Mike's Oud Forums

complete maqam list from 1932, incl. transcribed taqsims

rebetostar - 1-3-2008 at 01:28 PM

Happy New Year oudis and oud lovers!
I have had in my posession a 1948 printing of Rudolphe D'Erlanger's "La Musique Arabe" from which I scanned the pages containing the list of maqams in use in D'Erlanger's time, including transcribed taqsims for each, to demonstrate the Sayir.
I feel that this information is priceless and belongs to all humanity, and according to D'Erlanger's bio on Wikipedia, he felt the same. By disseminating it here we can ensure that the knowlege will not be lost to time.
To those concerned about copyright infringement (which I've been contemplating for quite a while before doing this) I point out the following:
1. This material is only about 5% of the total 6-volume work.
2. The author died in 1932; over 75 years ago.
3. The info. is provided freely, for educational use.

Also, while this information is invaluable, I've found it's no substitute for listening.. the best way to learn maqamat is still aurally.

So, without further ado.. here it is:
http://www.rembetika.com/La_Musique_Arabe.pdf

Enjoy!

Meursault - 1-3-2008 at 01:37 PM

Well done. Now I must learn French. : )

MatthewW - 1-3-2008 at 02:32 PM

merci beacoup rebetostar! :wavey:

sidjones - 1-3-2008 at 03:50 PM

Rebetostar: Thanks for that! Sid

stringmanca - 1-3-2008 at 04:55 PM

Wow - great!! Thanks!!

Nathan

Jason - 1-3-2008 at 09:23 PM

Thanks!

Jassim - 1-3-2008 at 10:35 PM

dear freind
not all of the users here know French

Cyberquills - 1-4-2008 at 05:26 AM

Great stuff rebetostar.

I have looked high and low for this book but have had no luck tracking down a copy. As to copyright, I think that if the book is that old and no one else owns the rights then it SHOULD be in the public domain and free for all.

CQ

Arto - 1-4-2008 at 05:54 AM

This is truly great! Probably this is the most interesting part of the 5-volume book for practicing musicians - the taqsim examples are great, I didn´t know the book contained these!

PS: the books seem to be available, with with a really high price. Look for http://www.abebooks.com: two complete sets (reprint) for more than 500 dollars, and parts 1-3 of original printing (so it looks like, at least) for 165 dollars.

This oevre seems to be available only in the original French. I have never heard that there would be any translations in existence.

rebetostar - 1-4-2008 at 11:41 AM

Glad to be of service friends :)
I think print editions are expensive because they are rare books (and all 6 volumes is a lot of rare book!)
My French is not that strong either, but a lot of it is pretty close to English, or you can use an online dictionary here: http://www.wordreference.com/fren/

The basics:
Modes reposant sur le degre= Modes resting on the degree (note)
Echelle/Gamme = scale
Mouvement melodique= Melodic movement = sayir
Genre = (Arabic) Jins
Mettre tout d'abord en relief= Put foremost in relief (all notes of the 1st jins)
Traiter = treat/give treatment to
Ensuite = next
Arret = stop

Oh, many have probably noticed but it's worth pointing out that the numbers representing intervals between each note in the "genres" are sums of quarter-tones.. so ie: Nihawand is 4-2-4 (whole tone, half tone, whole tone) and Rast is 4-3-3-4, etc.

David Parfitt - 1-4-2008 at 01:41 PM

As far as I know this book is still in print - I bought a copy a couple of years ago from the publishers Paul Geuthner in France. They are unpleasant people to deal with though, so be warned.

I was very pleased when I discovered D'Erlanger's book, but my enthusiasm was tempered somewhat after reading Scott Marcus's PhD thesis - if I remember rightly, he mentions that D'Erlanger got most of the information on the maqams in the book from a single (Syrian) source, and many of them are very obscure, so it is probably of very little practical use today. In fact you would probably be better off reading Marcus's thesis!!!

Best wishes

David

MatthewW - 1-4-2008 at 02:18 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David Parfitt
- if I remember rightly, he mentions that D'Erlanger got most of the information on the maqams in the book from a single (Syrian) source, and many of them are very obscure, so it is probably of very little practical use today. In fact you would probably be better off reading Marcus's thesis!!!





Hi David. very interesting bit of info indeed. My next question is obviously going to be where can we view Marcus's thesis? Is it online?
cheers.

rebetostar - 1-4-2008 at 03:04 PM

I have a PDF of Marcus' thesis "Arab Music Theory in the Modern Period" which I'm certain I found via MikeOuds.. there must be a link to it here somewhere!

Here's D'Erlanger's bio (translated into English):
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://...

Those maqams which are (were) obscure, given a chance to see the light of day, may become popular again. Don't forget, to most "Western" musicians, ALL maqams are obscure. We can be the agents of this transformation. Let's start a "formerly obscure maqam of the month" thread! ;)
Thanks for your wishes, David.. I know this was the right thing to do, now it's done and can't be undone. :xtreme:

Masel - 1-7-2008 at 07:20 AM

Amazing!

zalzal - 1-7-2008 at 09:30 AM

Totally with you rebetostar and thank you very much.

TruePharaoh21 - 1-7-2008 at 07:51 PM

Hey everyone,

We had posted Marcus' Arab Music in the Modern Period in this thread:

http://mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=1917&page=2

It should be somewhere in the middle or near the top, posted under my name.

Enjoy!

Benjamin - 1-7-2008 at 11:35 PM

Thanks Rebebostar, this books indeed will help us and it's kind from you to stick to this important idea to spread knowledge. Well done mate

Butrous - 4-19-2008 at 12:51 PM

I tried to open the la Musique Arabe file but it could not be found.

Is it still there?

Butrous - 4-20-2008 at 07:13 AM

Can someone please repost the la Museque Arabe file.

Jassim - 4-29-2008 at 06:41 AM

this link is not working

rebetostar - 4-29-2008 at 12:43 PM

It's back!
http://www.rembetika.com/La_Musique_Arabe.pdf
I'm not sure I can leave it on there forever though.. any ideas for hosting the file?

Jassim - 4-29-2008 at 11:26 PM

its not in english :( or arabic :(

Butrous - 4-30-2008 at 07:32 AM

Thank you for reposting this file.

Best Regards!!

suz_i_dil - 5-11-2008 at 01:17 PM

Hello all
If someone look for copy of those books, they are still available and edited by the institut du monde arabe in Paris. I think you may order with internet worldwide.
http://www.imarabe.org/