Ajina
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Maqamat in sheet music
Hi all,
I am learning to play middle eastern music, but on a keyboard not on an oud.
This forum is one of the best I have seen regarding discussions about maqamat and so I am posting my question here – I hope I have explained myself
clearly enough.
At the moment I am learning to play songs through sheet music. In the future I hope that I can start to pick things out by ear, though that may yet
be some time away.
My question is regarding the ascending and descending forms of maqamat in sheet music. How do I determine whether any particular note is ascending or
descending?
The sheet music I am currently using seems to be simplified for western learners. For example D Hijaz listed as D Eb F# G A Bb C D, rather than D Eb
F# G A B-(b) C D as noted by both Turath and Maqamworld.
So therefore I am wanting to know how to modify the scores, so that if any maqam in a song I am learning actually has ascending and descending
pathways, I can note this correctly in the music score.
Is someone able to assist me?
Regards
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John Erlich
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1463
Registered: 8-26-2004
Location: California, USA
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Quote: Originally posted by Ajina  | Hi all,
I am learning to play middle eastern music, but on a keyboard not on an oud.
This forum is one of the best I have seen regarding discussions about maqamat and so I am posting my question here – I hope I have explained myself
clearly enough.
At the moment I am learning to play songs through sheet music. In the future I hope that I can start to pick things out by ear, though that may yet
be some time away.
My question is regarding the ascending and descending forms of maqamat in sheet music. How do I determine whether any particular note is ascending or
descending?
The sheet music I am currently using seems to be simplified for western learners. For example D Hijaz listed as D Eb F# G A Bb C D, rather than D Eb
F# G A B-(b) C D as noted by both Turath and Maqamworld.
So therefore I am wanting to know how to modify the scores, so that if any maqam in a song I am learning actually has ascending and descending
pathways, I can note this correctly in the music score.
Is someone able to assist me?
Regards |
If I am understanding your question correctly, the answer is that you can't really go though a Westernized Arabic/Turkish/Persian music score and
"correct" it, adding the microtones "back," unless you already know the song well. Maqamat that have notes that change depending on whether the
melody is ascending or descending exhibit that trait as a tendency, not a hard-and-fast rule. [MORE LEARNED FORUM MEMBERS PLEASE CORRECT ME IF YOU
BELIEVE I'M WRONG.] A better solution, if you are ready (and equipped) to deal with microtones, is to find un-Westernized scores of the pieces you
wish to learn.
Many Forum members have extensive collections of music scores. What is your primary style? Do you have a list of songs with microtones that you wish
to play?
All the best,
"Udi" John
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Ajina
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Posts: 3
Registered: 5-4-2017
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Hi all,
John - Thanks for the reminder that I can’t just assume that the ascending and descending pathways are rules. Are you also suggesting the ascending
and descending pathways can vary within a maqam in one tune, let alone comparing one tune to another?
I did some more hunting around in western music theory and it seems to be that: “When the second note of an interval is higher than the first note
the interval is an ascending interval. If the second note is lower the interval is a descending interval.”
Does this also apply to middle eastern music written in western sheet music?
I am a middle eastern style dancer and originally got my keyboard to help me understand and hear maqamat as none of the learn maqam cds for dancers
did anything for me. I have to play it myself to start to be able to hear and understand. My primary music style is music for middle eastern dance,
as I am a dancer that has gotten entranced by the beauty of ME music.
I am focusing on working my way through Carmine T. Guida’s free sheet music of “Hafla Songs”. At this stage, I haven’t been able to work out
whether the ascending or descending pathways have been utilised or not.
I could make a listing of the songs in the book, in case anyone does have “traditional” scores that indicate if the pathways are used in the
songs.
I also have the “Arabic Music and Songbook”, but most of the notes and comments are all in Arabic, so not much help to me at the moment.
Thanks for any help
Regards
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John Erlich
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 8-26-2004
Location: California, USA
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Hi,
I went back and looked at the the Carmine Guida/Amy Krueger "Hafla Songs" collection. The songs employing microtones (only a couple) are not notated
as such, though there is a reminder note to that effect.
The other book you mention (this one?: http://www.maqam.com/Arabic-Music-Song-Book-Content-W20.html) I heard of, but never seen before. The songs all look like well-known material that
is generally available.
Why don't you go ahead and start by posting a list of a few songs to start?
Best,
"Udi" John
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John Erlich
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1463
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Location: California, USA
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As far as understanding Arabic maqam in general, have you seen this book: https://www.amazon.com/Maqam-Book-Doorway-Scales-Modes/dp/965505053X ?
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Ajina
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Hi John,
I emailed Carmine direct to ask his opinion (which I really should have done first), and he stated that the scores are correct and that the maqam is
only listed as a basic reference.
So, at this stage, I don’t actually need to assess the sheet music I am currently working on.
But I am still curious about the ascending and descending aspects of maqamat. Are there reasons for why any particular song would include different
ajnas when going up or down? Is it dependent on how a musician is feeling at the time? Or the emotional content intended for the tune? Is there a
regional or cultural component? Are there any, even vague guidelines or is it entirely up to the composer or the improvising musicican?
I have been looking at maqamat books for a while, but been unable to decide which books are my best investment. The David Muallem book looks
interesting - I like the fact that it described as a textbook that can be used for self study.
The only books with maqamat I have are: Cameron Powers “Arabic Musical Scales”, and Egyptian Music Appreciation by George Dimitri Sawa.
Thanks for your help.
Regards
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JassimbinMater
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Hi,
For reading the music you should probably disregard the ascent/descent dynamic of the maqam, and stick with the written accidentals as the piece is
written according to western staff notation.
The difference in the ascent/descent of maqamat is a guide to how the maqam should feel. If you want to add embellishments to the song, improvise, or
write music in the maqam, then this dynamic becomes more significant.
The reason behind this is that arabic music originally relied on "modes" which are based on the "feel" of the music. Thus you could have many modes in
the same key signature. To illustrate the modes, composers would provide a small excerpt of music in that mode.
The Andalusi/Maalouf music of North Africa of based on the modal system, where there is a mode for each hour of the day.
Over time Arabic music theory has moved toward more formalised maqamat, more and more analogous to western scales. Some people no longer teach the
maqamat as different ascending and descending, preferring to have it act the same as a western scale.
"D Hijaz listed as D Eb F# G A Bb C D, rather than D Eb F# G A B-(b) C D as noted by both Turath and Maqamworld"
Maqam world lists D Hijaz as having the B -(b)- ascending and the Bb descending. I'm assuming that your key signature indicates E and B as flat, and
F#. If there is a B -(b)- it should be indicated by an accidental. In my experience the B -(b)- in maqam hijaz is not rare, but not exactly common
either.
I haven't much formal education in maqamat but I've read quite a bit about it and this is my understanding. Please correct me if I'm wrong anyone.
Hope it helps.
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John Erlich
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1463
Registered: 8-26-2004
Location: California, USA
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Mood: Oud-Obsessed
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| Quote: Originally posted by Ajina |
But I am still curious about the ascending and descending aspects of maqamat. Are there reasons for why any particular song would include different
ajnas when going up or down? Is it dependent on how a musician is feeling at the time? Or the emotional content intended for the tune? Is there a
regional or cultural component? Are there any, even vague guidelines or is it entirely up to the composer or the improvising musicican?
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For maqamat with notes differing between ascending and descending (Rast, Bayati, Hejaz, etc.), my best sense is that the use of the raised or lowered
pitch is dictated by the melodic needs of the song/taqsim and preferences of the performer. Tendencies are not hard-and-fast rules. For example,
when I playing a taqsim in Rast on C (Do), I use the Bhalfb 6th degree to "lead" the listener's ear up to the high C (root tone), and the Bb 6th
degree when I want to emphasize the descending nature of the passage I'm playing, especially when the passage ends back on the lower C root. Does
that make sense?
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