Ottoman classical music
A courtly musical tradition of the Ottoman Empire, organized around makam modes, rhythmic cycles, and composed vocal and instrumental forms.
Makam: A melodic framework in Ottoman and related musical traditions, defined by characteristic pitches, intervals, and melodic pathways. Makam organizes the pitches and melodic movement of Ottoman classical compositions.
Tanbur: A long-necked, fretted lute used in Ottoman music, with a rounded body and plucked strings. Its frets help performers articulate the fine pitch distinctions associated with makam.
Ottoman Empire: A state that ruled parts of southeastern Europe, western Asia, and North Africa from the late thirteenth century until 1922. Imperial patronage and urban life provided the setting for this courtly tradition.
Itri: A seventeenth-century Ottoman composer and singer, remembered for both secular and religious works. His compositions became enduring examples of Ottoman vocal and religious repertory.
Turkish music reform: Twentieth-century efforts by the Turkish Republic to reshape musical institutions and public taste. Republican reforms changed the institutions through which Ottoman-derived music was taught and heard.
Usul: A recurring rhythmic cycle in Ottoman music, articulated through patterns of strong and weak beats. Usul supplies the patterned rhythmic framework for many vocal and instrumental works.
Ney: An end-blown reed flute used in Ottoman and other Middle Eastern musical traditions. Its breath-driven tone and pitch flexibility suit both composed pieces and improvisation.
Ottoman court: The household and governing center of the Ottoman sultan, with its own ceremonial, administrative, and artistic institutions. Court musicians and patrons helped shape and sustain the repertory.
Dimitrie Cantemir: A Moldavian prince and scholar who documented Ottoman music and composed in its tradition around the turn of the eighteenth century. His notation preserves a substantial record of Ottoman compositions from his era.
Radio Istanbul: A Turkish radio station established in 1927 that became a major broadcaster of music and culture. Broadcasting expanded access to classical repertory while reshaping performance conventions.