Harmonic Secrets: The Two CDs Only

Description

For Those Who Have Purchased the Book:
“Harmonic Secrets of Arabic Music Scales: Fine Tuning the Maqams”

Which is Sometimes Sold Without the Two CD’s

List of Tracks on Two “Harmonic Secrets” CDs:

Tracks by “Saadoun”, “Jihad” and “Adif” refer to Saadoun Al Bayati from Baghdad, Iraq, Jihad Ibrahim from Amman, Jordan, and Atef Abd elHameed from Cairo, Egypt.
All “Melodies” were written by the author, Cameron Powers, to illustrate the potential for musical creativity for musicians and composers born and raised in Western civilizations.

Harmonic Secrets CD1 — 31 Tracks:

Introduction
Hijaz Gharib in D
Hijaz Gharib Melody in D — Rhythm: 8/8 Tsiftitelli
Hijaz Taqasim in D by Jihad
Hijaz Vocal Taqasim in G by Saadoun
Hijaz Dulab in G by Saadoun
Hijaz Awji in D
Hijaz Awji Melody in D — Rhythm: 8/8 Tsiftitelli
Shehnaz in D
Shehnaz Melody in D — Rhythm: 4/4 Maqsum
Kurd in D
Kurd Melody in D — Rhythm: 10/8 Jurjina
Kurd Taqasim in D by Jihad
Bayati in D
Bayati Melody in D — Rhythm: 8/8 Dabke
Bayati Taqasim in D by Adif
Bayati Taqasim in D by Jihad
Bayati Taqasim in D by Saadoun
Bayati Dulab in D by Adif
Husayni in D
Husayni Melody in D — Rhythm: 8/8 Wahda
Saba in D
Saba Melody in D — Rhythm: 4/4 Sufi
Saba Taqasim in D by Jihad
Saba Taqasim in D by Adif
Nahawand in C
Nahawand Melody in C — Rhythm: 3/4 Waltz
Nahawand Taqasim in C by Adif
Nahawand Taqasim in C by Jihad
Nahawand Dulab in C by Adif
Nahawand Vocal Improv in G by Saadoun

Harmonic Secrets CD2 — 32 Tracks:

Rast in C
Rast Melody in C — Rhythm: 2/4 Ayub
Rast Taqasim in C by Jihad
Rast Taqasim in C by Adif
Rast Taqasim in C by Saadoun
Rast Dulab in C by Adif
Suznak in C
Suznak Melody in C — Rhythm: 8/8 Wahda
Nawa Athar in C
Nawa Athar Melody in C — Rhythm: 5/4
Athar Kurd in C
Athar Kurd Melody in C — Rhythm: 8/8 Tsiftitelli
Hijaz Kar in C
Hijaz Kar Melody in C — Rhythm: 4/4 Maqsum
Hijaz Kar Taqasim in C by Jihad
Hijaz Kar Taqasim in C by Adif
Ajam Ushayran in Bb
Ajam Ushayran Melody in Bb — Rhythm: 7/8 Greek Kalamatiano
Ajam Ushayran Vocal Improv in Bb by Saadoun
Ajam Taqasim in C by Jihad
Huzam in E half-flat
Huzam Melody in E half-flat — Rhythm: 4/4 Sufi
Huzam Taqasim in E half-flat by Adif
Sikah in E half-flat
Sikah Melody in E half-flat — Rhythm: 8/8 Baladi
Sikah Taqasim in E half-flat by Jihad
Jaharkah in F
Jaharkah Melody in F — Rhythm: 4/4 Maqsum
Rahat el Arwah in B half-flat
Rahat el Arwah Melody in B half-flat — Rhythm: 9/8 Turkish Karsilama
Rahat el Arwah Taqasim in B half-flat by Saadoun
Rahat el Arwah Taqasim in B half-flat by Jihad

Text of the Introduction on Track 1 of the First CD:

These CD’s are specifically designed to accompany my book, Harmonic Secrets of Arabic Music Scales: Fine Tuning the Maqams. (Also published as Lost Secrets of Perfect Harmony: Ancient Music of the Indigenous Middle East.) It is my hope that musicians in the Indigenous Middle East, especially the Arab world, will benefit from knowing that their ancient music can be in tune in a mathematically perfect way that Western equal-tempered music is not. It is also my hope that English-speaking Western-world musicians and composers will awaken to the vast powerful musical universe which awaits them if they are ready to take a look.
There are 18 basic maqamat, or musical modes, which are presented on these cd’s. These are the first ones for a musician to learn to gain control of the vast pallet of musical colors presented in the rest of the book.
I have had some fun composing short melodies in these 18 modes. I have used the ancient fretless Middle Eastern stringed lute, or oud as my primary instrument for composition. I have added tracks which also feature the sound of the ancient Middle Eastern cane flute known as the ney or nay. I have also added the sound from the Turkish fretless banjo known as the cumbus, the sound from the Syrian buzuk and occasionally the sound of my voice. And I have used modern electronic tuning technology and have produced tracks with mathematically perfect tuning from a keyboard. I have also built rhythm tracks from the sounds of modern tunable frame drums. Although I have added short improvisations, or “taqasims” to most of these 18 short melodies, I have refrained from modulating away from the maqam I am demonstrating. I do this for the sake of clarity for the student. But in normal artistic improvisation modulations into related maqamat are usually included. One of the cd’s which accompanies my first book, Arabic Musical Scales, is devoted to explaining and demonstrating some of the basic patterns of traditional cross-maqam modulation in Arabic music. Hopefully you will enjoy my 18 short compositions which illustrate how much fun we Westerners can have when we give ourselves access to these ancient universal mathematically perfect and justly intonated musical modes. These mathematically perfect intervals of course underlie all of the great carefully preserved world musical traditions. These have been especially well-documented in India, China, Persia, Greece and Turkey as well as in Egypt, Syria and Iraq. Happily, many modern electronic applications for creating music include dozens of justly intonated scales associated with ancient music traditions as something easily selectable for composition. Younger musicians are rapidly being exposed to these rich possibilities.
To add a more authentic feel I have added tracks of various improvisations or “taqasims” created in many of these maqamat which I have recorded personally from three indigenous Middle Eastern oud players.
Many thanks to:
Adif abd el Hamid from Cairo, Egypt,
Saadoun Al Bayati from Baghdad, Iraq
and Jihad Ibrahim from Amman, Jordan
All three have kindly agreed to allow me to publish these recorded short tracks which they designed to be teaching tools for me to record and publish. Please excuse the street noise in the background of some of these recordings.
Hopefully these CD’s will inspire musicians and composers to sharpen their listening and performance skills so we can all enjoy a renewal of justly intonated perfectly harmonious music and experience the way it refreshes the soul to allow these musical vibrations to enter into us. Of course all of these recordings which involve playing on acoustic instruments have a fair share of imperfection and human error. But certain moments of perfect harmony will hopefully stand out all the more clearly and provide inspiration to the world musicians and composers of the future.

Thank you Mr Powers and really looking forward to getting the CDs as I now have the other help/tutor books you’ve published which are all invaluable as regards a better understanding of Arabic music.
— All the best from Keith

I just ordered the two CDs, the book was such a huge help for me that I’m really looking forward to hearing them!
— Ron