Bibliography on
Arabo-Andalusian Music
Nûbâ, Malouf, Sânâ, Hawzi, Melhun, Châabi.

preliminary draft

This list is just a modest attempt to collect some bibliographical data on books relevant to the study of Arabo-Andalusian Music also known as Maghrebian Classical Music, Nawba, Nûbâ, Al-Âla, Sana, Gharnati and some of the related styles.

Main reference:

Mahmoud Guettat: La musique classique du Maghreb., Paris, 1980

Rodolphe d'Erlanger: La musique arabe, 6 vol., Paris, 1930-1959

Actes du Congres du Caire 1932.

Anthologie de la musique arabe(1906-1960) / Ahmed et Mohamed Elhabib Hachlaf/ Publisud/ Paris / 1993 / French/ Presentation of Arab famous singers and instrumentalists

A history of arabian music (to the 13th century) / Henry George Farmer / Luzac & Co, LTD. / London / (1928) 1973 / English/History of Arabian music until 13c.

La musique arabo-andalouse / Christian Poche / Actes Sud / Paris / 1995 / French/ History of Arab-Andalusian music. Presentations of Noubat - with CD

La musique arabo-andalouse - l'empreinte du Maghreb / Mahmoud Guettat / Editions El-Ouns, Editions Fleurs Sociales / Paris, Montreal / 2000 / French

Les Instruments de musique en Tunisie / Ministere de la Culture / Centre des Musiques Arabes et Mediterraneennes / Tunis / 1992 / Arabic and French / Musical instruments in Tunisia with photos

? Music Performance Practice in the Early Abbasid Era 132-320 AH/750-932 AD / George Dimitri Sawa /Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies / Toronto / 1989 / English

Musique arabe - Le congres du Caire de 1932 - / CEDEJ / Cairo / 1992 / French/ Documents of the Congress of Cairo in 1932

Musiques d'Egypte / Frederic Lagrange / Actes Sud / Paris / 1996 / French / Musical traditions of Egypt - with CD

Musique et instruments de musique du Maghreb / Francisco Salvador-Daniel / LaBoite a Documents / Paris /1986 / French/ book on Maghrebian music

Patrimoine Musical Tunisien / Salah el Mahdi(dir.)/ Comit National Tunisien de la musique / Tunis / 1967-1979 / Arabic and French / Heritage of Tunisian Music. 9 vls.

1e fascicule: Ensemble des Bachrafs Tunisiens
2e fascicule: Ensemble de Tawshihs et Zajals Tunisiens
3e fascicule: La Nawbah dans le Maghreb Arabe - Nawbat Edhil Tunisienne
4e fascicule: La Nawbah travers l'histoire islamique - Nawbat El Iraq
5e fascicule: Ahmad El Wafi(1850-1921) - Nawbat Essica et Nawbat el Houcine
6e fascicule: La musique tunisienne au XXe siecle - Nawbats Rasd, Ramel El Maya et Nawa
7e fascicule: Khemais Ternane(1894-1964) - Nawbats Asbaiens - Rast Dhil - Raml
8e fascicule: Etude comparative des modes tunisiens - Nawbats Asbahane, Mazmoum et Maya
9e fascicule: Les rythmes dans la musique arabe - Receuil des Mouwachahs, Zajals, Foundous avec les trois Nawbats : Nahawand, Zingoulah et Ajam Ouchairane

Tableau de la musique marocaine / Alexis Chottin / Paul Geuthner/ Paris / 1999 / French

The congress of arabian music / Henry George Farmer / Extract from Farmer's dissertations /1932 / French / Report on Cairo Congress in 1932

The music of the arabs / Habib Hassan Touma / Amadeus Press/ Portland, U.S.A. / 1996 / English/ Introduction to the Arab music

Voyage sentimental en musique arabo-andalouse / Hadri Bougherara / EDIF2000, Editions Paris-Mediterranee / Alger, Paris / 2002 /French

Rodolphe d'Erlanger: La musique arabe, 6 vol., Paris, 1930-1959 (reissued 2001)

La musique arabe - tome 1 / Baron Rodolphe d'Erlanger / Paul Geuthner / Paris / 1930 (Reissue 2001) / French/ Translation from Arabic into French of Al Farabi's dissertation

La musique arabe - tome 2 / Baron Rodolphe d'Erlanger / Paul Geuthner/ Paris / 1935 (Reissue 2001) / French / Translation from Arabic into French of Al Farabi and Avicenne(Ibn Sina)s' dissertations

La musique arabe - tome 3 / Baron Rodolphe d'Erlanger /Paul Geuthner/ Paris / 1938 (Reissue 2001) / French/ Translation from Arabic into French of Safiyuddin's dissertation

La musique arabe - tome 4 / Baron Rodolphe d'Erlanger / Paul Geuthner / Paris / 1939 (Reissue 2001) / French/ Translation from Arabic into French of anonymous dissertation

La musique arabe - tome 5 / Baron Rodolphe d'Erlanger/ Paul Geuthner / Paris / 1949 (Reissue 2001) / French / detailed explanation of maqamat(modes)

La musique arabe - tome 6 / Baron Rodolphe d'Erlanger /Paul Geuthner / Paris / 1959 (Reissue 2001) / French/ detailed explanation of iqaat(rythm)

back to the discography


Any other titles of books and articles on Arabo-andalusian music and related topics is most welcome and I will try my best to update the information here on a regular basis.
If you have any supplementary information and especially if you find errors in any of the above.
Please send e-mail to:

First revision / Lars Fredriksson 960531, Latest revision 2006.06.10