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Jins Secondary Ajam

This jins is very similar to Jins Secondary Rast, as the top half of Maqam Ajam. Rather than tonicizing the note on which it starts, according to traditional theory--the 5th scale degree above Jins Ajam--it leads up, 5-6-7-8, to tonicize the octave. Even when descending, one feels the tonic pull from the octave. Again, the use of two numbers in identifying the Jins ("2nd Ajam 5/8") refers to the traditional tonic and starting point of the Jins (5), and the actual tonic, i.e. note of resolution of the Jins (8).

Examples within Maqam Ajam:

First, from the Muwashshah "Ayqadha-l-hubbu Fu'aadi" (#03 & #05):

03

04

05

06

From Lissa Fakir (#02):

01

02

03

04

use of raised 6 to return

From the Abdel-Wahhab Mawwal Rast "Kull illy Habb Itnasaf" (#32 & #34)

31

32

33

34

35


Here, an example within Maqam Zanjaran,

where Maqam Ajam starts on the 4th scale degree and stretches to the 11th scale degree--the Abdel-Wahhab Mawwal Zanjaran "Amana Ya Leil" (#40, #42 & #44):

39

(octave of 4)

40

41

arrival at "Maqam" Ajam 4

42

43

44

45


And finally, within Maqam Bayati,

where Jins Ajam frequently occurs on the 6th scale degree, so one can find Secondary Ajam leading up to that tonic 3-4-5-6. These examples, however, are much more ambiguous than the previous ones, because--as I discuss on the page Bayati Pathways: Nahawand & Ajam--there seems to me to be much more ambiguity in Bayati tonicization in the lower 6 notes, than elsewhere in the maqam system. So an argument could be made regarding some of these examples, that what I'm calling "Secondary Ajam 3/6" could just be called "Ajam 3," because one feels the tonic pull on the 3rd scale degree stronger than on the 6th in certain melodies... I leave it to you to decide how you feel about it...

First, from the famous wedding song "Ah Ya Hilu" (#05)

04

alternate parsing

05

or Ajam 3

06

07

From the famous "Samai Bayati il-3ariyan"

08

could also call "2nd Ajam 3/6"; tonic is 6, but note span 3-6

09

"Husseini" = emphasis on 5 descent to 4

10

11

a.k.a. "Secondary Ajam 3/6"

12

13

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