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 Maltese għana
(song), pronounced aana, the għ is silent,
is the foremost traditional Maltese music. A
typical Maltese quatrain is the four-line
poem or stanza, with each strofa (verse)
consisting mostly of eight syllables.
Għana verses are half-oriental airs,
something between a Sicilian ballad and the
rhythmic wail of an Arabic tune. There are
various forms of ghana - these are some of
them:
BOTTA U RISPOSTA:
This type of għana is also commonly known "Spirtu-Pront". Nowadays this is the most popular type of
għana. It is sung by two or more
għannejja (singers) as a song-duel. The
għannejja carry on an impromptu
conversation, stanza for stanza with a
guitar interlude between each stanza. This
requires a great deal of quick thinking as
well as the ability to rhyme. If four
għannejja are taking part, għannej
one sings with għannej three, and
ghannej two sings with għannej four.
This usually last for an hour, ending with a
KADENZA which has two or more
stanzas.
GĦANA BIL-QASMA:
This type of għana is like the above, but the stanza is split between two
għannejja. The second għannej
replies within the same quatrain immediately
after the first two verses presented by the first għannej. The għannej who
finishes the last two verses, starts the
next stanza and so on.
GĦANA FIL-GHOLI: Also
known as LA BORMLIZA. This type of
ghana is sung on a
high note and the phrases are long. It is not frequently sung nowadays,
which is a great pity, but there are still one or
two places in Malta where you can hear this type of
ghana.
GĦANA TAL-FATT:
Is usually melancholic. In this form of għana,
the għannej recounts a tale of a tragic
event.
MAKJETTA:
This type of għana is more like a song and is
usually very lively.
In modern times the guitar has become the most
popular backing instrument for għana, but
there were times where other instruments where said
to have been used, such as: |
