TUMAC BSE No.25: “Multidimensionality in Makam Musics” – Prof. Michael Ellison

This presentation offers two perspectives from my recent work on makam music, which, though derived from an ‘etic’, composers’ perspective, may lead to better listening and enhanced understanding of makam musics. The first topic regards dimensions of sound. I argue that, far from being ‘monophonic’ or ‘heterophonic,’ makam music works with a variety of timbral, dynamic, and dimensions of which ‘sculpt’ lines which are ostensibly melodic.   Most of these timbrally-oriented elements are considered part of tavır, and as such are left unnotated.  This has led to their neglect in theoretical and musicological discourse, despite the fact they are integral to the sound of makam musics, and are probably the most challenging aspect of makam-based musics to learn. This talk foregrounds them as absolutely essential to the identity of makam itself.  The second topic introduces a new way to simplify conceptions of tuning in makam, classifying all perde, çesni, and makams into three ‘orders’, based on three types of derivations from the perde generating all others, Rast.  ‘First order’ tetrachords are Pythagorean, and 5ths based; ‘second order’ are just-intonation derived.  Taking comments of Necdet Yasar (in Signell) as a starting point, the ‘third order’ comprises ‘Ussak-genus’ perde/pitch zones, created through intentional instability, expressiveness, blurring and distortion added to pitches notated as second order in Ezgi-Arel theory. These ‘perde’ also tend to behave more as zones than as stable pitches.  The concept of grouping is especially useful for this third order, in that it brings together a number of perdes not notated or generally recognised as being related.    Potential advantages gained by recognising these broader categories are then explored.