To Jody's point: I don't doubt Oum Kulthum sing Rast (or any maqam) at any pitch on any day of the week. What I'm wondering is, without some fixed
standard, how could she be sure she was singing Rast at the same pitch every day or every year if she wanted to? Or perhaps a better question would
be, how did singers before things like tuning forks existed know they were singing at the same pitch every day if they wanted to?
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