Comments on: Iraqi Maqam

Iraqi Maqam

Trurl — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 16:08:04 -0800

The maqam al-'iraqi is considered the most noble and perfect form of the maqam. As the name implies, it is native to Iraq; it has been known for approximately four hundred years in Baghdad, Mosul, and Kirkuk. The maqam al-'iraqi has been passed on orally through the Iraqi masters of the maqam, who cultivate the form especially in Baghdad. The maqam is performed by a singer (qari') and three instrumentalists playing santur (box zither), juzah (spike fiddle), and tablah or dunbak (goblet drum).

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 16:27:33 -0800

"Abdul! You're playing it too fast!" "Hey, I'm trying to maqam dance, man!" Ahem. Sorry. Just listened to the singer link. I love the thin, pinched sound of the juzah/rebab/and-all-the-other-names-that-the-spike-fiddle-goes-by. That reedy, airy sonic space that it occupies makes it the perfect counterpart to the voice of the maqam singer, which sounds so much fuller by comparison. That's one of the reasons they can both weave around each other throughout and not get in each other's way.

By: Horselover Phattie

Horselover Phattie — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 16:30:19 -0800

Maqam can also mean tomb or resting place.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 16:39:26 -0800

Maqam can also mean tomb or resting place. "Hey, Muneer, I heard Abdul's band was covering Alayya al-Raman" "Yeah, they cover it alright... WITH A SHROUD!" "AAH-hahahaha!"

By: Katjusa Roquette

Katjusa Roquette — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 19:12:55 -0800

But seriously, a nice post.

By: i_am_joe's_spleen

i_am_joe's_spleen — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 19:37:22 -0800

A sad little note from a modern perspective is that in the early part of the 20th century, many if not most of the prominent Iraqi musicians were Jewish. For example, this picture from the blog in the first link appears in Claudia Roden's Book of Jewish Food captioned as a group of Jewish court musicians. More.