Sanaa (music)

The sanÃÂ¢a or sanÃÂ¢a of Algiers (arabic: ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂµÃÂÃÂÃÂ¹ÃÂ©, ÃÂ-Ã¡Â¹Â¢an'a) or simply the Andalusian, refers to the Algerian Arab-Andalusian classical repertoire of the school of Algiers, and which tradition relates to the city of Cordoba in Al-Andalus.

Origin and meaning

SanÃÂ¢a or san'a means "musical mastery", "embellished" or "craft(ed)". This is the specific name attributed in Algeria to the Andalusi nubah of Algiers, to be distinguished from the Gharnati of Tlemcen and the Malouf of Constantine.

However, the sanÃÂ¢a of Algiers shares many similarities with the Gharnati of Tlemcen. The schism between them occurred by 1946, with the creation of the Arab-Andalusian classical orchestra of Radio d'Alger.

Features

Modes

The sanaa musical system is a modal system, based on sixteen modes (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ·ÃÂ¨ÃÂ¹: Ã¡Â¹Â¬abÃÂ¿, ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ·ÃÂ¨ÃÂÃÂ¹: pl. tÃÂ«bÃÂ«b') which are divided into two main groups : principal modes, defined on the basis of seven istiÃ¡Â¸Â¥bÃÂr (vocal and instrumental semi-improvisations), and derived modes.

IstiÃ¡Â¸Â¥bÃÂr MawwÃÂl :
* MawwÃÂl (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂ)
** DÃÂ«l (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ°ÃÂÃÂ)
** RaÃ¡Â¹Â£d ÃÂ-DÃÂ«l (ÃÂ±ÃÂµÃÂ¯ ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ°ÃÂÃÂ)
** MÃÂya (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ©)
IstiÃ¡Â¸Â¥bÃÂr ZÃÂ«dÃÂn :
* ZÃÂ«dÃÂn (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ²ÃÂÃÂ¯ÃÂ§ÃÂ)
** Raml (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ±ÃÂÃÂ)
** MÃÂ§ÃÂnba (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂ¬ÃÂÃÂ¨ÃÂ©)
IstiÃ¡Â¸Â¥bÃÂr Raml ÃÂl-MÃÂya :
* Raml ÃÂl-MÃÂya (ÃÂ±ÃÂÃÂ ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ©)
** RaÃ¡Â¹Â£d (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ±ÃÂµÃÂ¯)
IstiÃ¡Â¸Â¥bÃÂr al-'Iraq :
* 'Iraq (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ¹ÃÂ±ÃÂ§ÃÂ)
** Ã¡Â¸Â¤sÃÂ«n (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂ³ÃÂÃÂ)
** ÃÂ rÃÂ«b (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂºÃÂ±ÃÂÃÂ¨)
** ÃÂ rÃÂ«bat ÃÂl-Ã¡Â¸Â¤sÃÂ«n (ÃÂºÃÂ±ÃÂÃÂ¨ÃÂ© ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂ³ÃÂÃÂ)
IstiÃ¡Â¸Â¥bÃÂr ÃÂ¦ÃÂrkÃÂ :
* ÃÂ¦ÃÂrkÃÂ (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ¬ÃÂ§ÃÂ±ÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂ)
IstiÃ¡Â¸Â¥bÃÂr SÃÂ«kÃÂ :
* SÃÂ«kÃÂ (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ³ÃÂÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂ)
IstiÃ¡Â¸Â¥bÃÂr MÃÂzmÃÂ«m :
* MÃÂzmÃÂ«m (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂ²ÃÂÃÂÃÂ)

The French musicologist, Jule Rouanet, added other modes considered as lost :

AsbaÃÂ¿ayn (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂµÃÂ¨ÃÂ¹ÃÂÃÂ)
Ã¡Â¸Â¤sÃÂ«n AÃ¡Â¹Â£ÃÂ«l (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂ³ÃÂÃÂ ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂµÃÂÃÂ)
Ã¡Â¸Â¤sÃÂ«n Ã¡Â¹Â¢abÃÂ (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂ³ÃÂÃÂ ÃÂµÃÂ¨ÃÂ§)
Ã¡Â¸Â¤sÃÂ«n ÃÂ¿UÃÂ¡ÃÂyrÃÂn (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂ³ÃÂÃÂ ÃÂ¹ÃÂ´ÃÂÃÂ±ÃÂ§ÃÂ)
IÃ¡Â¹Â£bahÃÂn KabÃÂ«r (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂµÃÂ¨ÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂ ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂ¨ÃÂÃÂ±)
IÃ¡Â¹Â£bahÃÂn Ã¡Â¹Â¢aÃÂ¡ir (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂµÃÂ¨ÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂ ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂµÃÂºÃÂÃÂ±)
RahÃÂwi (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ±ÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ)
Raml ÃÂl-ÃÂ¿AÃÂ¡iyya (ÃÂ±ÃÂÃÂ ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ¹ÃÂ´ÃÂÃÂ©)
MÃÂya FÃÂriÃÂ¡ (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ© ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂ±ÃÂº)
ÃÂ¿UÃÂ¡ÃÂ¡ÃÂq (ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂ¹ÃÂ´ÃÂÃÂ§ÃÂ)

Rhythmic system

The rhythmic system of the sanaa takes into account percussion, melody and prosody rhythms, which distinguishes it from the Andalusian muwashshah whose rhythm is based exclusively on the music.

The rhythm of the percussion is relatively simple:

MizÃÂ¢n al-BaÃÂ¡raf (DTT): a three-beat rhythm or , used for the three first phases of the nuba (MÃ¡Â¹Â£eddar, BÃ¡Â¹ÂÃÂyÃ¡Â¸Â¥ÃÂ« and DerÃÂ§) and for their kÃÂ»rsi.
MizÃÂ¢n al-InÃ¡Â¹Â£irÃÂf (DTD TTT): a two units of three beats rhythm , used for the fourth phase (InÃ¡Â¹Â£irÃÂf), tÃÂ«ÃÂ¡iyyet al-inÃ¡Â¹Â£irÃÂfÃÂt and for qadriyyÃÂt ÃÂ-Ã¡Â¹Â£an'a.
MizÃÂ¢n al-HÃÂ±alÃÂs (DÃ¢ÂÂDÃ¢ÂÂTT) : derived from mizÃÂ¢n al-InÃ¡Â¹Â£irÃÂf by substituting silences for two beats of the inÃ¡Â¹Â£irÃÂf rhythm. It is used for the fifth phase (HÃÂ±alÃÂs).
MÃÂ®zÃÂn a-SufyÃÂn : known as mÃÂ®zÃÂn ÃÂl-InqilÃÂbÃÂt in Algiers.

Genres

The nuba

The oldest elements of the Andalusian repertoire are organized into large suites (nÃÂ»ba (arabic: ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¨ÃÂ©), pl. nubÃÂ¢t (arabic: ÃÂ§ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¨ÃÂ§ÃÂª)) consisting of different vocal and instrumental mouvement of different tempi and percussive cycles. Furthermore, each nuba possesses a large set of pieces that are never played entirely.

The Algerian nuba repertoire is modular, each one is based on one main musical mode (tab') which gives it its name. We identify twelve complete nuba and four which are incomplete.

References