Melodies
Experience the oral dimension of Andalusian poetry through readings and musical settings that connect us to how this poetry was originally experienced.
The Oral Tradition
Andalusian poetry was meant to be heard, not just read. These verses were recited in courts and gatherings, often accompanied by music, creating a rich auditory experience that enhanced the emotional impact of the words.
The musical forms that developed alongside Andalusian poetry—particularly for the muwashshaḥa and zajal—continue to be performed today in North Africa and the Middle East, preserving the sonic legacy of al-Andalus.
Poetic Recordings
Ibn Zaydun: Nostalgia for Córdoba
أضحى التنائي بديلاً من تدانينا وناب عن طيب لقيانا تجافينا
Our separation has replaced our closeness, and estrangement has taken the place of our sweet meetings.
In this opening line of his most famous poem, Ibn Zaydun captures the pain of separation from both his beloved Wallada and his hometown of Córdoba.
Muwashshaha: Lama Bada Yatathanna
لما بدا يتثنى حبي حبي بالغصن ثناني
When he appeared, swaying gently, my love, my love, bent the branch towards me.
This is the opening of a famous Andalusian muwashshaha that remains popular in Arabic music today, illustrating the musical quality of this poetic form.
Al-Mu'tamid: Chains of Exile
فيما مضى كنت بالأعياد مسرورا فساءك العيد في أغمات مأسورا
In the past, you rejoiced in holidays, but now the holiday finds you imprisoned in Aghmat.
The poet-king of Seville laments his fall from power and subsequent exile to Morocco in this moving verse that contrasts his past glory with present suffering.
The Sound of Andalusian Arabic
The dialect of Arabic spoken in al-Andalus had its own distinctive sounds and rhythms, influenced by contact with Romance languages. This created a unique sonic landscape that shaped how poetry was composed and experienced.
While we cannot recover the exact pronunciation of medieval Andalusian Arabic, modern recordings based on scholarly reconstructions help us approximate the sound world of these poems.
"To truly understand Andalusian poetry, one must hear it, for its rhythms and melodies are as essential to its meaning as the words themselves."