa Errahaoui ) or the wheel of the modes, a well known piece from the Arab-Andalusian music tradition. This tradition derives from the Arabic medieval South Spain and is called Malouf in Tunis and eastern Algeria.
‘La noria de modes’ is named after a poem by the Tunisian poet and mystic Mohammed Al – Dharif (o.1385). The poem is originally an ode to the prophet Mohamad and his grandson Al-Husayn. The poem has different mystical interpretations and quotes the names of 12 modes of the North African music tradition: dhil, raml, asbihan,sika, muhayyir, mazmoum, rasd, maya, asbiaïn, iraq, hsaïne en nawa.
The musicians perform every couplet of the accompanying mode. They close with the start mode “dhil”, as a cycle. They choose a variety between vocal and instrumental improvisations in which every mode clearly comes up, with a lot of attention and feeling for the subtle transitions between the different modes.
We will listen to two beautiful executions by two masters of the Malouf tradition from the city Constantine in Algeria:the first is an historic recording of Sjeich Raymond (o.1961). The second execution is by Salim Fergani (the son and successor of the master Hadj Mohammed Tahar Fergani). Salim gives a much longer interpretation in which he complements the original poem with other poems. We will close this programme with an execution of a suite from the Malouf tradition.
Playlist:
– ‘Djessa Errahaoui’ (an historic recording) by Cheikh Raymond, Concert Public de Malouf Universite Populaire de Constantine 1954 Vol.II) Al-sur CD ALCD 134……. 14:56
Cheikh Raymond Leyris (ud, vocals), Gaston Ghrenassia (later known as Enrico Macias) (guitar), Sylvain Ghrenassia (viola), Abdel Hmid Benkartousa (flute), Nathan Bentari (darabouka, drum), Haim Benbala (tar), Larbi Belmari, Abdelhak Benabes (nahrat, percussion).
– ‘La noria de los modos’ door Salim Fergani and ensemble, Pneuma CD PN890… 70.04
(Salim Fergani vocals, ‘ud), Yusef Bounas (Djuwaq, fhal, flute) Nabil Taleb (violin) Bashir Ghouli (tar, tambourin) and Khaled Smair (darbouka, drum)
– ‘Nouba Sika’ (Çika) Orchestre Constantinois) orchest de konstantin led by Taoufik Bestandji (kwithra, vocals), Mourad Fergani (guitar), Abdi Hmidou (flute) and the qanun player Lakhal Belhaddad. Al-sur CD ALCD-150…… 30.00
