Spectacle "Samaâ" de l'Ensemble Mechket

 

L'Orchestre National de Musique sous la direction de Mohamed Lassoued présente le spectacle musical "Samaa" de l'ensemble de musique Sufi Mechket.

 

Le spectacle:

Sufi music is classified under the term “Samaâ”, (Listening) which is a foundational element in the literature of Sufism. Among professional musicians, lyricists, and vocalists it is referred to as “Sober Malouf” as opposed to “Frivolous Malouf”. Sober Malouf revolves around matters of Faith and of the Sacred, Belief in and Love of God, Love of His Prophets and Saints. It is fully dedicated to the Human condition in the Here and the Hereafter.
The other Malouf, instead, revolves around more earthly pleasures, which led Sufis to call it “frivolous”, since it does not evoke the destiny of mankind in its absolute dimension, but rather limits itself to the earthly. Nevertheless, Sober Malouf and Frivolous Malouf do intersect, particularly in melodies and in the poetic texts. These are generally the very same poems in both cases, but their meanings are interpreted within the Sufi chants in a completely different dimension from when they are used in the more worldly chants. In the Sufi chants, these texts turn into symbols and references of spiritual and transcendental dimensions, totally removed from those meanings shared by poets of traditional genres.
 

Sufis preferred pure music (instrumental music) in order to revive the spirit and cause the whole being to ascend to the world to the world of epiphanies. Oftentimes, original rhythmic structures and melodies are generated within the atmosphere of Sufi music including Dhekr and Sama’a which later disseminate and become mainstream genre fully integrated in the prevalent traditions and part of the framework of reference of the genre itself.
The “Sober Malouf” and chanting takes on the traditional course of Malouf in its melodic gradual buildup from simple to complex and from slow to rapid rhythms, similar to the rhythms of the Hadra and Dhekr gatherings. Percussion instruments occupy a central position in this genre which is performed in Sama’s circles mostly still carried out in the oral tradition, not yet in written record despite it being preserved with great care and performed with notable mastery.
The performance contains examples of “Sober Malouf” poems similar to those of Ibn Faredh and Busairi with some improvisations and mainstream poems. In addition, we will discover the role of instruments associated with “Sama’a” through partitions and singing.