| Summary: |
This chapter considers the problem of theory and practice in Central Asian maqām traditions with reference to two distinct traditions: the Kashmiri Sūfyāna Musīqī and the Uyghur On Ikki Muqam. I speculate that the imposition of different forms of musical theory in the different locations may serve to mask deeper, unmarked, similarities in performance and aesthetics. Maqām traditions in this region are closely tied to Sufi traditions of vocal practice, and I suggest that these are more significant than the elite heritage of music theory in explaining the close musical relations between different regional maqām traditions.
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