Taqsīm (تقسيم; Turkish: taksim) is the name of a melodic improvisation style that could be metric or non-metric, which usually precedes a composition in Arabic music and Turkish music. The taqsim is usually performed by a solo instrument، yet sometimes the soloist can be backed by a percussionist or an instrumentalist playing a drone on the tonic of the maqam. In vocal music, a similar style is called layali. Improvisation is the practice of acting and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of ones immediate environment. ... Arabic music includes several genres and styles of music ranging from Arab classical to Arabic pop music and from secular to sacred music. ... Turkish music includes the music of modern Turkey, together with related musics in neighbouring regions that once lay within the former Ottoman Empire, and closely related ethnic variants in Central Asia stretching as far as the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. ... In music, a drone is a harmonic or monophonic effect or accompaniment where a note or chord is continuously sounded throughout much or all of a piece, sustained or repeated, and most often establishing a tonality upon which the rest of the piece is built. ...
It is widely seen as an art of improvisation in a specific maqam, but usually modulation to other maqams are present in a taqsim. In Arabic music a maqaam (Arabic: ‎, Hebrew: ) is, a technique of improvisation that defines the pitches, patterns, and development of a piece of music and which is unique to Arabian art music. ...
Taqsim traditionally follows a certain melodic progression. Starting from the tonic of the maqam, the first few measures of the improvisation remains in the lower jinis of the maqam, by that introducing the maqam to the ear of the listener. Following the introduction, the improviser is free to move anywhere in the maqam and even modulate to other maqams, as long as he returns to the original. Taqsim is considered by many, a connection to the spiritual world. While performing a Taqsim, one would feel driven by an external force. He would experience the maqam and its divine expression for himself.
In this instance it is referred to as taqsim baladi or baladi awwadi, whose elements, desribed, below occur in a fairly consistent progression.
It always begins with a taqsim, which is a slow, improvised section of music, usually played on one instrument and with no rhythmical accompaniment.
This finally winds down and resolves into a final taqsim which may or may not be followed by a drum solo, according to the individual preference of the dancer.
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