Iraqi Maqam

The Iraqi Maqam coalesced as an urban art-music tradition during the Ottoman period, reaching mature form by the 18th and 19th centuries. Baghdad’s position as a cultural crossroads—interacting with Persian, Anatolian, and Central Asian modal practices—shaped its modal language, rhythmic cycles, and suite structure.

With the advent of recording and radio in the early 20th century, masters such as Muhammad al-Qubbanchi helped standardize performance practice and expand the repertoire on concert stages. Later, renowned performers like Yusuf Omar and Nazem al-Ghazali brought the maqam to wider audiences, balancing preservation with subtle modernization in ensemble sound and song selection.

The Chalghi Baghdadi ensemble (santur, joza, riqq, dumbuk, and sometimes oud) became the emblematic accompaniment for the maqamchi. Performances typically begin with unmetered tahrir (free-rhythm vocal exposition), progress through measured sections and linked pieces (qit‘a/awṣāl), and conclude with lighter, rhythmic songs (e.g., peste/tasnif) in the same mode.

Despite social upheavals and diaspora in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the tradition persisted through master-disciple lineages and international performances. Contemporary champions such as Hamid al-Saadi and Farida Mohammad Ali, along with scholars and chalghi instrumentalists, have sustained and taught the form globally. The Iraqi Maqam has been recognized by UNESCO as part of humanity’s intangible cultural heritage, underscoring its cultural significance and ongoing transmission.