Researcher Azzouz El Houri Compiles Moroccan Music History in New Volume

Azzouz El Houri, a composer and researcher of Moroccan music, has released the second installment of his ambitious project documenting the nation's musical heritage. Titled 'Moroccan Music Makers.. Modern Moroccan Voices,' this volume delves into the male and female singers, poets, and lyricists who shaped the Moroccan music scene between 1912 and 2012.

El Houri, who has dedicated a decade to this historical endeavor, aims for a factual and well-researched approach, moving away from purely descriptive writing. He meticulously verifies information from reliable sources and enhances the narratives with photographs of key figures and pivotal moments in Moroccan music history. This follows his previous work, which focused on the "birth of the Moroccan melodic school," an independent artistic movement within the Arab world.

The project is envisioned as a multi-part series, with two additional volumes planned. The upcoming parts will cover the history of Moroccan musical ensembles from 1943 to 2012 and provide a unified history of Moroccan music, tracing its centuries-long evolution. El Houri stated that the initial motivation was to address a significant gap in the documentation of modern Moroccan music.

El Houri, who resides in Belgium and founded a school for Arabic music, expressed gratitude to the Hassan II Foundation for supporting the publication of his books, acknowledging the challenges of publishing from abroad. He stressed that the core purpose of his work is to compile scattered musical knowledge and honor its creators, emphasizing that a nation's strength is reflected in its arts and cultural heritage. "He who does not have a past has neither a present nor a future," he asserted.