COMPOSERS AND PERFORMERS

ŞEVKİ BEY

Þevki Bey was born in Istanbul in 1860. When the beauty of his voice and his musical talent was noticed, he was taken to the Palace ensemble. Receiving instruction from the teachers, notably Hacý Ârif Bey, who was teaching during that time, he received the basic knowledge of practical music. Living only thirty-one years, Þevki Bey had an Epicurean lifestyle. His alcoholism was perhaps the chief reason for his short life. Þevki Bey composed hundreds of þarkýs in various makams, writing over one hundred works in the uþþak makam alone. To be able to write this many works within the bound of one makam, each one unique, is only possible for an exceptional talent. He died in 1891.