To a modern westerner, the concert hall seems the most natural place to hear live music. But the concert hall is an invention of the 18th and 19th centuries. In Morocco, older traditions prevail. A feast - a wedding, circumcision or similar event – is incomplete without music. For lesser events, or for no reason at all, amateurs may get together and play for themselves and their friends.
An equally important, and far more obvious, aspect of musical performance in Morocco falls at the opposite end of the spectrum – the totally public performance. Some ensembles are designed to play outdoors with full effect (see Moroccan Sufi Music, Lyrichord 7238). But many individuals and groups with lower volume also appear outdoors, to a more intimate audience. Many musicians travel a circuit of weekly markets. In the larger traditional cities one can always find some open square, which is unofficially rese...
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