Mustapha Skandrani

Mustapha Skandrani, (17 November 1920 in the Lower Casbah, Algiers – October 2005)[1] was an Algerian pianist, performer of chaâbi music.

Mustapha Skandrani
Born(1920-11-17)17 November 1920
Algiers, French Algeria
Died18 October 2005(2005-10-18) (aged 84)
Algiers, Algeria
GenresChaabi, Andalusian classical music
Occupation(s)Musician, pianist

Early life

Born in 1920, in the Casbah of Algiers, in Algeria, Skandrani's family were of Turkish origin and originally came from Iskander, Turkey.[2] Indeed, his family surname "Skandrani" is a Turkish origin surname used in Algeria by families from İskenderun.[3]

He grew up and studied until the elementary certificate without problem in the secular Casbah.

Career

His radio debut is with the composer Rachid Ksentini and his partner Marie Soussan. Mahieddine Bachtarzi a singer nicknamed The Desert Caruso by the French press discovers him and undertakes him to replace previous Israelite pianists, then masters of piano. He thus makes a major tour in Algeria in 1940 with Umm Kulthum, Mahieddine Bachtarzi, Driscar, Mustapha Kateb and others. On his return from tour, he accompanied all the stars who attended concerts among other Dahmane Ben Achour, El Hadj Menouar and the dean of Chaabi music El Hadj M'Hamed El Anka. As a conductor of the concert part, Skandrani was present in 46 creations of the Arab Theatre of the Opera of Algiers.

In 1956, musicologist El Boudali Safir which imposed since 1943 as artistic director licensed for 20 long years, assigned him to the modern orchestra and instructs him to replace El Hadj M'Hamed El Anka to the direction of the popular orchestra.

He was also the soloist in the classical orchestra commissioned to Abderrazak Fakhardji, a position he held until the independence of Algeria, combining its radio business with interests in the emerging television.

Since 1938, Mustapha Skandrani composed over 300 modern compositions or chaâbi and 187 qasida and ditties including "Youm El Djemaa", "El Haraz", "Kifechhilti", "Qahoua ou lateye", "A bouya Hnini" "A laini filaati. "

From 1966 to 1981, he devoted himself to teaching by taking a class at the Conservatory of Algiers. In 1981, Mustapha Skandrani directed the conservatory.

Considered as a great "master of "algerian piano"" [4] he died on 8 October 2005 at his home in Algiers after a long and painful illness. He was 85.[5] He is buried at the Sidi M'hamed Cemetery.

Discography
  • Touchia (1963 EP, Pathé)
  • Stikhbar (1965 LP, Pathé)
  • Khlassat (1965 LP, Pathé)
  • Le Piano Dans La Musique Arabe (1992 Compilation, Artistes Arabes Associés)
  • Les Virtuoses (1993 Compilation, Artistes Arabes Associés)

References
  1. "Le pianiste Mustapha Skandrani". December 31, 2005. Archived from the original on August 2, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  2. "L'artiste aux doigts d'or". La Nouvelle République. 2007. Mustapha Skandrani a vu le jour le 17 novembre 1920, à la Casbah d’Alger. Selon lui, ses origines seraient d’Iskander, ville turque.
  3. Parzymies, Anna (1985), Anthroponymie Algérienne: Noms de Famille Modernes d'origine Turque, Éditions scientifiques de Pologne, p. 109, ISBN 83-01-03434-3
  4. Jean-Pierre Thiollet, 88 notes pour piano solo, Neva Editions, 2015, p. 52 and 54. ISBN 978-2-3505-5192-0
  5. "Mustapha Skandrani est mort Un artiste s'en va". October 19, 2005. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
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