I've posted two examples thus far of what I now discover is a distinct genre, called Gharnati. This is music of the North African littoral evidently derived from Andalusia in Spain (birthplace also of my beloved cante flamenco). The name Gharnati is alleged to derive from the Arabic word for the city of Granada. Here is a brief blurb off the Internet:
"Through the arabic language, Morocco received from the Orient an important artistic heritage. It was enriched after that with the Andalus culture (hispano-moorish).
Nowadays, a part of the musical tradition of this precious heritage appears in the countries of the Maghreb under the name of Gharnati maluf and, recently, the andalus music. Cordoba, Sevilla, Granada all shared in the boost of the language, the poetry and the andalus music .
The andalus music reigns as master of all events, weddings, romantic evenings...etc.
Despite of the beautiful melodies of the instruments it is the singing that prevails in this art and it is made of two genres:
*The melismatic solo with a free and improvised rhythm backed up by a single instrument. [or by the entire ensemble].
*The syllabical singing, whose melody is set and predetermined, sung by a choir sometimes punctuated by solo performances."
This was from the website of a group of Gharnati enthusiast-performers; I have slightly edited it. What pleases me about Gharnati is its characteristic in the slow introductions of a strong drone component from the orchestra, over which the vocal soloist weaves the melody--I have always been susceptible to the charms of such music. The Scottish bagpipe also contains within itself the components of such music, in that a bagpipe hosts three drones providing the background, and the chanter carrying the melody.
Another thing that struck me again about Gharnati is the degree to which Alan Hovhaness' Piano Concerto No. 1, Lousadzak, resembles very closely Gharnati--too closely to be coincidence; I think it clear that Hovhaness was directly inspired by Gharnati in the composition of Lousadzak.
It turns out that there is a wealth of Gharnati on YouTube--another reason, along with flamenco, for me to appreciate the influence of Andalusia as a center of musical innovation and dispersal.
"Through the arabic language, Morocco received from the Orient an important artistic heritage. It was enriched after that with the Andalus culture (hispano-moorish).
Nowadays, a part of the musical tradition of this precious heritage appears in the countries of the Maghreb under the name of Gharnati maluf and, recently, the andalus music. Cordoba, Sevilla, Granada all shared in the boost of the language, the poetry and the andalus music .
The andalus music reigns as master of all events, weddings, romantic evenings...etc.
Despite of the beautiful melodies of the instruments it is the singing that prevails in this art and it is made of two genres:
*The melismatic solo with a free and improvised rhythm backed up by a single instrument. [or by the entire ensemble].
*The syllabical singing, whose melody is set and predetermined, sung by a choir sometimes punctuated by solo performances."
This was from the website of a group of Gharnati enthusiast-performers; I have slightly edited it. What pleases me about Gharnati is its characteristic in the slow introductions of a strong drone component from the orchestra, over which the vocal soloist weaves the melody--I have always been susceptible to the charms of such music. The Scottish bagpipe also contains within itself the components of such music, in that a bagpipe hosts three drones providing the background, and the chanter carrying the melody.
Another thing that struck me again about Gharnati is the degree to which Alan Hovhaness' Piano Concerto No. 1, Lousadzak, resembles very closely Gharnati--too closely to be coincidence; I think it clear that Hovhaness was directly inspired by Gharnati in the composition of Lousadzak.
It turns out that there is a wealth of Gharnati on YouTube--another reason, along with flamenco, for me to appreciate the influence of Andalusia as a center of musical innovation and dispersal.
