Preview "Memories" By Moulay Ahmed Hadj Benkrizi
Also, I had to impose on me, at my expense, an infernal pace of work until the month of May 1964 when I was assigned to Algiers "indefinitely" with the Central Administration within the Department then located at the Government Palace. Incidentally, I must stress that this decision was arbitrary and unfair officially motivated by "objective" reasons for "overriding needs of service".
Anyway, posting this too was well calculated to extend over a period of sixteen months. Time that I decided to use to rub my gratin that Algiers could count on Andalusian music and that was for the moment, concentrated in the prestigious Association "El-Djazairia Mossilia " in the space had been opened at No. 27 Rue Harrichet (formerly Mogador), just behind the department stores Galeries de la Rue Didouche Algerian Mourad.
So be it that from this point of view, the gross injustice that had befallen my administrative career professional and independent Algeria would at least be compensated by a positive element in that it would surely be the cause of a whole process which I was a hundred miles to imagine the impact on my future and maybe even my whole life. Thus, and once again was forced to do that I took in the spring of 1964 my job at the Government Palace, while my new home was located a few lengths away, at No. 15 of Desfontaines Street adjacent to the Boulevard Mohammed V.
Days stretched into a grueling gloom that is easily explained by family separation and the feeling of powerlessness in the abuse of power by new leaders who were quick to seize the levers. Fortunately, in the new service which I was assigned, I found an old acquaintance of Mostaganem in the person of my friend, the late If M'hamed Benbernou former colleague posted to Algiers at his request a few years earlier , and was surprised to see me land in the Ministry of Finance.
This unexpected meeting at least had the effect of reducing even a little bitterness of nostalgia I felt already, and it is not without pleasure that he too seemed to share that feeling.
is quite by accident that I asked him one day with me at the association's local flagship El Mossilia, I would say "out of curiosity" more than ... " believer. " I must say it was the first time I went into this mecca of Andalusian art and it is not without some trepidation that I prepared to engage in contact with those regarded as legitimate custodians of a legacy bequeathed by ancient masters of several generations all the more prestigious than the others.
It should be noted that this legendary institution was not yet structured to the needs of a rational and serious teaching of Andalusian music, as now, but we can say that after the terrible hardships inherent in War of Liberation nearby, she was changing to new perspectives imminent. For the time courses were divided in two groups based primarily the age of the protagonists from "children" and "adults."
Composed of thirty elements, the first group was headed by the late Hadj Abdelkrim M'hamsadji , famous mandolinist of the RTA, while the second had only a dozen people led by the late Hadj Mohamed BENSEMMANE the mandolin as well.
Also, endowed with a very strong foundation as the point of view of instrumental mastery in terms of specific knowledge Ziryab art is that I was easily integrated presto in the adult group under the rule of Hajj BENSEMMANE so that either way, I will demonstrate an unwavering friendship even after my return to Mosta.
So I participated with a rigorous attendance at rehearsals taking place often in the presence of Master Abderrezak Fakhardji in person, who did not hesitate to join us from time to time in the darbuka, when the need arose. What modesty in the Master! And what an honor for us!
In this regard, it is important to make two points here essential to enlighten the reader on a number of questions that are sure to arise eventually:
1. It should be noted first that during that period, or Hajj Hamidou DJAÏDIR or Sid-Ahmed SERRI had yet taken the burden of providing their valuable knowledge within El Mossilia since Independence.
2. Secondly and most importantly, education was then provided in the two groups focused mainly on learning of "Inqilabate" and "Insirafate" without embracing the practice of "Nuba" Andalusian as I would have liked.
This will be much later, from the years 1967-1968 with the structural reorganization of the country's first major Association, borrowing methods scholastic imperatives imposed by including the first Festival of Classical Music of Algeria initiated by the Ministry of Information and Culture during this period.
But it will be too late for me since I was already back in Mostaganem after you brandished the threat of my resignation outright for the Ministry of Finance if I kept in residence in Algiers.
So here I am back to the fold, where more than three years after Independence, no cultural institution had emerged. This was the status quo ante, that is, the perfect desert, except for some sporadic animated shows from time to time by training outside the region of course.
Most weddings and family celebrations were led by singers " chaabi "homegrown. However wealthy families were still a point of honor to stand by inviting bands from the capital or city of roses to the great satisfaction of the local population. And as always, all music genres were concerned: Andalusian, chaabi, Haouz, Aruba, there was something for everyone.
Regarding my visit to El-Mossilia, we must acknowledge that I have not been given to withdraw a large advantage in the technical field at least. Except, of course, the bonds of sincere friendship with the late Hadj Mohamed BENSEMMANE which has the brilliant idea to put me in contact since 1969 with a great master of Andalusian in the person of his cousin, the late Hadj Omar BENSEMMANE and son of the latter, Yassin as he will reported below. But we're not there yet.
And indeed, later in the year 1966, that is to say less than a year after leaving Algiers and El-Mossilia, I was pleasantly surprised to receive in Mostaganem one sunny summer afternoon the friendly visit of Hadj Mohamed BENSEMMANE accompanied by five former classmates Mossilia, of course all with their musical instruments.
I was of course very sensitive to this mark of attention, and we could spend together three or four days we sat down to use to recreate every night at home after dinner, the atmosphere of the rehearsals that we were accustomed to lead the local 27 of the Rue Mogador.
is approximately in the same year that, under the leadership of the late Benderdouche Abdelkader, the Tourist Information and Tourism Mostaganem began to organize in the hall Specialized Center of Sayada a public concert hosted by El-Mossilia Algiers led this time by Sid-Ahmed Serri with the participation of the famous violinist RTA Hadj Mustapha Kasdal among others. The event was a huge success and will remain etched in our memories.
But I can not resist the need to relate to this subject a little story that keeps me still at heart and I'm not ready to forget:
To cover the cost of care about forty people - (especially among musicians and a large number of escorts) - Who traveled by special bus, entrance fees were set at fifteen dinars per person, which was still a substantial effort. But it is without hesitation that I am eager to purchase three tickets: for my father for my son who was then Fodil nine years, and for myself, is the tidy sum forty-five dinars. A little madness in all, but why would you say to me.
Quite simply, on this occasion I could not help but make a direct connection between this event Art and the bitter memories that I still remember that he had no means allow me to attend one evening in 1950 at a memorable concert given by the same Mostaganem Association headed by the then Grand Master Si Mohamed Fakhardji in the VIP lounges of the Grand Hotel. In my mind, in so doing, I felt like taking my revenge on the adversity I've had to suffer so much during my adolescence.
Somehow I came out the winner of an unequal battle in which the last race was put under my belt. Hamden Laka Ya Ilahi! A big thank you, Lord!
But he was told that the years post-Independence does not end without seeing produce an unprecedented event which would certainly, certainly have an impact on the artistic and cultural life in all music lovers and fans of Andalusian music in Mostaganem.
Indeed, after the tops of the major masters BENACHOUR Dahman, MAHFOUD Haj, Haj Abdelkrim Dali, Abderrahmane BELHOCINE and Sid-Ahmed SERRI - (to mention only those versed in the Andalusian) - here the City of Sidi Lakhdar received for the first time in its history that would become the darling of Mostaganémois worshiped in the person of Mr Mohamed Hadj Khaznadji.
At the same time, the disciple of Abderrahmane BELHOCINE not fail to try to turn the thunderbolt by succumbing to the charm of this city so open, so welcoming, but oh so intransigent on compliance civilizational and cultural traditions that are his pride and pride for ages with a rigor worthy of the oldest cities of art and history.
The initiative was due to my old friend Ismet Benkritly , a passionate Andalusian music at the wedding of a nephew celebrated with great pomp in a delightful setting of a thousand and one nights, at the verdant Valley Gardens - (Debdaba) - located less than three miles from downtown.
This would be in 1968 if I remember correctly. And the fact Khaznadji had brought along by the late Boualem violin-viola, virtuoso snitra Hassène BENCHOUBANE , the late Mustapha BOUTRICHE the mandola, the sympathetic Sid-Ali the tar and the late Yahia to derbouka
It would obviously be an insult to this rising star than wondering about the echo of that first face to face with Mostaganémois as it is true that the evening was a huge success and impact on the population of an unprecedented scale.
In any case the first test in Mostaganem Khaznadji was undoubtedly the event of the year that many "fans" were not ready to forget anytime soon.
A beautiful and authentic love story had seen the day . And it will certainly be at odds with the advice of Victor Hugo lamented sadly one day, saying: "The rose, she lived the experiences of roses ... the space of one morning ...", because after four decades yet, this wonderful adventure between Master and his thousands of fans and "fan" is still relevant .
However, does this mean that this time the size these fans was actually capable of propelling Mostaganem alongside flagship cities that share their passion for sophistication and subtleties of the art of Ibrahim and Ishaq al-Maoussili? It might be too early, even presumptuous to think.
Mostaganem Certainly one of the cities most likely to moult artistic and cultural disciplines, among which the music is overall size of the lion's share. Whether coming from chaabi Moghrabi, rhymed and rhythmic prose called melhoun or even modern-Asri, it is undeniable that the Pearl is a land of Dahra ideal material and no one can deny him the place and role it has always assumed in the seraglio.
But we must admit that in the late sixties the true Andalusian classical music fans were not many in the homeland of Sidi Belkacem and Sidi Said and numerically, their density can not bear comparison with the "fanatics" chaabi music.
It is well established. How many times have I found that among those who said they were fully committed to the "cause" of Andalusia, many of them were much by snobbishness and by a real passion for this art form. Besides, I shall soon confirmed when the Nadi begin its historic change in the way of the dissemination and disclosure of that art music. Now we're not there yet.
Nevertheless it would be dishonest to say the least to conceal or fail to recognize the prominent role played in pioneering this field by men as admirable Dahmane BENACHOUR Blida, Algiers and Abderrahmane BELHOCINE If Habib BENTRIA between Mostaganem others in the work of preparing the ground for a future not very distant the realization of old dreams still regarded as insane by the most optimistic.
They have been valuable in shaping the soil in which would soon locate the hot breath of the old Andalusian ancestry, so distant and so close to both.
From this point of view, they have done a psychological, sociological and sensory importance of forging a public increasingly interested and receptive to the beautiful arabesques in any colors that adorn the many facets the Andalusian Nuba.
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