Mike's Oud Forums

The In-Depth Analysis of Maqamat in Songs, Samais, Taqsims, and other Compositions

TruePharaoh21 - 10-29-2005 at 10:48 AM

Welcome everyone! It is finally here! In this thread, we will be posting sound files of different compositions and will hopefully dissect each of them into their characteristic maqamat and the modulations that follow.

We start with the Samai Farahfaza found on Simon Shaheen's "Turath" CD. Special thanks to David Parfitt for providing us with this sound file. (Make sure you visit his site: The Oud

For more knowledge on what a Samai is in general, please visit the Arabic Musical Forms Page on Maqamworld.com

This thread will only go as far as what its contributors will lend to us. Some people benefit simply from listening and recognizing a maqam, while others may rely on sheet music. It is entirely up to those who want to help us in our project here.

Once we are able to analyze which maqam each khana is in, we will have a better understanding of what types of modulations one can make in a taqsim, for example.

Let's get this going, guys!

TP21

TruePharaoh21 - 10-29-2005 at 10:57 AM

By the way, for those just starting on maqam theory, the Maqam Farahfaza (at its most simple form) is as follows:

G A Bb C D Eb F g

It is comprised of Nahawand on G, Ajam on Bb, and Kurd on D.

Of course, this isn't all there is to Farahfaza, as I'm sure you'll all see very soon!

TP21

TruePharaoh21 - 4-9-2007 at 12:20 PM

A year and a half later... any chance for a revival?

Brian Prunka - 4-9-2007 at 02:49 PM

Okay, I'll give it a try, though this isn't the easiest samai to do an analysis of.

first khana: starts with 'ajam on Bb (high) moving to 'ajam on F. The Khana ends with a modulation to kurd on D (with a passing hint of Nahawand on C).

taslim: this is essentially the farahfaza part, G nahawand with an emphasis on the upper C nahawand tetrachord. The emphasis is descending, from Eb to C, then Bb, A and finally G. These come too quickly to be considered modulations, but give an insight into the path of the maqam's development.

anyone have some deeper insights or care to try khana 2?

eliot - 4-10-2007 at 02:25 AM

Second hane: Nihavent/Buselik on G for 3.5 measures; then Acem Asiran (Bb) (m5), which descends through Segah (E-b) (m6), modulating to Huzzam in measure 7, with a funny chromatic thingy in measure 8 that ultimately rests at Kurd on D.

(sorry, forgot my Anglicized Arabic spellings and decided to stick with the Turkish makam names).

Third hane: TBC.... (here's a hint, there's a Neveser (Nawa Athar) in there somewhere.)