Danielo
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Maqam Isfahan in arabic music
Hi,
I'm a little bit confused with Maqam Isfahan.
In turkish music, the lower djins is Rast on Dukah (alternating with Bayati).
In Erlanger's book (which reflects musical practice in northern Syria, early XXth century), it is explained that the lower djins is Ajam (alternating
with Bayati also). To add confusion, in the related maqam Bastah Isfahan, Ajam is alternating with Rast.
Maybe the confusion comes from the fact that Ajam and Rast third degrees are separated by only one coma in Turkish theory (it seems that there's a
similar issue with Mahur btw).
One clue comes from Signel's book. It is explained that there's a common modulation from Hijaz Homayun to Isfahan. In turkish music the third degrees
of Hijaz and Rast are the same, so this modulation makes sense.
In arabic intonation it would not : the two pitches are not the same. However the third degree of Hijaz is a little lower than the third degree of
Ajam - and in fact is more or less the same as turkish third degree in Rast (two whole tones + 8 comas).
My conclusion would be to use Ajam djins with a lowered third degree - or equivalently turkish rast.
Do you agree ?
thanks !
Dan
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Brian Prunka
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I find these issues fascinating. As you said, similar issues arise with mahur.
I think your solution, to lower the 3rd degree of Ajam, probably the best solution.
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adamgood
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Isfahan has always been high on my confusion list but I'm starting to understand it a bit more lately so I'll give some of my and other's
observations.
1. Seyir is VERY important for this makam. That and certain cesni, licks, whatever you want to call them. Little important melodies. For all makams of
course this is true but for Isfahan knowing the basic scale and beginning note and karar is not enough.
2. When you mention Rast on Dukah I believe it's more appropriate to say that "Nishabur" is being used. Karar for Nishabur for Arabic notation would
be E natural (B natural in Turkish) and would use (Arabic) F#. Consider that as a lick in itself that is important to Isfahan, a melody:
G - F# - E- F# - G
And now go to Hicaz Humayun pieces:
http://www.adamgood.com/turkish_nota/piece.php?id=582&size=394
and you'll find that lick (D - C# - B - C# - D)
That's where the modulation comes from...this Nisabur switch.
My teacher Necati told me that the two note melody of the pitch Neva dropping to Segah is essential to Isfahan. Whereas makam Neva likes to drop from
Neva down to Dugah. Look at the ways the composers are using the pitch Segah, all very much in common:
http://www.adamgood.com/turkish_nota/rep.php?makam=57&sort=form...
That's just a start...
Adam
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Danielo
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Thanks Adam, this is very instructive !
I did not know about Maqam Nishabur.
Oddly, in Erlanger the lower djins of this maqam is described as "ajam on D resting on E", with indeed an arabic F#.
However, there's still the problem of modulating from Hijaz using the melodic phrase you gave, since the two pitches are slightly different in the
arabic system, unlike in the turkish one...
Dan
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adamgood
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Hi Danielo,
I'm more than happy to put in my 2 cents!
I'm confused by why there's trouble modulating to Hicaz...which two pitches are slightly different between Arabic and Turkish system? E and F#?
Quote: Originally posted by Danielo  |
However, there's still the problem of modulating from Hijaz using the melodic phrase you gave, since the two pitches are slightly different in the
arabic system, unlike in the turkish one...
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Jono Oud N.Z
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I was going to say the same thing as Adam, concerning jins Nishabur.
I believe maqam Isfahan comes from Persian Esfahan.
The differences include the final tonic and keeping the pitch of Segah rather than changing to Busellik and the F# doesn't change to F.
This leave us with the Persian intonation of Hijaz (Homayun) as well; D, Ed, F#, G.
Ottoman Hijaz had this intonation in the 16th and 17th centuries, according to Dimitrie Cantemir.
The old fretting of the Ottoman tanbur was identical to that of the Persian setar.
The medieval scale was also fretted with 17 notes per octave, so there are obviously less subtle changes.
Maqam Nishabur also features in 16th century Persian Ottoman music. And the name is obviously Persian too.
Interesting stuff...
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Danielo
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Hi Jono,
thanks ! Actually I became confused about this maqam after trying to play the Samai Isfahan in your book 
Adam, I was speaking about the third degree of Hijaz, which is, in the turkish system, 5 commas below Neva, which is the same as the leading tone to
Rast tetrachord played on Neva.
In Isfahan, the characteristic Seyir is indeed a Rast-like cadence on Neva ; it is an easy modulation from Hijaz as one has only to raise the second
degree to Buselik.
However in the Arabic system there is an issue:
-either, as you suggest, one can use as a third degree F# (i.e. as in Ajam on dukah), but then the cadence on Nawa is not a Rast cadence anymore (and
this F# is not exactly the third degree of Hijaz either).
-one can use instead F half-flat, but then the modulation from Hijaz induces a noticable change of pitch of this degree
In Erlanger's book, this ambiguity persists for all Isfahan-related Maqamat :
-Nihuft : Rast and Ajam on dukah are used, alternating
-Farahnak : the same
-bastah Isfahan : the same
-Isfahan : only Ajam
-Isfhanak : only Ajam
-Nisaburak : only Ajam
-Nawa : only Ajam
-Sultani Iraq : both Rast and Ajam
-Nisabur : F# as in Ajam on D
Dan
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adamgood
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Danielo, I see what you're saying there is a big discrepancy in the F#...this is a perfect example of where things get squirrely between the two
notation systems. Although the Turkish notation system is full of some flaws and gives little in the way of pitch detail (compared to how things are
played in the wild) I find that it tends to give better continuity across the map. Whatever, in the end the way that things are to be played are to be
heard and realized from the masters...these are aural and oral traditions. Your ears know what to do.
So actually in Arabic music how would you notate a Rast taste from around Neva if you had to? F# 1/2 flat? Is there a character for that? I think
that's what you're getting at when you mention Erlanger's book.
I would just notate it as F# and call it a day. Regardless, it's not a Rast taste here anyway, it's Nisabur.
| Quote: Originally posted by Danielo |
However in the Arabic system there is an issue:
-either, as you suggest, one can use as a third degree F# (i.e. as in Ajam on dukah), but then the cadence on Nawa is not a Rast cadence anymore (and
this F# is not exactly the third degree of Hijaz either).
-one can use instead F half-flat, but then the modulation from Hijaz induces a noticable change of pitch of this degree
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Brian Prunka
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In Arabic notation it would be F half-sharp, usually one vertical line and two diagonal lines.
This is lower than the Arabic F# in Hijaz.
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Jono Oud N.Z
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| Quote: |
Actually I became confused about this maqam after trying to play the Samai Isfahan in your book
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I do know exactly what you mean.
When learning this piece, I was unsure of the Rast flavour too.
Later I found out about the Nishabur flavour.
The Nishabur flavour creates a similar effect as the Western melodic minor scale,with a major 6th and 7th leading to the tonic.
Basically, the Nishabur flavour leads to the dominant; G, and the F and Ed returns to the Bayati flavour.
To me it is like juggling two different flavours in the right order.
It is better to see the F# as the leading tone to G rather than the Rast third.
Also I find it very helpful to look at both Turkish and Arabic sources for the sayr and construction of these maqamat.
I would suggest 'the Makam Guide' by Murat Aydemir.
It explains the maqamat in depth with recorded and notated examples in compositions and taqasim.
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