MICROTONAL INTONATION AND ORNAMENTATION IN THE KASHKAR RUBAB MAQOM REPERTOIRE

Abstract

The Kashkar rubab, a central instrument in the classical traditions of Central Asia, particularly Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, serves not merely as an accompaniment but as a sovereign vessel for the intricate maqom repertoire. The performance practice on this instrument transcends the mechanical execution of notation, residing instead in the sophisticated oral transmission of microtonal intonation and a complex system of ornamentation. This article posits that the very essence of the Kashkar rubab’s identity and its capacity for spiritual expression (hal) is embedded in the precise manipulation of intervals smaller than a semitone and the application of specific, context-dependent ornamental figures. These elements are not decorative afterthoughts but are constitutive of the melodic and modal DNA of the Shashmaqom and related cycles. Through an analysis rooted in organology, ethnomusicological theory, and practical performance knowledge, this paper will explore how the physical construction of the instrument facilitates microtonal flexibility, how ornamentation functions as a grammatical tool in musical phrasing, and how the synergy between intonation and embellishment creates the profound emotional landscape that defines the maqom tradition.