wsb3383
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Schools of taqsim
Here's a question from a newbie to taqsims (listening and playing), is there such a thing as schools (or genres) taqsims? I hear people speaking of
the old school style of playing (Sunbati) versus new....what are exactly the key differences?
thanks!
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Brian Prunka
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There's the traditional taqsim, like Sounbati whom you mentioned. Farid and Qassabji also fall into this category, though Farid was exceptional and
added a lot of newer flourishes. Many modern players are influenced by Farid (like Simon Shaheen).
There's also the 'Iraqi school, pioneered by Munir Bashir and most famously propagated today by Naseer Shamma.
There are regional variations as well, coming from folk traditions, Khaliji (gulf) oud players have their own style (but the connection to traditional
taqsim is very clear).
There are improvising oud traditions in other places that should probably not be called taqsim, like some of the music from Sudan and Somalia.
Anouar Brahem has his own improvising stye that is not really part of any tradition (though he can improvise taqsim as well)
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wsb3383
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Hey Brian, thanks for the info!
I'm also wondering are distinguishable melodic elements that are used to judge whether a taqsim is traditional or not? melodic progression styles,
intervals....etc? ....or am I over-theorizing this?  lol!
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Edward Powell
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| Quote: | Originally posted by wsb3383
Hey Brian, thanks for the info!
I'm also wondering are distinguishable melodic elements that are used to judge whether a taqsim is traditional or not? melodic progression styles,
intervals....etc? ....or am I over-theorizing this? lol!
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Brian mentioned the prominent Arab schools, but left out the Turkish school.
Traditional taksim is based on makam. Makam traditionally follows a progressive development called SEYIR. However the seyir is only a general set of
suggested guidelines and it is then up to the individual's mood, artistic sense, and intuition how to interpret the makam.
Generally a taksim can be considered traditional if it's seyir is adhered to reasonably strictly and modulations into other makams are logical.
However, all keen players are constantly doing best (or should be) to stretch the limits of the tradition - therefore you might hear massive
differences in two different taksims and they would still both fall into the catagory of traditional.
If you are REALLY new, the best thing is to have someone recommend for you a lot of traditional taksims to listen to.... then do some studying up on
what makam is all about, and pretty soon you will get the feeling for what is and what is not traditional.
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wsb3383
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Thanks Edward! Yeah, I figured seyr is a major part of it....
Correct me if i'm wrong, my understanding of this right now is:
constructing a seyr that primarily develops the maqam's first and second ascending tetrachords (jins or ajnas), followed by some development of a
high tetrachord, and on finish developing the descending second then first ones right right?
I have this old book in french about taqsims by Rudolphe D'Erlanger, and this is what I'm noticing in the transcribed taqsim sheet music in it.
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Edward Powell
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well, anything that I would say about it comes from my training in the Ottoman school, so some more Arab oudis might disagree.
The way I see it is that first of all you must determine what is the tonic and the dominant and what is the octave.
Then determine which of these 3 notes is the most important.
The example of the 4 makams:
USSAK
BAYATI
HUSEINI
MUHAYYER
- all more or less have the same tetrachords, ussak tetrachord plus buselik/rast pentachord on top.
USSAK and BAYATI have the fourth note as dominant but in BAYATI the dominant is the most important.
HUSEINI and MUHAYYER both have the fifth note as dominant, but in HUS. the dominant is the most important, and in MUHAYYER the octave is the most
important note.
Therefore all four of these makams have a different CENTER OF GRAVITY.
Very important to note that as you develop the makam you are constantly shifting you CENTER OF GRAVITY, and as you do this most of the notes will
shift, slightly or a lot, in the direction of you CENTER (this is why thinking in terms of scales can get you lost, because the basic scale is
constantly being slightly altered in order to indicate the current CENTER.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the SEYIR includes some essential and some merely suggested TEMPORARY STOPPING POINTS ("tastes") on nearby
makams. Knowing these also helps you to strengthen the character of a makam and not touch on other nearby makams.... for example, BAYATI AND USSAK
are very close, and I was told by NECATI that in Bayati it is very important to give a little taste of HICAZ ON NEVA, but that in USSAK you should
never do this (unless you decide to make it a full modulation to KARCIGAR).
- - -
Anyway, I don't pretend to be an authority on this subject, and would truly welcome any corrections to my summery suggested here, THANKS.
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