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Bayati Analyses (p1)

Bayati, like Rast, is a tremendously common and important maqam in Arabic music. Used frequently in the Tarab tradition of urban "art" music from Egypt and Greater Syria, as well as in the many folk musics from the region (also popular in Turkish, Kurdish, and Iranian folk musics), Bayati was also used in many popular songs from the mid-20th century. The singer, composer, and oud player Farid el-Atrash (whose hit "Nura Nura" is the first one presented here) had a preference for Bayati, composing possibly the largest share of his songs in this maqam. This page also has some of the most well-known songs in Arabic music, including "Ah Ya Hilu" and the instrumental "Samai Bayati il-3ariyan" which every student learns as their first "Samai"

Because of this frequency and centrality, Bayati, like Rast, is a fairly big maqam, with numerous secondary ajnas making a part of the overall melody. But there are more options for secondary tonics than in Rast, with scale degrees 4, 6, 3 and 7 acting as important secondary tonics, and even 5 and 2 acting as important areas of emphasis (whereas Rast very clearly leans toward its 5th scale degree, with a lesser secondary emphasis on its 3rd).

Below is the list of ajnas incuded within Maqam Bayati which are represented at least once on this page; As part of the Demo site developed in 2010 I have a page with a "pedagogical version" of the Maqam Bayati Shuri network, although I did not develop a page with the full Maqam Bayati network (that site, as mentioned, is incomplete, as this one is). You will see that the network presented there is very close to that presented here.

01

(Taheya)

02

(Taheya)

14

(Taheya)

16

(Taheya)

10

(Taheya)

11

(Taheya)

12

(Taheya)

25

(Taheya)

26

(Taheya)

29

(Taheya)


Nura Nura

[song page with full recording]

01

02

Actually Rast; "Husseini" refers to emphasis on 5--here lower octave

03

including the ascending notes underneath tonic

04

Again, actually Rast 4, but melody stops on 5

05

no longer parsing out Husseini Lazima

06

could also call "Husseini/Nahawand"--emphasis on 5

07

lazima

08

09

ending + chorus, not parsing out lazima (=02 & 04)

10

not parsing out bayati lazima (like 07)

11

12

"Husseini" Nahawand/ not parsing out bayati lawazim

13

14

15

includes start of wahda for mawwal

16

majority of mawwal in Rast 4 (typical for Farid)

17

18

mawwal ends

19

final verse; equivalent to 12-15

20

21

22

+ start of final chorus

23

24

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