Mike's Oud Forums

The Maqam Book by David Muallem

oudistcamp - 12-8-2010 at 08:58 PM

I chanced upon this book while searching for another. Finally, a book of Arabic modes in English.
The book has a clear, understandable format with explanations of the conventional position, transpositions, modulations and progression within the maqam family.

The page layout is uncluttered, and very user-friendly.
Eat your heart out, Turkish Makam books :applause:

http://www.amazon.com/Maqam-Book-Doorway-Scales-Modes/dp/965505053X...

Marina - 12-9-2010 at 01:36 AM

This is very good book. Very good. I have it & recomend it warmly.
:applause:

Danielo - 12-9-2010 at 01:57 AM

Great, thanks !

Marina, I'm going to TV next week do you know where I can find it ?

thanks ;)

Dan

Brian Prunka - 12-9-2010 at 02:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Marina  
This is very good book. Very good. I have it & recomend it warmly.
:applause:


Does it actually detail the seyir and characteristic phrases of the maqamat? I looked at the table of contents and was not impressed that there was any information I don't already know.

Karl Signell's Turkish Makam book looks more comprehensive:
http://www.amazon.com/Makam-Modal-Practice-Turkish-Music/dp/0976045...

paulO - 12-9-2010 at 10:50 PM

The Signell text is excellent...also for a good intro (stuff many may already know), check out these lecutres on youtube by Cinuçen Tanrıkorur, basic but interesting and some beautiful playing as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBOizia1tZg

Cheers..Paul

Marina - 12-14-2010 at 01:41 PM

Those guys sell it:

http://www.ortav.com/

Danielo - 12-14-2010 at 01:58 PM

Thanks :) !

Danielo - 12-16-2010 at 08:55 AM

..... so I've the book (thanks Marina !)

I'll give a more detailed review when I'll finish reading it, but to answer Brian's question:
for each maqam the basic progression and the important focal points are given, but unfortunately no characteristic phrases or cadences.

As the author is of Iraqi origin, there's material about typical maqamat of this country that are not discussed in length usually (Awshar, Mukhalaf for instance, and of course Lami),

And the cherry on the cake : the CD of taqsims that exemplifies the maqamat is played
by Abraham Salman (my favorite qanun player) :xtreme:


Dan

John Erlich - 12-29-2010 at 05:17 PM

Hi Dan,

Would you mind posting PDFs of a few sample pages?

Many thanks,
John

John Erlich - 4-6-2011 at 04:24 PM

I ordered the book. Will scan & post a couple of sample pages when received.

Muallem Maqam Book Table of Contents

John Erlich - 4-7-2011 at 08:28 AM

I am attaching a scan of the table of contents of the Muallem's "The Maqam Book." I have to admit that seeing this book--whether it actually proves useful to me or not--written by an Iraqi-born Jewish Israeli asserting his Arabic culture, absolutely makes my heart SING! :applause:

Shalom/Salaam/Shlama/Peace, etc.,
"Udi" John

Attachment: Maqam Book Muallem Contents PDF.PDF (292kB)
This file has been downloaded 1048 times

myeyes2020 - 5-5-2011 at 05:02 PM

http://www.musicdm.com/files/maqam_book_press_release.pdf

Maqam Book

Jono Oud N.Z - 5-25-2011 at 11:55 PM

This book looks like an amazing resource!
There are many important things covered in it.
Good to see the Iraqi maqamat also.
I am also curious to whether it cover sayr and whether the maqam is ascending, ascending/descending (and descending/ascending) or descending. Also does it cover compound maqamat?
The Signell book is excellent though, and 'Music of the Ottoman Court' by Walter Feldman is even more in-depth. The PDF of maqamat notated by Rodolphe d'Erlanger is the most comprehensive example of the Arabic maqamat that I have seen, and also contains notated examples of taqasim that show the sayr's.

(link)

http://gfax.ch/literature/

(Under)

'In French--La Musique Arabe--Tome 5 LIST OF MAQAMS by D'Erlanger'

Edward Powell - 5-26-2011 at 06:20 AM

I think it is more than wonderful to get more books on maqam. However, I think that this author's intension - to prove how 'similar' are Middle-eastern and Western musics might lead to a 'colouring' of the information in the potentially 'dangerous' direction that it has already taken in the Arab world... in a word: "Westernization" of Middle-eastern music.

Personally in terms of Maqam, I do not even believe in the concept of "scale", and/or "quartertone".... and for me, it wasn't until I began to "see through" these concepts that I finally started to get a bit of a feeling for what maqam is really about.

However, having said that - I do think that taking a 'westerner-friendly' approach will make the topic less intimidating for westerners.

David.B - 8-16-2011 at 01:41 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Edward Powell  
I think it is more than wonderful to get more books on maqam. However, I think that this author's intension - to prove how 'similar' are Middle-eastern and Western musics might lead to a 'colouring' of the information in the potentially 'dangerous' direction that it has already taken in the Arab world... in a word: "Westernization" of Middle-eastern music.

Personally in terms of Maqam, I do not even believe in the concept of "scale", and/or "quartertone".... and for me, it wasn't until I began to "see through" these concepts that I finally started to get a bit of a feeling for what maqam is really about.

However, having said that - I do think that taking a 'westerner-friendly' approach will make the topic less intimidating for westerners.


I don't really know this book, but I appreciate your comment :bowdown:

fernandraynaud - 8-18-2011 at 11:46 AM

In case anyone is unaware, gfax contains a HUGE online library on theories of music and ethnomusicology.

Http://lit.gfax.ch

Simply amazing.

AlauraJones - 8-31-2011 at 03:46 AM

I read this book and found quite interesting.It is the first systematic presentation of the system of scales and modes used in Arab music.This book includes historical background ,explanation of the scalar systems used in European and Arabian music and many more facts.

John Erlich - 9-8-2011 at 03:49 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David.B  
Quote: Originally posted by Edward Powell  
I think it is more than wonderful to get more books on maqam. However, I think that this author's intension - to prove how 'similar' are Middle-eastern and Western musics might lead to a 'colouring' of the information in the potentially 'dangerous' direction that it has already taken in the Arab world... in a word: "Westernization" of Middle-eastern music.

Personally in terms of Maqam, I do not even believe in the concept of "scale", and/or "quartertone".... and for me, it wasn't until I began to "see through" these concepts that I finally started to get a bit of a feeling for what maqam is really about.

However, having said that - I do think that taking a 'westerner-friendly' approach will make the topic less intimidating for westerners.


I don't really know this book, but I appreciate your comment :bowdown:


I, too, sharing your concern regarding the "Westernization" of Arabic music. However, reading the book, I don't really get the impression that the author trying to prove that Western musical systems and maqam are "similar": He is assuming that the average reader is more familiar with Western systems, and uses that knowledge base to help explain maqam theory.

I presume that Mr. Muallem is considerably fewer than 6 degrees of separation from me, so if we were really interested, I bet I could find a way to pose the question to and get a response from the author himself.

Peace out,
"Udi" John