The Moroccan Nawba: Definition and Structure

Litterally, “Nawba” means “turn”.
According to Dr. Subhi Anwar Rasheed in his reference book “Mujaz Tarikh Al Musiqa Wa Al Ghinae Al-‘Arabi”, published in Baghdad in 2000, the terminology “Nawba” in its literary meaning was first used during the Abbasid Era, more exactly, under the reign of the third Caliph Al-Mahdi Ibn Abi Ja’afar Al-Mansur (Caliph from 775 to 785). The term was used to designate whose turn it was to entertain the Caliph. It was, hence, the poet’s “Nawba”, the dancer’s “Nawba”, the singer’s “Nawba”…etc., meaning the poet’s turn, the dancer’s turn, the singer’s turn…etc.
Under Harun Ar-Rasheed, Caliph Abbasid from 786 to 809, the meaning of the term widened and started to be assigned to the actual program performed by an artist.
It wasn’t a turn anymore, but rather the structure of the repertoire performed.
The structure of the Nawba evolved over time and varied from one place to another.
In Baghdad, the Nawba was comprised, up until the 9th century, of four movements:

A fifth movement, Al-Mustazad, was added by Ibn Al Ghaybi in the 9th century.
According to Al-Maqri (1591-1632) in his treatise “Fi Nafhi At-Tayyeb Min Ghusni Al-Andalussi Ar-Ratib”, the Andalusian Nawba played à la Ziryab was comprised of three different movements, with an increasingly faster tempo:

a- The Eleven Nawbat

Today, the Moroccan “Musiqa Al-Ala”, a recent denomination for the repertoire of Moroccan-Andalusian music, is made of eleven Nawbat. Unfortunately, not all these Nawbat were preserved in their integrity. The seven incomplete Nawbat are referred to as the “Yata-im” (Tr. The orphans).

b- The Mizan (pl. Myazen or Mwazen)

Each Nawba is based on Five Myazen (plural of Mizan):

Three exceptions are to be considered as far as the use of Myazen in the Nawbat.
Rasd and Al-Hijaz L-Msharqi (Nawbat 6 & 9) are truncated from their second Mizan, Al-Qayim Wa Nisf.
Also, the ‘Ushshaq (Nawba #11) is lacking the fourth Mizan, the Darj.
Nowhere, in the modern or ancient literature, nor in the CD liners, could I find a reason for these absences.

Each Mizan is preceeded by a prelude or “ouverture”, the function of which is to set the mode in which the mizan is performed.

The prelude is comprised of 3 different parts:

Once these three parts are performed, the Mizan starts.

The Mizan is always performed in four parts:

c- Poetry in the Nawbat

While most of the time the composers of the melodies are unknown and no credit is given to anybody for their compositions, the authors of the lyrics are quite often famous poets whose repertoire is known and well-documented.

The eleven Nawbat are comprised of different kinds of shi’r (poetry). The two major categories are Zajal and Muwashah:

Finally, a presentation of the Nawbat would be incomplete without a presentation of the concept of Tab’.

As defined by Louis Soret, the Tab’ is “the melodic mode, which influences the melodies, developments, therapeutic properties, character, and expression of the Nawba, as well as the occasions and hours of the day when it is to be performed”.

A Nawba is often associated with certain traits of the personality.

Let us consider the example of Nawbat Ghribt-l-hssin.
It is commonly admitted among scholars that this Nawba addresses the woman’s feelings and easy tears. The Nawba speaks to the depth of a woman’s love and affection.
One of the explanations, according to Dr. Mohammed Zniber in his 1985 preface to El Haj Abdelkrim Raiss and Mohammed Briouel’s book “Al Musiqa Al Andalussia Al Maghribia, Nawbat Gharibat-l-hssin”, resides in the name itself.
“Gharibat” is an adjective meaning “stranger”, applied to a feminine subject.
“L-hssin” is a slang pronunciation of the first name “Al Hussayn”.

One of the legends related to this Nawba tells the story of a maid serving a Sultan whose name was Al Hussayn. The servant, native of a faraway land (thus, a stranger, a gharibat), was deeply in love with her Sultan. This love is, of course, not possible because of the status of both protagonists. The servant is obliged to leave the country in order for her to forget about her lover and to free herself from her feelings; that is why one of the Tubu’ is named “Al-Ghariba Al Muharrara”, the liberated and freed “Ghariba”.

Moroccan-Andalusian Music recognizes 26 Tubu’ (plural of Tab’) and each Nawba gets its name from its principal Tab’.

The following chart, established by Mohammed Ibnu L-hussein El-Hayek in 1799, shows the different Nawbat and their Tubu’.

Nawba	Tubu’
Raml Al-Maya	Raml Al-Maya Hamdan Inqilab Ar-Raml Lahssin
Isbihan	Isbihan Zawarkand
Al-Maya	Al-Maya
Rasd Ad-dil	Rasd Ad-dil
Istihlal	Istihlal Iraq Al-‘Arab
Rasd	Rasd Lahssar Zaydan Mazmum
Ghribt L-Hssin	Ghribt L-Hssin L-Ghriba Al-Muharrara Sika
Al-Hijaz L-Kbir	Al-Hijaz L-Kbir L-Msharqi Sghir Mujannabu Ad-dil
Al-Hijaz L-Msharqi	Al-Hijaz L-Msharqi L-Msharqi
Iraq Al-Ajam	Iraq Al-Ajam
‘Ushshaq	‘Ushshaq Ad-Dil Raml Ad-dil

Hicham,
Chicago, December 02nd, 2003