ANALYSIS OF ORNAMENTATION IN UZBEK MAQOM VOCAL PERFORMANCE

Abstract

The vocal art of the Uzbek Maqom stands as one of the most sophisticated and spiritually resonant musical systems of Central Asia. Its complexity resides not merely in its modal-theoretical framework (maqom as a system of melodic modes) or its cyclic structure, but profoundly in the realm of performance practice, where the abstract mode is given life, nuance, and profound emotional depth. At the heart of this practice lies the art of ornamentation - a complex, micro-structural system of melodic embellishment that serves as the primary vehicle for artistic individuality, technical mastery, and semantic expression. This article posits that ornamentation in Uzbek Maqom vocal performance is not an auxiliary decorative element but the very substance through which the theoretical maqom is realized, interpreted, and transformed into a living, affective experience. Through an interdisciplinary analysis drawing on ethnomusicological fieldwork, acoustic examination, and the indigenous theoretical lexicon (istilohot), this study seeks to deconstruct the functional and aesthetic roles of specific ornamental techniques. It will argue that these techniques constitute a coded language, articulating structural points, intensifying emotional states prescribed by the poetic text, and navigating the intricate modal landscape with deliberate microtonal and rhythmic nuance. The analysis thereby illuminates the central paradox of the tradition: that its most rigidly codified aspects - the sho’ba (movements) and their modal rules - find their ultimate expression in the fluid, improvisational, and highly personal art of vocal embellishment.