writing down the music, Malouma et Mike Herting

Malouma mint Meidah

  Moorish music is passed on orally, parents teach their children who in turn will teach theirs.
Mike Herting, composer, orchestra conducter and jazz pianist from Germany is in Mauritania at the moment working with Malouma mint Meidah trying to write down all the ways, modes and notes of the traditionnal music.

Lalla

 I went sketching twice at the Fondation Malouma. Yesterday they were recording the different modes. There was Lalla mint Teikmich, drum and voice, Malouma ardin (harp-like stringed instrument) and voice and Malouma's brother Lemrabott playing the tidinit (a small hourglass-shaped, four-stringed lute)

Malouma et Mike Herting

Today Mike was writing down the musical notes. Apparently apart of the notes we'll know ie DO RE MI...

there are demi notes for piano and in Moorish music there are even quarter of notes, meaning within the Do and the RE you can find two extra notes - explanation given by Mike and that I suppose its legible to musicians

Mike Herting listening to the musical notes

It was a priviledge to be able to listen to those great musicians playing while recording and note taking went on You can learn more about Mike and this project sponsered by the Goethe Institut of Dakar here. You an also listen to one of Malouma's music here.

Mike herting writing the musical note