Everything about Ottoman Classical Music totally explained
Ottoman classical music (
Klâsik Türk Mûsikîsi,
Sanat Mûsikîsi,
Saray Mûsikîsi) developed in palaces, mosques, and
Mevlevi lodges of the
Ottoman Empire. Above all a vocal music, Classical Turkish Music traditionally accompanies a solo singer with a small instrumental ensemble. In recent times instruments might include
tanbur lute,
ney flute,
kemençe fiddle,
keman Western violin,
kanun zither, or other instruments. Sometimes described as
monophonic music, the variety of ornamentation and variation in the ensemble requires the more accurate term
heterophonic.
As the Empire grew, musics of conquered peoples of the Balkans and the Mediterranean were incorporated into an increasingly diverse Ottoman music. The Ottoman Empire was a multi-ethnic state, and cultural influences, including music, were shared by groups including the
Turks,
Armenians,
Greeks,
Kurds,
Arabs,
Persians,
Assyrians and
Jews.
With the beginning of the decline of the empire in the early
19th century, one branch gradually evolved from serious artistic music to "urban entertainment music". But the essence of classical Turkish music— a refined aesthetic, a vast repertoire, a sophisticated
makam system of melodic modes, a variety of
usul rhythmic modes, a rich body of Ottoman poetry—survived throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and continues in the 21st century.
Though akin to today's classical Arab music, classical Turkish music has a broader repertoire, utilizes a wider range of makams and usuls, and enjoys a strong following of audiences, performers, and students. One can find more distant similarities with Azerbaijan, Uzbek, and other Turkic musics.
Three of the best known composers of Turkish
classical music are
Buhurizade Itri,
Dede Efendi, and
Haci Arif Bey. Throughout its history until the late 20th century, classical Turkish music was tranmitted orally from teacher to student via the
meşk system. Some compositions lost from the oral repertoire have survived in Hamparsum notation, developed by composer and musician
Hamparsum Limonciyan by request of Sultan
Selim III.
In
1934, the government of
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk banned Ottoman classical music, though the ban was lifted the following year. Even though the Republic of Turkey has a considerably less multiethnic character than the Ottoman Empire, important performers and composers like Yorgo Bacanos and
udi Hrant Kenkulian came from minorities, while favourite Turkish composers include
Sadettin Kaynak.
Some of the important musicologists involved with this genre are
Prince Cantemir,
Cinuçen Tanrıkorur and
Rauf Yekta Bey who wrote the first modern account of Turkish classical music available in a Western language.
Modern Turkish singers of neo-classical music include
Münir Nurettin Selçuk, Müzeyyen Senar,
Zeki Müren,
Bülent Ersoy and
Emel Sayın. Safiye Ayla ranks as one of the great secular classical singers of the early 20th centery. Kâni Karaca is considered one of the great singers of mosque music and Mevlevi music in the last third of the 20th century. Leading instrumentalists include
Necdet Yaṣar (
tanbur),
Niyazi Sayın (
ney), İhsan Özgen (
kemenche),
Akagündüz Kutbay (ney—deceased).
Genres
Ottoman classical music comprises many genres, among which are the suites called
fasıl. A
fasıl typically includes many instrumental and/or vocal movements, including
taksim,
peşrev,
şarkı,
beste, and
kar, among others.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Ottoman Classical Music'.
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