Andalusi Music of Tlemcen

When the Andalusian cities fell, the musical traditions of their courts moved across to North Africa and settled in particular cities, developing into distinct schools. Algeria carries three: the san'a of Algiers, the malouf of Constantine and the gharnati of Tlemcen, which takes its name from Granada. The gharnati repertoire is organised into nubas, suites of sung and instrumental movements in fixed modes and rhythmic cycles, performed by an ensemble of oud, rabab, violin, qanun and percussion with a chorus. In Tlemcen it is kept alive largely by amateur associations that teach children and hold concerts, and by a festival that brings performers from Morocco and elsewhere.

The main sights

• The gharnati repertoire - nubas in fixed modes and rhythmic cycles.
• Oud, rabab and qanun - the ensemble the school is built on.
• Amateur associations - the societies that teach and perform it.
• The Tlemcen festival - performers gathering from across the Maghreb.

When to go

Year round, with festivals concentrated in the warmer months and Ramadan evenings. An evening. Programming is announced locally and at short notice.

Good to know

Concerts are not scheduled for visitors and finding one takes local enquiry. Performances are long and formal. The music rewards familiarity and can seem uniform on first hearing. Recordings are easier to find than live performances.

Nearby

The Great Mosque is in the city; Sidi Boumediene lies above it.