Maqam Nawa Athar

Introduction

Maqam Nawa Athar (also spelled Nawa Athar or Nawa A'thar) is one of the most beautiful Arabic maqamat, rich with deep musical emotions. This maqam belongs to the Maqam Nikriz family and is distinguished by its mysterious character that combines subtle melancholy with unique melodic beauty. It is used in taqasim (improvisations), muwashshahat (traditional vocal forms), and deep emotional songs.

Nawa Athar is considered a maqam that requires mastery and experience to handle properly, due to its complex nature that combines the Nikriz jins in the lower part and the Hijaz Kar jins in the upper part.

Theoretical Structure of Maqam Nawa Athar

Scale Degrees

Maqam Nawa Athar starts from C (do) as its root note. It consists of two distinct ajnas (musical modes):

Jins Composition

Maqam Nawa Athar consists of two musical ajnas:

1. Nikriz Jins (Root jins): Extends from C to G, consisting of five notes: C - D - E♭ - F♯ - G. This jins is characterized by its distinctive raised fourth degree (F♯).

2. Hijaz Kar Jins (Secondary jins): Extends from G (the ghammaz) to the higher C, consisting of: G - A♭ - B♭ - C. This jins adds the characteristic Hijaz flavor to the upper part of the maqam.

Musical Characteristics and Mood

Emotional Character

Nawa Athar is characterized by its mysterious and deeply emotional nature. This maqam combines:

• Beloved melancholy: The E♭ and A♭ notes add a touch of delicate sadness
• Musical tension: The F♯ adds tension that draws the listener toward resolution
• Hijaz beauty: The upper part carries the Hijaz character known for its spiritual depth

Common Modulations

From Maqam Nawa Athar, one can transition to several other maqamat:

• Nawa Athar → Hijaz: By focusing on the Hijaz jins in the upper part
• Nawa Athar → Nikriz: By concentrating on the Nikriz jins and simplifying the upper part
• Nawa Athar → Nahawand: By lowering the F♯ to natural F

Famous Musical Examples

Umm Kulthum - "Fakkiruni" (1966)

One of the most famous songs in Maqam Nawa Athar, composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab. This composition demonstrates the maqam's ability to carry deep emotion and longing. Particularly in the second verse: "Kallimuni tani annak... ba'd tul hirmani minnak" (Tell me again about you... after so long deprived of you).

Farid Al-Atrash - "Jamil Jamal" (1952)

A beautiful song that showcases the maqam's beauty in expressing love and admiration. Composed and performed by Farid Al-Atrash himself.

Umm Kulthum - "Ghulibt Asalih Fi Ruhi" (1948)

Composed by Riad Al-Sunbati, this is considered one of the masterpieces of the maqam in the Kulthumian heritage.

Umm Kulthum - "Rubaiyat Al-Khayyam" (1950)

Also composed by Riad Al-Sunbati, this piece demonstrates the depth of the maqam when dealing with profound poetic texts.

Sayed Darwish - "Awatifak" (Dawr)

One of the famous traditional dawr compositions in this maqam, showing the flexibility of Nawa Athar in traditional singing.

Traditional Musical Phrases

Basic Ascending and Descending

Ascending:

C - D - E♭ - F♯ - G - A♭ - B♭ - C

Descending:

C - B♭ - A♭ - G - F♯ - E♭ - D - C

Traditional Opening Phrases (Awzal)

• Zalla Nawa Athar: Begins from the ghammaz (G) descending toward the root
• Mawwal Nikriz: Begins from the F♯ degree ascending toward Nawa

Related and Branch Maqamat

Maqam Nikriz

Nikriz is the closest maqam to Nawa Athar, as they share the root jins (Nikriz) but differ in the secondary jins:

• Nikriz: Secondary jins is Nahawand on G
• Nawa Athar: Secondary jins is Hijaz Kar on G

Maqam Basandideh

Another maqam from the Nikriz family, consisting of Nikriz jins on C and Rast jins on G.

Tips for Performers

On the Oud

1. Master the Nikriz jins: Start by mastering the first part of the maqam (Nikriz) before moving to the upper part
2. Transition at the ghammaz: The ghammaz (G) is the meeting point between the two ajnas; make the transition smooth
3. Express the F♯: This note is the essence of the maqam; play it clearly without exaggeration

On the Qanun

1. Tune the degrees correctly: Make sure to set the mandal (levers) correctly for quarter-tone degrees
2. Glide between Nikriz and Hijaz: Use glissando to highlight the difference between the two ajnas

Conclusion

Maqam Nawa Athar is a maqam that deserves attention and deep study. It combines the beauty of Nikriz in its foundation with the depth of Hijaz in its branches, producing a unique musical character. Through studying examples by Umm Kulthum, Farid Al-Atrash, and Sayed Darwish, musicians can understand how to use this maqam to express the deepest human emotions.

Whether you are an instrumentalist looking to enrich your taqasim, or a singer wanting to expand your vocal range, mastering Maqam Nawa Athar will add a new and distinctive dimension to your musical performance.

Would you like to learn more about Maqam Nawa Athar or the Nikriz family in general?