ANNA PLAKHOVA
The maqam Rast in muwashshahaat
by Anna
Plakhova [
SUMMARY: This paper
analyses muwashshahs in maqam Rast from the collection “Al-Muwashshahat”
(Beyrouth: Ed.al-Hayyat, 1965), considering semantic, intervallic and
functional characteristics of the maqam Rast, its interpretation in the muwashshahs,
main regularities of modal-melodic movement in Rast-muwashshahs,
including melodic-tonal patterns and modulations.
Three aspects of importance of muwashshah
as a genre: 1) the Arab-Spanish culture; 2) the system of the Arabian
musical-poetic tradition: 3) the perspective from a world cultural interaction.
The method of analysis is based on
the following two points: the general concept of a mode as developed in Russian
and international musicology and a modern general and modal theory of monody.
Two fundamental features associated with the modal theory of monody are
diffuseness – as originally introduced by
Additional points examined are
essential features of the Arabian traditional system of modes in the context of
the modal theory of monody and the diversity of the classification of Arabian
modes, principal openness of the traditional systems of modes. The maqam-phenomenon
in the modal structure of muwashshahaat is also treated.
Furthermore, a number of
additional points are examined:
Maqam Rast in the art traditional
music of the Moslem world: historical, semantic, intervallic and functional characteristics.
Chromaticisms and modulations of the maqam Rast in Eastern
theoretical sources. Modulation in monody. Importance and variety of modulation (talwin) processes in
Rast-muwashshahs. Quantitative and qualitative
aspects of modulation processes in analysis of Rast-muwashshahs.
Twelve Rast-muwashshahs
from “Al-Muwashshahat”: semantic and textural peculiarities of poetic
structure. Rhythmic patterns (iqaat) of Rast-muwashshahs.
Essential results of modal analysis of Rast-muwashshahs:
1) On the whole, main regularities
of melodic movement and modal structure of Rast-muwashshahs correspond
with the essential positions of the Arabian traditional modal theory;
2) The twelve Rast-muwashshahs
revealed more than 20 talwin-modes (modes of modulation) as opposed to
just two hitherto generally thought to have existed;
3) Representation of talwin-modes
in the formation of melody usually by their first (lower) tone group (jins), not by the complete (total) scale;
4) Prevalence of talwin-modes,
which have more common tones with the maqam Rast; which can be subdivided into
three groups;
5) Presence of all
Arabian scale intervals (minor, neutral, major, augmented seconds) in all modes
of Rast-muwashshahs: main (Rast) and modulation.
Melodic-tonal
patterns (models, formulae) of the Rast-maqam. Different conceptions concerning the problem of the melodic-tonal
patterns in maqam-genres. Analytic study of the
cadence melodic sections of Rast-muwashshahs, a possible dual
interpretation of the results.