Each of the 12 Muqams consists of three sections – Congnaghma (songs with lyrics and instrumental pieces), Dastan (narrative set to music) and Mashrap (song for dance). Every section includes 25 to 30 sub-melodies. Therefore, the whole set of the Twelve Muqams is made up of 360 different melodies and takes more than 24 hours to play in full.

Congnaghma, the beginning of the performance, is a series of songs accompanied by dances. It is the longest and most complex section of any Muqam. The songs vary in rhythm and the tunes are performed solo or in groups. With lyrics written by balladeers and folk poets, they often reflect Uygur history, society and many aspects of their life.

Following that is the narrative part. The Dastan gradually quickens in tempo and includes songs drawn from several romantic tales. The melodic range of this section is quite wide.

Each Muqam ends up with the fastest section, called the Mashrap. The lively dances performed in this part originate from religious rituals. In Uygur tradition, the Muqam often serves for religious and meditative purposes. Even in the present time, practicing Muqam is an essential part of grand religious festivals in most areas of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The dances involve unique skills such as balancing bowls on the head and picking flowers using the mouth. Solo dancers have an uncanny ability to imitate the movement of animals.

The Twelve Muqams are characterized by variations in musical patterns, indicating a close affinity with West Asian and Middle Eastern music. Created by the common people and popular among them still, Muqam is not reserved for performance by exclusive groups of professional musicians.

Today, Muqam is usually performed by a lead singer backed up by his small band playing unique Uygur musical instruments such as the bowed lute, kettle drum and shawm.

Uygur people are always proud of their cultural resources and devoted to preserving and passing down the ancient art forms represented by the Twelve Muqams.

The state is active in support of preservation and dissemination of this ancient ethnic art. The protection project started in the early years of the People’s Republic. In the early 1950s the central government assigned a team of musicians to record vocal materials and collect scores for the Twelve Muqams. What they achieved after six years of tireless effort – the first publication of the Twelve Muqams – is considered to be the toehold for reviving the whole cultural tradition.

To sponsor and encourage further development of old art forms among a new generation, the central and regional governments have launched a series of projects in the past two decades. Ten training centers have been set up in Xinjiang to pass the art to young followers, and Muqam-related research centers and museums have been built to support scholarship. The local government has authorized financial support for more than 200 senior Muqam artists to offer apprenticeships to promising musicians. At the national level, a project involving hundreds of Uygur folk artists has published a series of books, audios and videos on the Twelve Muqams.

Preservation teams are diligently finding new methods of bringing the traditional art to wider audiences. Memories of Muqam is a prime example of their success. This documentary was broadcast on national television and infected a huge audience with the taste for this charming musical heritage.

What’s more, Muqam classes are now offered in universities and colleges in Xinjiang and are well-received by the young people, some students even selecting to pursue a master’s degree in Muqam research. Foreign students are showing interest too. Though the lyrics may be not easy for them to understand, it doesn’t affect their enthusiasm for this music and dance tradition.

However, the art of Muqam is living – integrated into the daily lives of Uygur people. In Xinjiang you may come across a group of musicials playing the Twelve Muqams for fun in a park, or a troupe of middle school students doing morning exercises to renditions of these age-old melodies.