The 15th edition of the National Festival of Art of Malhoun will take place from the 21st to 29th of July in Fez under the theme "for the preservation of our artistic heritage"
Organised by the urban community of the city of Fez, this cultural event aims to perpetuate and enhance intangible cultural heritage and to promote its influence.
The Malhoun Festival includes a wide range of cultural activities and thematic conferences with professionals and researchers in the field.
This festival performances are planned in many areas of the spiritual capital such as Jnan Sbil and Jardin Lalla Amina. It is expected to involve a dozen Malhoun groups and orchestras from various regions of Morocco.
Mohamed Soussi (photo Sandy McCutcheon)
It includes exhibitions on the subject including publications of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco and a ceremony in homage to the artist Mohamed Soussi, president of the association "Thami El Medghari for the art of Malhoun".
For Arabic and French speakers wanting to delve deeper into the Moroccan psyche, there are plenty of books available. However, if you are an English speaker, the range is extremely limited. This is not just a problem for prospective readers but lack of access to translators is also an issue for authors. Recently, The View From Fez, sat down with two Moroccan writers to discuss the problem
Fouad Guessous
Fouad Guessous is a man with a deep love and knowledge of Melhoun poetry. Melhoun is said to have first emerged as a pure literary creation in the Tafilalet oases of southern Morocco in the fifteenth century. And it is from this region that Fouad Guessous opens his remarkable compilation of sixty-three poems in the original Arabic alongside superb French translations. The first two of the thirty-two poets, to whom he introduces the reader, hail from Tafilalet - Mohammed Masmoudi (17th C) and the man who laid down the rules that allowed enrichment of the art form, Abdeleziz Maghraoui.
Today the Melhoun form has spread through the Maghreb, where it is referred to as laqsida in Moroccan Arabic. In standard Arabic it is known as 'qasida" (Arabic: القصيدة) or "zajal" (Arabic: الزجل).
The laqsida is usually in three parts. There is an overture followed by verses sung solo, which in turn are interrupted by the harba refrain between the verses. Another refrain, called dridka (Arabic: الدريدكة) is a simplified form of the harba, taking off from an accelerated rhythm to announce the end of a laqsida.
Fouad Guessous points out that the "true Melhoun" is the section that is sung solo, while the instrumental music of the harba is purely to allow the singer a short break. Morocco produced a great number of poets from Fez, Meknes and Marrakech who adopted the Melhoun form to spread popular poetry.
Guessous's compilation of sixty-three laqsida, is above all a work of love. The translations to the French are superbly crafted and deserve to be read far wider than by those for whom Melhoun is simply the object of academic study. Therein lies the problem. Although the first edition was published back in 2008, Guessous has yet to find a translator to bring the poems to English speakers.
Guessous is adamant, "Translation is a difficult task at the best of times, but much more so when the text is poetic. It needs a poet. It must be the work of a poet." He has yet to find one.
In the same predicament is Hamadcha Sufi Tariqa (Brotherhood) mqaddem (leader) Abderrahim Amrani, who has compiled an impressive list of contributors to a book on the poetry of the Hamadcha Tariqa in Sidi Ali. The book is available only in Arabic, but a French edition is expected in the near future. However, like Fouad Guessous, Abderrahim knows that an English language edition is the key to wider exposure.
Amrani's collection of articles, poetry and historical photographs of the Hamadcha Brotherhood and the Mausoleum of the Tariqa's founder, Sidi Ali Ben Hamdoush, is a gem. The title of the book is itself poetic in Arabic, translating (perhaps) as "The Book of Watering the Flowers of Sidi ibn Hamdoush". In Moroccan Arabic the word used for "book" in the title is an old and very poetic form kunnäsh, rendering the title as:
Kunnäsh Azzahr al Marshoush
Fi Qasäid Sidi Ali Ibn Hamdoush
For those interested in the Hamadcha, this book is essential reading and the photographs from the turn of last century are historically important. The more modern history of the Hamadcha, such as their highly successful tour in Australia, sadly don't get a mention.
Amrani and Guessous - two characters in search of a translating poet
Once again this is a book that, as Guessous said, needs a poet as translator. To let it rest among the huge list of works untranslated would be a shame for those who love the Sufi tradition in Morocco.
Text and photographs: Sandy McCutcheon
Anthologie de la poésie du Melhoun marocain by Fouad Guessous ISBN 978-9954-8323-6-X Kunnâsh Azzahr Al-Maroush Fi Qasâid Sidi Ali Ibn Hamdoush by Abderrahim Amrani published by Gnôsis - Éditions de France - (Yahya Cheikh) ISBN 978-2-35750-015-0
When Cinema Amal in Rcif closed a couple of years ago the promise was that the building would be turned into a cultural centre. Now we can report that this has happened and this week has been the venue for a series of Melhun related events including music and poetry
In its poetic or musical form, Melhun is a typically Moroccan genre where many elements of literature and the Moroccan arts converge and are underpinned by the rhythms of Andalous music (the zajal) and popular melodies. The melhun, originally a pure literary creation, emerged as a poetic art today known in Morocco under the name of "qasida" (meaning "poem") (Arabic: القصيدة) or "zajal" (Arabic: الزجل). Combined with music, it quickly spread across the country where it acquired fame particularly among artisans.A true poetic art, Melhun is the most elaborate form of poetry that exists in Moroccan Arabic. Melhun is also the music of the city’s artisans. It was traditionally sung by the tanners, bakers, coppersmiths and others. Melhun has a considerable repertoire of poems written in Moroccan Arabic.
Mohamed Souss, a melhun master is introduced to the audience
A knowledgeable audience appreciates the concert
The stars of melhoun music were all present and the likes of Fouad Amri, Mohammed Soussi, Mohamed Njioui, and M'hamed El Hadri were all in top form.
The festival continues today with a concert in the Fez Prefecture Hall.
No road-trip would be complete without at least one unexpected diversion. In our case there were two.
Prior to the first night's concert we stopped off for coffee and had a chance meeting with some truly interesting characters - painters, poets and writers. Among them was the charismatic Abdul Hamid Gharbowy who became an instant friend.
Abdul Hamid Gharbowy
Stumbling out for some fresh air the following morning we immediately bumped into Abdul Hamid Gharbowy who, in true Moroccan style, invited us to vist his home and gallery.
It was an unexpected treat as the paintings were wonderful - mainly acrylic, but some interesting collage work as well as calligraphic embellishments. The style was fresh, modern, invigorating and certainly worth a second visit in the future.
Then, to our bleary-eyed astonishment, we were treated to a recitation of poetry from one of his many published works. A rare treat and it was no surprise to learn he had previously worked as an actor. A few years earlier, we commented, he would have made a fine Hamlet. Many of his stories are written for children, but one senses there is a great novel in him, awaiting the right moment to emerge - inshallah.
All the world's a stage....
The second diversion was one of a musical kind. Rumour had it that somewhere in the back streets of Casablanca was a small shop that stocked vinyl records - genuine old LPs and 45s. It took some finding, but eventually we found the amazing ...
This shop holds a treasure trove of recordings from the golden age of Egyptian music. Artists such as Umm Kulthum, Abd al-Halim Hafiz, Farid al-Atrash, etc., as well as some of the foundational Moroccan musicians from the mid-twentieth century, artists like Nass al-Ghiwane, Jil Jilala, Hamid al-Zahir, and many other folk, shaabi, Malhun, and Andalusian musicians. Most of the stock here has never been played!
The records are pristine, some with slightly faded covers or a bit of mold from siting untouched for thirty plus years. The beautiful dark hardwood displays give this place the feel of a museum, while accentuating the vivid and colourful artwork of these rare gems. The prices are extremely reasonable, however if you are a collector be warned it is easy to spend money here. We left with bags of records, and the proprietor? Smiling; set up for the rest of this Ramadan and possibly the next one as well.
MEANWHILE.... Back with the Hamadsha
After only five hours sleep during the 48 hour marathon, Chris Witulski reflects on a memorable and rewarding experience.
At the feet of a master musician - The View from Fez's Chris Witulski found the experience extremely valuable
When I look back at this time that we spent together, all of us, in Casablanca, I continue to dwell on the few memorable hours between the end of the first concert and the extraordinarily late Ramadan bedtime.
After we ate the "dinner" that followed the concert, the entire posse retired to the shared flat around the corner. In both large rooms, musicians took up residence on the long couches that wound around the space.
In the main meeting room, where Sandy, Phil, and I ended up sleeping hours later, two players began to sing old songs from Eastern Morocco and Algeria. These masters made each other tear up as they made their way through the long stories that comprise the lyrics of these tunes from their youth. Reclining listeners joined in for choruses and verses that they remembered and the younger members of the group watched intently, hoping to learn.
The ensemble was made up of a number of respected elders, but they were offset by promising young talents, including two women. More women are taking up music in Morocco, but they, just like other players of the coming generation, are attempting to balance their musical skills against the demands of their studies in vastly unrelated fields.
These opportunities, I can only hope, are as fulfilling for them as they are for us researchers. The evening saw a number of mini-lessons as the elder generation taught short improvisations and melodic fragments to the younger players, and within the concerts themselves, they conceded space for these growing instrumentalists to lead sections and take solos.
Sharqawi conducts the jam session
The most endearing part of the evening, for me, however, was after about half of the group had gone to sleep in the main room. As people were lying down, they struggled to sleep due to the raucous energy coming from the next room.
I wandered over to listen to all the singing. Faiçel, a phenomenal oud player, was leading the performance of hours and hours of Egyptian popular music, all but dragging the tiring vocalists deep into the night. Hakima, one of the group's featured performers, and Sara, a younger singer who shared the stage for a duet on the second night, were giggling together like mother and daughter as they belted out the love songs of Um Kulthoum and Abd al-Halim Hafez.
The instrumentalists in the room, mostly violinists and suissen players (a smaller instrument plucked with a pic like a guitar) were jumping in with the chorus parts, and the noise meant that, somewhere around 3:00am, we had to close the window in case someone, somewhere was actually trying to sleep. (The door, however, stayed open, despite poor Sandy, who had attempted unsuccessfully to go to bed hours earlier just a few feet away…)
Majdouline - an oud player with a great singing voice
When the songs lulled, a new leader would emerge, often from the younger players. Majdouline, a 22 year old oud player, began to belt a lesser-known song, which prompted everyone to quietly listen as she performed for her new peers.
Appreciative applause grew into yet another 20-minute composition and so on until Fajr, the call to pray that signaled the beginning of the next day's Ramadan fasting. I needed to try and sleep, but the music continued even as I drifted off in the next room.
Algerian, Moroccan and American musicians - a true fusion
A rare instrument, the suisson, is not easy to play - Mohamed Masbahi makes it look easy!
The beauty of this is not that Sandy, Phil, and I did good research, got some good photos, and collected stories. By spending days with this same group of Moroccan musicians and music lovers, we build relationships that will continue. Now, when I visit Meknes or Rabat, I have a slightly larger handful of people that I absolutely have to call and see.
Instead of asking questions, we sat and laughed together. Instead of working out details, we shared an art. Mustafa Khalili, the director of the festival and a small man who never ceased acting like a jolly and excited child surrounded by his closest friends, refused to let us walk out the door at the end of the second evening. We fought our way through, though, with a long series of promises to return in the future.
After the travelling, rehearsals and concert, the party went on until 5 am... the aftermath was predictable
The View from Fez team would like to thanks the Fez Hamadsha and Abd ar-Rahim Amrani, the artistic director of the festival and leader of the Hamadsha of Fes for inviting us to participate and to record all the events.
11 pm
The 2012 Casablanca Malhun Festival kicked off at 11 pm with a venue packed with local families. It was a beautiful evening with pleasant temperature and a gorgeous venue. The event continued over two days and, although it was a malhun festival, it included a number of other types of music. It opened with Sufi music from performers of Ahl Touat, then we took the stage for the first of two nights of malhun poetry and songs.
Not your standard MC - she was greeted warmly by the crowd
Malhun - great music
We were invited to share the stage with a malhun ensemble composed of musicians from across Morocco. Salé, Rabat, Oujda, Fez, and Meknes were all well represented as we gathered together to perform. Malhun, a form of sung poetry, is an old and purely Moroccan form of popular music. The songs are comprised of texts that straddle the line between Moroccan and classical registers of Arabic and can extend to 20 or 30 minutes. The backing music is not too complex, but is heavily ornamented and allows for space for people like Fouad (Philip Murphy) and Driss (Chris Witulski) to find a sweet spot.
Hamid el-Qasri playing the gimbri
Gnawa
We were followed by Hamid el-Qasri, the famous Gnawa fusion artist. We had heard him on the radio in the bus on the way to Casablanca, only to meet him that same evening. Illa anta fil-maghreb, f-la tistaghreb ("If you're in Morocco, never be astonished").
Members of Hamid el-Qasri's Gnawa group
Driss (Chris Witulski) from The View from Fez with his trademark smile!
One of the great things about a traditional music concert in Morocco, is the attention given to wearing the perfect outfit. Visually it beats the hell out of t-shirt and jeans.
Meryem Chadi, the talented young violinist from Salé
Faiçel Doukkali and Majdouline Benserhir with their ouds
The brilliant Algerian Rachid Toumi
Abd al-Wahid, playing the "hadida," an iron blade from a hoe, and Rashid
Hamid el-Qasri playing the gimbri (left) and one of his group members, on the quraqeb (iron castanets) performing Gnawa music
Faiçel Doukkali and Majdouline Benserhir with their ouds
One of our Fessi Hamdoushi musicians playing the ta'rija
Abd al-Latif and his darbouka
The singers
Abd ar-Rahim Amrani, the artistic director of the festival and leader of the Hamadsha of Fes
Sara Dhanna
Senae Shafira on her debut public performance
Mohamed al-Hashmi, from Algeria
the formidable Hakima Tariq - a crowd favourite
The mutual fan club of Philip Murphy, Majdouline Benserhir, and Chris Witulski
Sharqawi, Amrani, and Sara
The group that brought us so much joy
12 30 am
The Concert finished and after the farewells it was off to change clothes and prepare for dinner which was to be served at 1.30am. What we didn't know then was that the party would continue until after 5am... and the second concert still lay ahead.
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