there are many maqams that have been lost during centuries...
In fact it seems that some maqams are on trend during a period and then due to lack of use they loose their "popularity"
there is story though about the huge number of maqams, I'm not sure if't true or not...
During Ottoman empire Sultans pay a lot of gold for musicians that invented new maqams. They had to compose a pesrev and a semai to invent the new
maqam.
BUT
Despite this "legend" I think that the beauty of the modal (maqam) music is exactly this. I mean that maqam is not only a given tradition , but you
can add flavor, feeling and create new things also. Jono Oud N.Z - 2-6-2012 at 01:02 PM
Hi.
I have heard this story too.
Quote:
During Ottoman empire Sultans pay a lot of gold for musicians that invented new maqams. They had to compose a pesrev and a semai to invent the new
maqam.
I also think that not all of these maqamat are successful.
Some are really good though, it depends on personal taste and the way the maqam is played.
Most are compounds, but there are some old maqamat that are very basic; Nishabour for example.
There were still more maqamat played in Cantemir's day than
are generally heard today.
Sometimes when I hear these lesser heard maqamat, it is like discovering a new flavour or mix of colours.
I am really into the idea if re-discovering this old rich tradition.
Plum_Pasha - 2-6-2012 at 02:18 PM
According to Feldman's take on Cantemir ([1993], and pretty well supported by Wright, also [1992 and 2000]) there was virtually no modulation between
makam-s until right around the time Cantemir was describing (± 1650 - 1700) —which is also the period when the heavily modulatory taksim genre was
invented — it seems to be that both the normalization of modulation in all genres since then, as well as the explosion of compound makam-s from
around 1700 and after come directly from the invention of the taksim genre (see also Ederer 2011 Chapter 2). Spartan mentioned in this thread's second
part that Saba wasn't around in Byzantine times — I think that although there were "Saba-like" makam-s before the 1700s (usually with the name
Kûçek, but earlier apparently known as Rahawi), the Saba we know today is probably from this explosion in the 1700s — that is to say, Saba as we
(should) know it is a compound makam consisting of Zirgüleli Hicaz on çargâh (which used to be called "Çargâh") which falls through an
uşşak trichord.
I'm all for bringing back some of these obscure beauties, but I also agree that it is the makam system itself that allows each of us to create these
unique conjunctions — it's a shame there's not more new creation of at least compound makam-s.
Thanks Jono for spreading interest in these forgotten tulips!Jono Oud N.Z - 2-6-2012 at 04:27 PM
Hi.
Very interesting!
In the Cantemir book there are anonymous Persian pieces from the 1500's (and possibly even 1400's) in Saba.
This old version of Saba has the regular fourth with the flat fourth appearing only occasionally.
The mode (the Ottoman version) was probably still evolving at this time.
I wonder if one version of maqam Saba originated in Yemen?
Saba is Sheba as you probably know (Queen of Saba, Sabeans).
This maqam is also used a lot in Bedouin folk music.
The 'folk' version is mostly jins Bayati/Ussak with a flat fourth, where as the latter is like you described.
In the 'Parfums Ottomans' Al Kindi album, the liner notes mention that ther are two varieties of Saba; the 'Bedouin' one and the Ottoman/Byzantine one
with the sharper fourth.
This maqam was apparently used in ancient church music from Antioch.
The flat fourth in Ottoman music was still flatter in Cantemir's time though, like the modern Arabic intonation of Saba...
I have, as far as I know, created two compounds that I couldn't find any record of.
This proves that the maqam system is so inexhaustible, both melodically and rhythmically.
Many of these old and compound maqamat are very interesting to listen too.
Although some are certainly more appealing than others.
