Nahwand is named after a city in Iranian
Kurdistan. This maqam was popular in Iran and Turkey before it made its
way down to Syria and Egypt. Nahwand is the closest equivalent of the
Western Minor Scale. The maqam is easy on the western ear and
encompasses modern day Israeli tunes. Contrary to most misconceptions,
this maqam is not related to Maqam Nawah. Maqam Nahwand is applied when
there is disharmony and conflict. Even though it is listed in the
pizmonim book as a possible Shabbat maqam up to seven times a year, this
is a new innovation. All older listings, both manuscripts and printed,
fail to list Maqam Nahwand as an option. According to Arabic music
scholars, this maqam was considered off limits for holy use until about
80 years ago when a well-respected Sheikh used it for the first time for
religious chanting. Since that time it has begun to make roadways in
Aleppo's Islamic and Jewish communities. This maqam was common among the
Turks and Aleppo's close proximity to Turkey would account for a number
of older pizmonim bearing Turkish musical origins.
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