Rabita Andalusa

Diwan Rabita Andalusa

The excerpts presented in this CD by the ensemble Rabita Andalusa originate in the nuba Istihal, created in Fez in the XVIII century by Hajj Allal and Batla, and for this reason are included within the Kunnash of al-Ha'ik as one of the two strictly Moroccan nawbat among the original body of eleven. According to the typical taste of the embroidery, the last section of the nuba played by Rabita Andalusa (track 15) is an insiraf excerpted from the nuba Rasd ed Dhil, the other nuba of Moroccan origin. The last two pieces (tracks 16 and 17) belong to the repertoire of urban popular music (sha'abi) from the North of Morocco.

Rabita Andalusa is the name given to an ensemble composed of soloists of the Larache Conservatory, the ancient Roman city of Lukhos where, during the golden age of Andalusian-Maghrebi civilization, the sultan Youssef 'Abdelhaqq El Mérini (1258-1281) reigned. The goal of this free-wheeling association of musicians is to give life to the Andalusian-Maghrebi musical repertoire without forgetting it's connections to the popular music of Northern Morocco or the practices of religious brotherhoods.