The Arab-Andalusian Orchestra of Fez, founded by the late Hadj Abdelkrim Rais, of whom Mohammed Briouel was a disciple, is considered to be the oldest and most important group in Moroccan Andalusian music. Created in 1946, it is the heir to the Andalusian music ensemble that has existed in Fez since 1912, one of the cities where the tradition of Arab-Andalusian music has been the most preserved since the fall of Granada in 1492. The Orchestra quickly became one of the three official orchestras of Morocco.

While ensuring the continuity of this art, particularly by teaching young musicians wishing to interpret Arab-Andalusian music, the orchestra has set itself the artistic goal and mission of restoring this music in its traditional setting and in its historical form. Only traditional stringed instruments are part of the instrumentation of the Arab-Andalusian Orchestra of Fez. In this permanent search for authenticity of interpretation, the Orchestra of Fez also participates in cultural crossover experiments, notably by working with European artists and groups on the repertoire of Spanish medieval music, from which Arab-Andalusian music draws its origins.

Recognized in the Arab world as one of the best ensembles in the art of interpreting this Arab-Andalusian music, the Orchestra is also regularly invited abroad: France, Germany, the United States, Canada, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, China, etc.

The instruments of the Arab-Andalusian Orchestra are the rbâb, a two-stringed monoxyl fiddle, the violin, the viola, the oud, the târ - a small frame drum with brass cymbalettes - and the darbouka.


MOHAMMED BRIOUEL

Just as one cannot separate the name of Haj Abdelkrim Rais from that of his master Lebrihi, one cannot separate the name of Haj Abdelkrim Rais from that of his favourite disciple, Mohammed Briouel.

Mohammed Briouel began his career at the side of his master and became more and more prominent in the orchestra's activity as Haj Abdelkrim Rais grew older. Born in 1954 in the region of Fez, Mohammed Briouel studied Arab-Andalusian music from 1963 with Hadj Abdelkrim Rais, who had been Director of the Fez Conservatory since 1960. At the same time, he studied Western classical violin and solfeggio at the Conservatoire National Supérieur du Maroc in Rabat.

He was the first Moroccan to receive the First Prize in solfeggio and the Honorary Prize in Andalusian music. Today he teaches solfeggio at the Conservatory of Fez, where he also holds the position of Director. In 1986, Mohammed Briouel was awarded the Morocco Prize for the publication of his book "Musique Andalouse Marocaine: Nawba Gharibat - Al Husayn".

Over a period of more than ten years, he made the monumental transcription into Western notation of the eleven noubas, a veritable national cultural treasure constituting the essence of Moroccan Arab-Andalusian music, which had for centuries been transmitted only orally from master to disciple. Monumental is indeed the word, each of these eleven noubas can represent up to eight hours of music. Between May 1989 and February 1992, the Moroccan Ministry of Culture co-produced, in partnership with the Maison des Cultures du Monde in Paris, the Anthology "al ala": 73 compact discs totalling more than 81 hours of music and singing and covering the entire known repertoire of the 11 noubas, recorded for the most part by the Arab-Andalusian Orchestra of Fez.

In recent years, Mohammed Briouel has performed in Morocco and abroad with the Arab-Andalusian Orchestra of Fez, contributing to the dissemination of Arab-Muslim music, as well as Sephardic music. Accompanied by musicians of Jewish tradition such as Albert Bouhadana, Emil Zrihan or Françoise Atlan, he renews with the Moroccan tradition of openness and tolerance. Mohammed Briouel has also brought together young singers from Fez in a choir that has performed several times and successfully at the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music.