COMPOSERS AND PERFORMERS

HACI ARİF BEY

Haci Ârif Bey was born in 1831, in Istanbul's Eyüb Sultan district. His real name was Mehmed Ârif. He learned sarki and ilahi from Zekâî Dede, Shortly after entering the palace, at the order of the Sultan, Haci Ârif Bey began giving music lessons to the concubines in the royal harem. Thus began the tumult in his life, which was never to wane. During that period, he spent many years composing music, and he added a great number of unforgettable works to the body of Turkish classical music. He died in 1885.