MAQOM SINGING – THE HIGH ART OF EASTERN MUSICAL HERITAGE

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the art of maqom singing as a high form of Eastern musical heritage. It analyzes the historical roots of maqom performance, its stages of development, the role of the master-apprentice tradition, and processes harmonizing with contemporary interpretations. The article details the vocal skills required for a maqom singer, proper breath control techniques, tonal perception, understanding of the system of pitch modulation, and the performance characteristics of maqom sections (Saraxbor, Talqin, Nasr, Ufar, etc.).

Furthermore, it examines the artistic and aesthetic significance of classical poetic texts in maqom songs, as well as the singer’s skills in interpreting the text and integrating poetic meaning with musical expression. Historical maqom schools, particularly the vocal styles of Bukhara, Khorezm, and the Fergana–Tashkent maqom traditions, are compared, and differences in their performance techniques and artistic interpretations are illustrated with examples.