FIRE OF PASSION. CONSTANTINE THE GREAT AND ANDALUSIAN MUSIC
Classical Arabic music originated in Baghdad during the caliphate of Mahdi Ibn al-Mansur in the year 775. Ziryab brought this music to Spain, where it established itself independently of the oriental world and a new style emerged from the fusion with the music already present on the Iberian Peninsula. Ibn Baya (Avempace, d. 1138) was the actual founder of the Arab-Andalusian school, which developed until the fall of Granada in 1492 and can still be found in its original form, with some losses and additions, throughout the Maghreb.
Today, Constantine is the cultural capital of eastern Algeria. Its musical heritage, which has been handed down orally, is widely known and has been memorized by all traditional musicians in the region, including the cities of Annaba and Guelma. This heritage is based on two repertoires: the classical and the popular, both of which play an essential role in the social and intellectual life of Constantine.
The classical repertoire is known as Maluf or Arabo-Andalusian music. The origin and meaning of the word Maluf is debated. Artwork, composition, “ma'ulifa samá uhu” (that which is commonly heard). Maluf encompasses the classical, cultured, and refined music performed in the region, including Tunisia, Libya, and the Constantine region of Algeria.
In addition to vocals, the traditional classical formation includes five instruments: the ud al-'arbi (a four-stringed lute tuned in interlocking fifths), the djuwáq or fhal (small flute with an oblique tongue), the kemancha (viola), the darbuka (drum in the shape of a cup) and the tar (tambourine).
THE SILSILA
The silsila (or chain) is a succession of linked poems preceded by an istikbar. The Istikbar is an improvised and spontaneous song that reflects the singer's feelings at that moment. It consists of four parts: beginning, development, djwab and end or qufla. Between these parts, improvised instrumental responses are given: first the lute, then the fhal and finally the viola.