Maqam Analysis: A Primer

The article Maqam Analysis: A Primer (PDF) | (larger print PDF), published Fall 2013 in Music Theory Spectrum, provides the theoretical justifications for the claims made on this site. This page presents all of the audio samples referenced in that paper, with links to the equivalent sections of this website's analysis track, where you will find many more audio samples illustrating the same principles argued in the paper. The Introduction on this site lays out the broader theoretical framework for the analyses and theories presented in the article and the website; while some may feel that the "introduction" makes more sense after the article, others may accept it as a good starting point.

Scope

Before proceeding, any readers unfamiliar with ajnas and maqamat (for that matter, any readers who are not experienced practitioners of Arabic music), should make sure they can distinguish and identify the most common ajnas by ear, which is the fundamental skill necessary for analysis as well as active listening and practice. Distinguishing ajnas by ear is covered in the Beginner Track, while the most common ajnas are illustrated with audio samples in the "Basic Ajnas" section. Readers are also advised to consult the pages on How to use the site (including reading the samples) and the Glossary.

Examples 1-3

For a fairly complete list of the maqamat, broken down into ajnas according to the conventional definition, visit: Maqam World, where you will find Example 1a: Maqam Bayati, and Example 1b: Maqam Rast.

Jins Baggage, or the Expanded Jins

See II. "Jins Baggage" on the analysis track for more examples.

Example 4

from Sama3i Bayati al-Aryan:

Example 5

from Nura Nura:

Example 6

from "Taheya" Dance Instrumental:

Example 7

See Maqam Bayati page for the fuller network of ajnas within Bayati; see also

Previously Unnamed Ajnas

See III. Previously Unnamed Ajnas on the analysis track for more examples.

Jins Secondary Rast

See Jins Secondary Rast on the analysis track for more examples and longer sections of the songs used here.

Example 8

From Ya Shadi il-Alhan:

Example 9

From Fakkaruni:

Jins Hijazkar

See Jins Hijazkar on the analysis track for more examples and longer sections of the songs used here.

Example 10a

From the Adhan (call to prayer) in Hijaz:

Example 10b

From Ghannili Shwayya:

Example 11

From Muwashshah "Tif ya durri":

Example 13

13a Maqam Rast (visit maqam page >>)

See Secondary Rast and Nahawand pathways in Rast in the Common Pathways section. See also the Maqam Rast Network on the Demo Site. Here's an example from Mawwal "Fein Ya Gameel Wa3dak" using the ajnas in Example 13a:

13b Maqam Sikah (visit maqam page >>)

See Maqam Sikah Analysis for examples of these ajnas used together. See also the Jins Secondary Rast page. Here's an example from Muwashshah "Jadaka-l-Ghaithu":

13c Maqam Hijazkar (visit maqam page >>)

See Maqam Hijazkar on the Demo Site. Here's a passage from Harramt Ahibbak illustrating these ajnas in combination:

13d Maqam Nawa Athar (visit maqam page >>)

See also Maqam Nakriz on the Demo Site, a maqam in the same family that shares many of the same ajnas as Nawa Athar. Here's a passage from Gameel Gamaal illustrating these ajnas in combination:

A Maqam as a Pathway; Common Pathways

On the Analysis track see section IV. Common Pathways for more examples and longer passages of these examples.

Example 14

From Ya Shadi il-Alhan:

Example 15

From Sihtu Wajdan, although the version here has two differences from the transcription presented in the article, including the use of Nahawand 5 in #11, and more significantly, the substitution of the less common Hijazkar and Nakriz in #16 and #17 for what in most other versions is usually Hijaz 5 (in place of #16) and Rast 1 or Sikah 3 (in place of #17), as I transcribed it. But I love Marie Jubran's version of the song more than others I had available, and I wanted to diversify the vocalists used on the site as much as I could, so I decided to include it.

Example 16

From Hayrana Leh:

Example 17

See Maqam Rast on the Demo Site, as well as the top of the Maqam Rast page on this site for illustrations of the network of ajnas making up Maqam Rast.

Alternate Pathways

See section V. Alternate Pathways for more disussion of the Bayati Shuri example, as well as examples of alternate pathways in Maqam Ajam (not covered in the paper, but useful for understanding the discussion of Zanjaran there).

Examples 18 & 19

From the Muwashshah "Hibbi Da3ani lil-Wisaal:

Examples 20 & 21

From Mihtaar Ya Naas:

Multiple Common Pathways in Maqam Bayati

Go back to the Bayati half of the Common Pathways section for illustration of the majority of Bayati Pathways.

Example 22

From Ah Ya Hilu:

Example 23

See the Bayati Page on this site, and the Bayati Shuri page on the demo site, for audio and corresponding graphs.

Rare and Unique Pathways

See section VI. Unique Paths for audio samples a more complete discussion of the examples here.

Example 24

See the Jins Secondary Saba page in the "Unnamed Ajnas" section for a thorough treatment of this jins, including examples that illustrate Examples 25 & 26 from the article

Example 25a

See also the Other Rast Pathways page within the "Common Pathways" section for examples of the use of Jins Secondary Saba within Maqam Rast. This example is from Ya Maal ish-Sham:

Example 25b

This example in Maqam Ajam Ushayran is from the Muwashshah "Ayqadhal-hubbu Fu'aadi":

Example 26

From Lissa Fakir:

Example 27

see the Unique Paths page for step-by-step analysis of the Mawwal "Kull illy habb itnasaf", discussed in this section of the article.

See the Unique Paths page for step-by-step analysis of the Mawwal "Amana Ya Leil", discussed in this section of the article.

Example 28

An illustration of the ordinary structure of Maqam Zanjaran, taken from the opening of the Mawwal:

Examples 29 & 30

Here's the passage transcribed in the article from Mawwal "Amana ya leil":

Conclusions

See the "Big Picture" analysis of Aruh Li meen for a sense of the shape of the maqam system, as well as for an excellent example of the long-song genre illustrating some of the points made in the conclusion of "Maqam Analysis: A Primer." Several other "long songs" are also analyzed on this site, including Lissa Fakir (Verses 1-3), Ba3eed 3annak (Verses 1-2), Fakkaruni (1st verse only), and Huwa Sahih (fragment from 1st verse).

At this point I encourage you (If you haven't done so already, following the links from this page) to follow the entire Analysis track from start to finish, starting with the Introduction. Spend real time repeat-listening to all of the examples, and train your ears to understand them. Then you can follow this page on to the next sections, leading finally to my discussion of the work to be done to continue what's been started here.