Maqâm

The maqâm - in Arab مقام , in Turkish makam , Azeri mugham , ouzbeki maqôm , ouighour muqam - is at the same time a general musical system and its particular applications.

The word maqâm meant the place where the music was played; thereafter, it indicated the method in Machrek. Maqâm means " literally; station" , of a melody scale in fact. It has also the direction of " row élevé" and indicates a trascendant model. It is about an organization of the melody scales.

With the difference in the system of the " gammes" (major, minor…) such as they are conceived and uses them in Occident, the maqâm is more than one system of intervals because it organizes the intervals between each notes as well as the routes inside this " échelle" modal, on several octaves. On this point, the maqâm approaches much the system of the Râga S in the Indian classical music.

If it is virtually possible to imagine an infinity of variations on this principle, a few tens only are regularly used and have a name. It is the second direction of the maqâm, which corresponds to the definition of intervals and singular melody courses, obeying mathematical and esthetic rules. We can then indicate each system of intervals and of course by a name which is clean for him and refers to it: Hijaz , Husseinî , Bayati …

Many a maqâms, unlike the Western scales " tempérées" (each interval is equal on the basis of 11 arbitrary interval on a natural octave), has intervals bordering the 3/4 of tone. Concretely, that would amount defining an additional interval between if and C for example, while placing a new note: if ouj . We could then play this interval (and this note) and obtain a " couleur" particular corresponding to the one large " familles" of maqâm.

The origin various of the maqâms and the use of nonmoderate systems (in Arab music one adopted in 1932 with the 1st Congress of the Arab music the system ¼ of tone) made that some maqâms have different names because their tonics are different, whereas they have the same structure.

Each maqâm has a color, a particular feeling. The compositions based on these maqâms constitute the base of the erudite Musique, urban, in opposition to the popular musics, of advantage represented in the campaigns.

This modal system complexes is declined thus of the the Maghreb to the China, and constitutes a theoretical corpus of a great richness, that of the erudite music or " classique".

Exits of a musical trunk common tonic to the 14th century, three branches represent today the principal variations of this modal system which is the maqâm:

  • the Persan Dastgâh (Iran) and the Azeri mugham
  • the Arab maqâm
  • the Othoman maqâm (Turkey)

Guard will be taken however it should be noted that the maqâm arabo-Turkish became extrèmement modulating, changing tonality all the five or ten measurements sometimes, whereas the Iranian Dastgâh remained perfectly tonal like the Indian Râga.

Structures

The maqâm is composed of several subsets of 3,4 or 5 notes (tricorde, tétracorde or pentacorde) called " genres" ( ajnas ) or " noeuds" ( uqud : this last term being reserved with the pentacordes). These kinds are variable types of groups of notes carrying of the well referred names, training the families of maqâms. It is the 1st kind of a maqâm which determines its family. Thus the maqâms starting with the kind Bayati belong to the family Bayati , even if it modulates then in other kinds, by changing tétracordes.

Kinds

  • Tricordes : Ajam, Jiharkah, Sikah, Mustaar

  • Tétracordes : Bayati, Busalik, Hijaz, Kurd, Nahawand, Rast, Sheba, Zamzama

  • Pentacordes : Athar Kurd, Nawa Athar

Families

  • Ajam : Ajam, Jiharkah, Shawq Afza

  • Bayati: Bayati, Bayati Shuri, Husseini
  • Hijaz: Hijaz, Hijaz Kar, Shadd Araban, Shahnaz, Suzidil, Zanjaran
  • Kurd: Kurd, Hijaz Kar Kurd
  • Nahawand: Farahfaza, Nahawand, Nahawand Murassah, Ushaq Masri
  • Nawa: Athar Athar Kurd, Nawa Athar, Nikriz
  • Rast: Mahur, Nairuz, Rast, Suznak, Yakah
  • Sheba: Sheba, Sheba Zamzam
  • Sikah: Bastanikar, Huzam, Iraq, Mustaar, Rahat El Arwah, Sikah, Sikah Baladi

Forms

Here forms of compositions decorating a maqâm:

  • Bashraf
  • Dawr
  • Doulab
  • Longa
  • Maqtou' has Mousiqiyya
  • Mawwal
  • Muwashah
  • Qadd
  • Qasida
  • Samai
  • Tahmila
  • Taqsim
  • Wasla

Rates/rhythms

Aaraj 5/8 - Aghar Aqsaq 5/8 - Aqsaq 9/8 - Awfar 19/4 - Awis 11/8 - Ayyub 2/4 - Hindi Dawr 7/8 - Dawr Al Kabir 28/4 - Dharafat 13/8 - Fakhit 20/4 - Fikra 15/4 - Frankajin 24/4 - Hazaj 22/4 - Jurjina 10/8 - Katakufti 8/8 - Khush Rank 17/8 - Malfuf 2/4 - Maqsum 4/4 - Masmudi Kabir 8/4 - Masmudi Saghir 4/4 - Mudawwar 12/4 - Muhajjar 14/4 - Mukhammas 16/8 - Mukhammas Turki 32/4 - Murabbaa 13/4 - Nawakht 7/4 - Nawakht Hindi 16/8 - Nim Dawr 18/8 - Nim Oyun Havasi 11/8 - Nim Rawan 9/4 - Sadah Duyek 16/8 - Samai Ta' er 3/8 - Samai Thaqil 10/8 - Shanbar Halabi 24/4 - Shanbar Kabir 48/4 - Shanbar Masri 48/4 - Sinkin Samai 6/4 - Sittatu Ashar 32/4 - Turrah 21/4 - Wahda 4/4 - Wahda Mukallafa 2/4 - Warshan Arabi 32/4 - Yuruk Samai 6/8

External bonds

  • Maqamworld
  • modes of the Arab music: Maqamat
  • Maqâm & flamenco
  • Neyzen.com: specialized site in the Othoman music
  • Iraqi Maqam
  • Sephardic Pizmonim Project

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