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er 1992 1% een, and Co. ‘of Phonology." In Franks Smith and George ‘Cambridge, MA: MIT. Press. lunication in the Atmosphere: Implications 1s." Bebavioral Ecology and Soctobiology { London: Yale University Pres, Vou 36, No.2 Enivomsoor Serne/ Senn 1992 Modulation in Arab Music: Documenting Oral Concepts, Performance Rules and Strategies Scorr L. Mancus University oF CauroRNia, SANTA BARBARA Ithough modulation (he practice of moving from one magam to another within a given piece of music) is widely recognized as one of the most important aspects of Arab modal practic, the subject has been all butign 2 With few exceptions, theorists iver the centuries have concentrated on describing the modes as individual and distinct entities rather than discussing movement among the modes. In keeping with this lack of attention in theoretical treatises, there is no. ‘universally recognized Arabic term for modulation, When discussing modu- oS ,h———C=rC verbal nouns: yantagil/intigal Co shift, change locality, to move"/"change of locality, relocation, transfer"); yubawwil/tabuil (to transfer, change switch’ /"ansformation, change, translocation, transfer"); yughayyir/taghyir (pronounced tagbir) (to change"/"change").? ‘Armed with methodologies new and old, the modem scholar can play an important role by documenting—in many respects, forthe first time—this important aspect of Arab musical practice. Indeed, the etically based scholar is at an advantage in this endeavor since he or she might be less inclined to accept the indigenous boundaries of written theoretical scholarship; that is, the preponderant relegation ofthe issue of modulation to the realm of music practice and oral theory rather than written theory. ‘The music and Arabic-language theoretical works under consideration are from the eastern Mediterranean region ranging from Egypt to Syria and. Lebanon. in this article, Iwill address four points based largely on fieldwork conducted int Cairo, Egpt, but also'taking into consideration the few modern-day writers who have addressed these issues. After affirming the ceatral importance of modulation in Arab music, I will di ssificatory concepts which exist most commonly in oral rather than swziten realms, rules (© 1992 Board of Trustees ofthe University of tlinois 172 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1992 ‘Modulation in Arab Music 173 which govern current modulatory practice, and performers’ strategies for lm ue adn race, ad pe ses for is quite rare, exceptin [short pieces}, thatall of a melody remains in only one mode” (1922:2767).A number of writers, in fact, state that changes in maqam are absolutely necessary. “If we compose a piece in fany one model without mixing it with others the listener would be bored” (al-Anpint 1925:3; see also al-Shawwa 1946.96). Describing the fagasim genre, Samba to avoid monotony, a change of mode The Central Role of Modulation in Arab Music the subject has not been adressed in mos theoreti there is sufficient evidence to show that mock eda ma (Owen Wright describes th time: “Although a composition would generally be Aihoush = composition would generally be based on just one mode, |, nothing can equal the aesthetic pleasure of the listener in the detection of the smooth soldering junctions berween {different maqam: Indeed, modulation plays an important role by helping to define the structure of many compositional genres. The instrumental genres, sama’? jons (ebanat, sing. kbanab) which ie from 1329 as Containing “advice conceming the passage fom one male - 1979249), And finaly. Wight memtons con spp fourteen tions are then set in different maqamat. See, for example, Example 1, *Sama‘ Bayyatial-Thagit” (for similar, but not identical transcriptions of this piece, see ‘Arafah and ‘Ali 1984:29; Fatah Allab and Kamil 1982:105) in section and taslimare set in maqam Bayyati, while the second, i 1 modem period? ' which we have observed in the [perfor- | I | Figure 1: Scales of the modes used in “Sama‘i Bayyati al-Thaqdl": 1798-1801), each mode can receive 826:126). He also records the Byyat = DOF Ga Be d * ibid 126-27 Rast Nawé GA Be de Me ypian and Syrian \ waz (DOB ROG A Be d following passage: “A Saba DBF G A Bec é nothing forbids Modulations often ral roles in vocal compositionsalso. Inthe Shy pare ei ee | (Gono Cairo cassetie 05), for example, the dominant maqam is Rast (and i; 19132115) Saznak) but there are also large sections in Saznak, Nahawand, Nawé Athar, Baya Naw4, Hijaz Naw, and Sikah/Huzim. soyseut 01 st urebeur au0 soyseur oy azoqaa ash gery ‘PB puooss v porpnys Buraey mom} vorteinpour inoge aso pazijemdaouo> s1oy>ro0 At pauwoiad 9q pinoo wip suonempow Sunensuoursp pue Sumumejdxo soynutut awoag | avoaa@ s | PP > Bj pp >a WO AUN 2 8) ep > aw puen neddeg 9 @ WO aa 5 mY SHEN 2 @ WD a Ga Dd pwewryeN | 258 WO af ao 7 @"avoagaosd saumesAepete 1841.eaq0, UF pasn Sopous at SLI 2ISnAY qty us wosronpon (Gora punt -v 4q vondyosuen ¥ sy) UMouyUN s9s0dwo> [sbeyLTe nedkeg Lewes +] adwExy joy 266T s8wuns/Bussds ‘Bojoossnmougiy — FLT 20 ,21qAeWOSUL, passpisuOD ave EY SOU JO¥ SV (G ‘BY 905) A UO ZEAL Sioa GES ak Saporoupe Agata ‘rezeu p> a WO 4 @ a “uenAg pod woaga me 2 @ V9 4d @ Gd -whead smnpzas M7" pee eee eee Wey 'E DiopEMIBdda popes DAS saqqissod ase suopepmpous 2x40} PRES Suoure yepsey owes amp Jo sopour Jo sojdunecg :¢ amspL ods ‘snus ‘Apures,) p> gv 4 ga qs in samp Jo dnoxeus p> @vV O94 aa pany, Peed vero ye ac caved Po? @V 9 4 @ Gd Medsegg jeer [ener] proypenai sadn proyseney 19360) proypenai zoddn _puoyperuad 30.80} Tepemereg iar 1 ao vou ga 3 Env eM 2 €@ WO d Ad 9 -PUEMEEN 2 @Vv 24 aaa asnre puoipensiedda proipend fama sayqissod ase suopemnpous 2740) soRDesd UF 3999 eT {PIAA Suowe Leivy 1uasayFp Jo sopous Jo sapdurexy -y any suopempow ay AstsseyD 01 2439g Yor s1d2000), 2LE— oismyy qzay 1a uoRenpoHE 2661 souwunsuuds ‘Bopoorsnwougiy — 941 px ofuopeoe ut paxdope pue parejsuen u39q 2mp ‘Apuaooy , HSTHSAOU suopemnpow woppns :¢ dune GLI ESL QvAy U4 woKwmpowW pra ¢ ajdunexg ui soseayd oun ‘opdurex2. Jus & UTEIUOD 0} poorsiapun ATfesaUae 109 Amy st uoneIMpous 2up ‘BAEN SEY O11 pur ‘need 01 pqes wrody ‘pqes 01 neAKeg wosy suOnE|NPOW! Lappns URED pny 2 ajdurexg ut sosesyd atp ‘apduzexa 20) ‘29g “dea] pojour Buypuanse ue Aq 38 panuse uayo st amueay Sunsenuoo ys “oyun “PIOYENar 1960} s.apour mau atp ur paureywoo uayo st umebeus wau atp jo asmuway Bunsen | e "WON PAN!WO OSTP AIP SOU, wea Sea SHED TH Jo WOU pou MOU F jo mou ICT Sf Bus jo aqedes ou | OE | ee ee or a0 ze p> mv Or fa v0 eaes avo ¢ @G 9 a wnuRly, supskeysn, wefy, wosy suopETNpOW e850 p> av V uo vqes aa ep? @ Wo paen neddeg Ok ons oe quo weeny | > @v oa aap Pa i SEY WOss SBOFEAPOW oozing ap or BumenpOLE “9 9AIOR ‘tp wep somno ssosHop vo paseq sopow o» suonEIMPOW +$ 2InBE, 2661 soununs/Sunds “Boyoorsnuougit — BLE 180 Btbnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1992 ‘murars, intigal mura, and tabwil mura (all meaning “passing modula- the past (1826:68; quoted above). Example 4 hlation to maqam Nakriz (CD Bs FG A Bb) ‘each of th he main maqamat. After analyzing sixteen tagasim performances in maqam Nahawand by Jihad Racy, Bruno Net! and Ronald Riddle find a distinct patterning of usage. The two most commonly used Bayyatl Naw - a modes which share the same tonic pitch same lower tetrachord) and to one or two to Bayyatiand awa and Hijaz Naw8), and t0 ‘most common modulations 1Orl, Saba, and Hij tok transposed to G (ie, Rast Naw) Modulation in Arab Music 181 ‘Figure 6: Common modulations from magam Rast: Rast: c pe FG AB c saznal ce DE) ec) ol a Nahawan oC DB F G& Be a ceaewE lo decrete Ga cde fs os cdo cd ed ca cd ed ‘Rare or unusual modulations might involve unusual trans} ‘as a modulation from Rast to maqam Sikah transposed to rceivedas being ‘move f from Rast to Bayyati Naw, and then to Saba Nawa (see fig. 7). Figure 7: Modulating from Rast to Bayyati Naw4 to Sabi Nawa: cDBFGABe GAB c fas Rast Bayyatl Nawai ae ie ae oe de tre abd Nawa: Required Modulations? ‘While the magamat each have modes to which they most commonly modulate, there are no required modulations in the present day. It was, however, common in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries for theorists to define some individual modes as a conglomeration of two oF / more maqamat. These modes, then, contained obligatory shifts from one for example, describes the mode Kardant the performance of [the mode} Mahar... then you close with, _yyat" Cc. 1840]1899:932). Similarly, Baron Rodolphe D’Erianger describes a number of compound modes which begin in one maqam and \e in another (1949:294-95, 298-301). D'Erlanger also mentions a number © _duoire ave 40 saiBap amp uo ‘puoses pur ‘sopour omy due Usoaseg AUT seED8 pure qrarsonus Jo 20s8p 9114 To PSB RUKONT DAO “(961 2unf <2 “UonroyUTIEWUOD [oLOSIod) Susodwoo so Susioidun s 240 Yor Ut webu ap tas ysuoneyat asop UF pues ypryia rewebew aun ‘st eK ‘@Hdeunb 0 16) aaaob ax OF swmoury avo rtp Anessanou st, Sunes "wap! ours otp passasdx> UY ISHENY “ranaMoy ‘28% p2pAOUPE TY ‘VOREMpoU Jo ssadord amp ‘woao8 Woikpa sors oyDads Ou are arocp suepsnmm pu starr Aue 30 ZVORETMPOW UsIA05 YPTYAL SOTA ‘ysnun qeay Aep-uasaid ut sn290 Te suoneinpow jo soda amp jo Bojere> paseq Areou pu padojanap Apes © ‘anaxyoe on 2jqyssod sy ‘aes snsian uourwo> pu ‘Burssed snssan PaSpapINy ‘qenpea8 snssaa uappns ‘oyu uow snsr9a 2140 Jo sxdaou0D atp Sutsn Aq -2pouu peufz0 ap so4>a5 IO uo woy dors Aq dais usas 5} "ppouu urs qn on wmnas or e Pee ee ve) ‘PMEN SEH yet al al smpdkeg Po@woa aa ‘ys PAN SAL O1 NEAKEg OF LINYS wo BUPEMPOW +8 AINE | 8 By 205) (a6t aunf ¢z ‘uomPorUNUIHIOD [eUORIod ‘uy Jue BOK ‘Ase;pouusoru ue se npdkegy Hast 01 ates ose ur SioyD eo: dt Jo 940 IeInpour ¥ Jo aaoqe poyp ojdurexa ay a10N -uone|npour UaAI® e BuIAary>e Jo Kem YoUGOD 3S0uT otf Uo snsuasuo> & oq 1u8U axotp ‘FoAaAoY {paquosoid you are scars Asepouusaqut oypods oy, Aressa0au paroprsuoo Aqjeiauas are suone|npour Avepoueryy vonepoul e YoNs anayse or JOpI0 ul “webeur UES ou ‘saxamoy ‘syoog Auoaq Aep-1udso. 398 {L961 aunf ‘uoReSFUNUOD TeUOSIOd ‘inINg) ZEN UEbeAE JO A wrebew st paquosep pure PeuONUUI SaaS sf LaAb7 WHeDEU [pur pqes uoomog pur vqes sapour ayy, Teurebeus xojdun09 10 punoduio> soup Jo 4941 ‘vonuout 0} anunuos sisuoaKp Ayp-tU9soUd M825 V “(POT-GET) JRNOUE WOH : 131 GOL'S96T HUE Pur CST:TL6T AUER ‘aidurex 105 ‘s06) [GaySieS ssn pus ques bap) cE Pook, Xa papi oq anus 9H "sploypener pasodumocins ure3uos 61 poorsiapun aaa Yor SSpoU jo J 81 2IsnW quay us wonempow™ 2661 sowing Braud “Wojootsnuougiy — ZT fasihaRast: 184 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1992 , but not as close as , and Nahawand all those of the same fasilab. For examp! share a Hijiz tetrachord on G (see fig. 9). ) ewe Modes which share the sme ler terachon Cc Dm F GAB ec ‘Saznak: Cc DR FGA Be a Modes which stars te wae uppe each bt erin het Tower tarachon Saznak and Fiuzim are generally understood to stand in closer to one another than Nahawand and Huzam since the former pair share the note E half-flat (the tonic in Huzim, a secondary ghammaz in maqam Saznak), ‘More important than structural o scalar sit ‘compatibility understood to exist between two tonic pitches. The ire of tonic compatibility can be seen in the following odes which the same notes and the same upper are considered distant from one another Such is the case with the modes Rast and | Bayyact, and SO@EI-aNd-ShOH, where a general “prohibition” against ‘and D-based maqamat renders these two Sh |, Where a “pr between D-based and EbBased maqamat pletely distant from one another in terms of modulation (see fig. 10) Figure 10: Examples of “distant” modes: Rast: C DBP G A Be Bayyats DEF G ABB e d Lj shared upper tetrachords** saznak: 0) 8) re Gian) c Shas DE EG cia 4 shared tetrachord Modulation in Arab Music 185 .cept of tonic com ie Figure 11; The main magamat classified by tonic pitch: ¢ mage the D magamat, Baya ee Sak Sha > (varegat) Nahawand Saba Kurd ita Shab che Bs maqamat: ae ae ae ee eee on te the other of the above “f -s" tends to determine the possible modulations Ie OVERFIGIN TACTOT being tonic compatibility. ated. atl Stes om nner eache in Cao es gobased on extensive ants fpeceinthe modem epee re potoie [am tering to cludes both the nasal lexmed sted ye TaN anc the Spopulaes domains The former's represented BY THe Sm ‘reyes ater bythe modem song adion Gnchading the Sones oF nm uno, Muhanad ‘Abd Wa rash, ‘Abd a Halim Hafiz, Wardah, Fayrouz or Fairtiz, etc. ‘ety eared and “popula domains of Ara muse Ba = jsuen pue uone|npow Jo suroned 2A0q yeurebey Jo ATrure J Otp 0} VORETMPOW He 3TH, jsnur gery Aep-wopour ur ma00 rex suon|NpOUE axp JO OG WEI a:0Ur JOS yUNODDe AWqeqosd sans any BUIOSaI0} aq, epo> m@wod @ uy, 5 9P> BW 5 smpdteg 5 > ¥Y Od @ ao OMOKR rwefy, sy por nedseg SH IE SEH 2 4 @G 9 fa curly sr 54 aa smebeg saefy, so pHa nedog 2Er aanB 3824 Se Tons sapow paseg-5 J91p0 wo ONE|NpOUT gquoa & Se psonponur 2q pino> 1 u=tp ‘5 01 pasodsuen arora uBAEYSN, Suen SmI," UO “D AoJaq pmp sofeu a AED TEN a Vo WHEANALATONS SH PUY D UO SEH SHE KAT HES KoKL {UEeOHAYERS SUFEZNTL TEMES SHE TPE SEH ZT DENT Zs 2ISnW quuy ur uoHempoW yewoubeny ff PuE Ip Tey | atp O1 VOREIMPOH +4 9H 7-8 wi) 5 or posodsuen st sry webeus asoyse. sTbEUI, ns PUE ‘5 01 osTe ‘webeur 5 a1 asodsuen ‘wrebeur 2 due oy urebeu g ¥ wos} a1einpous or ‘Apes “urebeur pasodsuen atp mpow pur ‘5 oF webew q ip asodsuen ‘webear cl Aue 0} webeus pow or :Aeyd OWT soWO> LOR c Atferunus ase somUEY Om oy eK UDI Us wsi2a 20a 4o webew paseq-q € 07 ure ‘way aieinpour iouue> au0 :ayru Burm soup usamiog uonyinpoyy “waIsks ebeu aqp Jo UoRIod ure saiquey pur 5 oy) ip sjeaaas aAoqe parst| WeUTEbEUT axp Jo ADTADI sonmimeg Aseum O14, tp U3989q VORETOPOW 24 IMM ewebeus ¢ Bu1oq ‘san re (BL-91 “UAL eqES pure (EI-Zt "wM) zee -npow jo sojdurexo sopraaid ‘anode paquiosuen . bette nese 4 wos, ‘moj suonemnpout atn Jo ogos se yous se dn oyyeus ayia oe st in apeanonanen eT ) SuopeTpOW DFUOL T¢ SMH ‘suremop 2st 3 Ur sispxo netfee AIO} pemoyjoy are mojog powossud soja aus, Coamms Auraus> quassUR 2661 sotmuns Buds “Bojoorswoug, — 9Bt 188 Eubnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1992 theD modes be transpose o G andthe BB modes be ranposedto steond DG B/BB and BOVDD. Ts isbecustte Dandi modes aso act as one family by frely aceping modulations from each other and by requiring thatthe C modes be transposed to G and the Falla modes be transposed o B hal flat oe Bb haa "These two sytems of es have the note G in common, Gs role is explained, in pat by two factors. Ft, noted ab ghistahe uppers Ge ghanna rm. and a Ge Thista been co) terachord then Gl rendered an extremely imporant noe inthe teach iy imporant noe in the veal of How then do the Fmagamat tnt the maga tobe excladed fom HiTHOSESOFTies mentioned above F with the other modes in one of thee ways. Ft, they can om th BB modes since Bs modes are comuonly ana ts havinga second terachord that darts on F Bib B and bas however, few pieces based in the BB> modes (of which only |. teansposed to F.* See, for example, the Umm Kulthim song, *‘Awadt ‘Aynt” Jhich contains modulations from Hijaz Kar pra ‘madb) and mizmarftabl baladttradi hich are performed at saints da festivals (mawali; 4 ee ‘mawlid, pronounced maid) and at numerous inment is required (weddings, birthdays, Modulation in Arab Music 189 =~ of the € maqamat), then move up the scale to the D maqamat (again using say number of these magamat), and then close with the Elhalf-flat maqamat. See, for example, a performance by Shaykh Farid Hagag (Sabrab ft Madi, ‘assette) which contains modulations from C10 D and ‘mainstream’ traditions, @ domains, Having found a tradition which does not follow the restrictions x. They discussed above, we can now view these restrictions in a new ‘not inherent to the maqam system. Rather, it might be argue ‘ocreate a more refined, a more highly evolved mod: least some of) the region's the issue of which modulations are possible ‘addition, we.can also study the processes by which are achieved in practice. In their compositions and specific strategies when 1 ortwo specific not ina given modulation. One teacher referred to these notes informally a “the door (al-bab) to a modulation (Mansi Amin, perso ‘GTTTIMeTOus occasions in 1982-83, 1984, and 1987). "Tra theory, however, doesnot zecognize either this concept o as a whole, Yor modulations among many of the D-based modes (Bayyat, Sabé, xurd, and Hija) and ‘Ajam ‘Ushayran (based on BB) Bb often serves a vot aote, When composing or improvising, one can modulate among these ee res by first focusing on Bs using the note A as a leading tone to the Bs ‘Then, by descending with Bb A G F E40, one has shifted to maqam Bayy by descending Bb A GiF ESD, one has moved to Saba; BAG F BD C BES aud one has entered maqam ‘Ajam ‘Ushayran, and so on (see fig, 10, ee eee Bayyat: pe FGAB c 4 Sabi DH FG: AB cd Kurd: DB FP GAB c 4a Hija: DB RG AB c 4 ‘ajam ‘Ushayran: BBP C DB F G A fb ey sora oseosoy UeDoay ap oH ese A pauoddns sea Os UT SIENA T SmON ‘annzadssad ona ue wo paulusexe ase saYBarens pur saqnu souruuopiad pur sidaouos [exo sueTpIsn Lays ywersedsa aq we> sarpms ypt Ieya\ ‘open jeonasoorp uaa jaered si wuosy uonspes1 DISA E -qeaaid ut ‘astoyredas pasodwosard ur ‘suonesiaosdust strerisn Ut sure auarDyp Jo J9qUINU E UE potOUINDo 9q 01 aIgE sMIA PU >IqEAIDSGO ‘S89 TE 2isny quay ws wommmnpow -squaaau ‘sy uonejmpowy “ArooMp oysnus quay UaNEHs Jo tTEMIOp axp apIsINO ‘Aja8se] soy yey UoUsOUDYd © P>URUEXD aALy 946 ‘YOISN|DUCD Up sea ain Burpu2yo anomie auH09 sey 9u0 Y>RS fe Buoure Aaatssonons seed ue avo sot id amp ypu jo"soKpOU ce 3ISNU GY Uy ‘spaoypenar [toad o1 uppe idaou09 v uo poseq uoRENpoUE 40} sop Supuy payodar AETOTA ur 2pomppY Joy, eeCPMEN Ie 01 neAAeg WON} UOEMPOU! feNpRd axp suTfiaq 9 aroU aK ort juIAaTyPE 40} 9sN AU ame Aoyi ‘iayey “poranype 9q_ UED uORENPOW red v sexs op ‘Sunpmnsor 10 Suna you are sueroysnus ‘so}ou yoard ypns Bunes*pur kg pony ng 10U yard ¥ se 9, 100 ow Sutsn EAN HExKER OL SEY WON woNEMpoW V5 dW (6 ordurex Uunpys > sou oy par neAdeg 0 sreIMpou uo pUE SEY Webeus 25 ep p> avo ‘pave neddog, i 1 2@/av 9 4 @ao ase Co 29 uo poseg spzoypen samy rpoq gan MEAGeE PUL IseU Sopow aU ST 25nSE C5 vo proy>enar nekkeg © seq 19} PUEASPYEN JO IspA B 20KPID SeE] SPY WebE) seuepanod stp Suyap OU BLES aU Ho poseq Spuowpenoh Je/UHSSIp DAE URAL SSpOU Om WIAIOq SUONE|MPOU Uy 2661 soununs Bundy “tBopoossmuougi — O6T alt dan? 192 Bthnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1992 15. The concept of tonic compasbilty” is my own and thus there i no equltalent term in ‘modern Arab musi thery. Note, however, the use of gavtb and ba’ described above. My Modulation in Arab Music 193 presentation ofthe concepts based on teachings recived in Clr from George Mi colar and musicians © BO oAGM De . nied theee exceptions \Seachrds they acknowledge onl an inal pertachord in hese modes. awa Athae D> Naka ¢ DB FF j AB Dee ovedapping te preter nts of odelaon. That, acceps the C maqam by tansposing them © 6 (or example, Sabi to Rast on ©). 21 During such momen, Hie: Kar fellowedtby a conjunc pentachord on F (@ scenes on Cand FA ter ines tse wo modes Fncton as they contain dust tetrachords on Cand G. Wier oC DOE OF The iagasta player forthe gander to a melodially related magars” 09707D. 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