The Weekly Maqam
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In Sephardic Middle Eastern Jewish prayer services, each Shabbat the congregation conducts services using a different maqam. A maqam (مقام), which in Arabic literally means 'place', is a standard melody type and set of related tunes. The melodies used in a given maqam aims effectively to express the emotional state of the reader throughout the set liturgy (without changing the text). This article primarily describes the musical practices of Syrian Jews, though the musical traditions of other Arab and Oriental Jewish communities are also based on the maqam system. The Muslims share the same practice of conducting services using the maqam, but differ substantially in many ways.
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[edit] Application of the maqam system
The maqam that is used each Sabbath depends on the theme, story, or main message of the Sabbath Weekly Torah parashah. The cantor, or hazzan, of the congregation leads the worshippers with the melodies of the particular maqam, which is preset and standardized on an official list. The list has evolved over time, and different lists need not always agree with one another, however the underlying pattern of the lists is usually the same. Other determinants of the maqam include whether or not there is a holiday approaching in the upcoming week. As a general rule, the same maqam will never be used two weeks in a row. Also, the list tries to rotate the maqamot in such a fashion that the ten maqams are spread out almost equally in time as to avoid the redundancy of hearing the same maqam within a short period of time.
Most of the prayers in the Shabbat morning service are rendered in a prose recitative. However, certain important passages, such as Nishmat and Kaddish, are sung to the tunes of specific Pizmonim, which are chosen according to a rota so as to fit the maqam of the week.
The cantillation of the Torah does not follow the maqam of the week, but is almost invariably performed in maqam Sigah.
[edit] Thematic Patterns
There are a few patterns that determine which maqam will be used on a given week. There are some very obvious patterns and some not so obvious ones (which are disputed as a result).
[edit] Maqam Rast
- Maqam Rast is used to mark the beginning of something new, such as the beginning of reading a new book of Torah (ras, in Arabic, means "head"). For the first parashas of each book of the Humash, Bereshit, Shemot, Vayiqra, Bemidbar, and (theoretically, but see under Hijaz) Devarim, this maqam is applied. Another application of Rast is for the Afternoon Services of the Sabbath when Jews read the new parasha of the upcoming week; thus beginning a new week.
[edit] Maqam Mahour
- Maqam Mahour, which is related to Maqam Rast, is applied when someone is angry and there is a feeling of emotional instability. The only two parashas to have this maqam applied is Toledot and Balak when the main characters, Esau and Balak respectively, are angered.
[edit] Maqam Ajam
- Maqam Ajam, named after the Arabic word for "Iranian", is used to mark happy occasions such as holidays, weddings, and other joyous occasions. This maqam is used on Beshallach (Shabbat Shirah), Vayetze and Shoftim due to the happy occasions mentioned in those parashas. Ajam is also used on the second days of the Shalosh Regalim holidays.
[edit] Maqam Nahwand
- Maqam Nahwand, named after a city in Iran, is applied when there is disharmony between parties and fights, in general. A related maqam is Rahawi Nawa (see below), but this has sunk in popularity and therefore most cantors almost always replace Rahawi Nawa with Maqam Nahwand, due to the surplus and variety of more Western-oriented songs in Nahwand.
[edit] Maqam Bayat
- Maqam Bayat is a slumber sounding maqam and doesn't necessarily imply a given theme. As a general rule, this maqam is applied to all Bar Mitzvahs and to Saturday Night services, due to the abundance of related pizmonim in those maqams. Some say that Bayat symbolizes an oath between two parties (as is the case with Bar Mitzvah- an oath between man and God).
[edit] Maqam Hoseni
- Maqam Hoseni, which is closely related to Maqam Bayat in sound, is used to express the beauty of something. For example, when the Ten Commandments are given, in Parashas Yitro and Va'ethanan, this maqam is applied to show its beauty. The same is the case to show the erection of the Tabernacle, in parashas Terumah, Vayaqhel, and Shemini. This maqam is linked to the holiday of Shavuot, when the Torah is given to Israel.
[edit] Maqam Rahawi Nawa
- Maqam Rahawi Nawa is applied at the end of most books. Among many things, it symbolizes the end of something. This maqam is applied every Friday Night during the Kabbalat Shabbat services. At the present, this maqam is rarely used for Shabbat morning services, as it is usually replaced by maqam Nahwand.
[edit] Maqam Sabah
- Maqam Sabah, literally in Arabic, baby boy, and literally in Hebrew, army, is used to mark 'berit' or covenant. A covenant, or circumcision is performed on all Jewish male babies and therefore when there is a birth of a baby boy in the parasha (Lech Lecha or Tazria), this maqam is applied. Not only would 'berit milah' require this maqam, but also any reference to the word 'berit' or a strong reference to the number eight, which symbolizes covenant. Since the idea of 'berit' relates to the observance of mitzvot, wherever there is a parasha where there is a multitude of mitzvot, this maqam is applied (Mishpatim, Qedoshim, or Behar). Other uses of Sabah include any parasha that mentions the army (Masei, Ki Tetse), since the word 'Saba' in Hebrew means "army".
[edit] Maqam Sigah
- Maqam Sigah, or Sikah, from the Persian for "third place", is applied when there are special readings in the parasha. It is also applied on holidays. This maqam is linked to the holiday of Purim due to the abundance of pizmonim related to the holiday in this maqam. This maqam is also of importance because it is the maqam that is used for the cantillations of the Torah.
[edit] Maqam Hijaz
- Maqam Hijaz, which is named after a region in Saudi Arabia, is used to mark solemn occasions. When there is a death in the parasha (Sarah and Abraham in Chayei Sarah, Jacob and Joseph in Vayechi, or Nadab and Abihu in Acharei Mot), or a tragic episode (Golden Calf in Ki Tissa, Sin of the Spies in Shelach Lecha and the Temple's Destruction in the week of Devarim), then this maqam is applied. At funerals, this maqam is usually applied.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- Kligman, Mark, "The Bible, Prayer, and Maqam: Extra-Musical Associations of Syrian Jews", Ethnomusicology, Vol. 45, No. 3 (Autumn, 2001), pp. 443-479
