The Eastern Modal (Maqam) System and Unequal Temperament

This article examines the structure of unequal temperament, which occupies a distinctive and central place in the music of the Near and Middle East, using analytical and comparative musicological methods. Drawing on modal materials from the maqam traditions of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran and Central Asia, as well as on the analysis of timbre, the study analyses the tonal structure, microchromatic intervals and modal functions that define the Eastern maqam system. Particular attention is given to Azerbaijani mughams as an integral component of this system. The findings show that, especially since the Soviet period, the partial separation of Azerbaijani national maqams from the Eastern maqam tradition has led to the disappearance or transformation of numerous dastgahs, avazes and microtonal modes. Overall, the study demonstrates that the Eastern maqam tradition is grounded in a stable structure of unequal temperament. Approaching this issue, however, requires new scholarly analyses.