TURKISH MUSIC DICTIONARY

Bâd-ı Sabâ

A compound makam of Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Bâd-ı sabâ

A dance tune of the Ankara region, with a slow 2/4 meter.

Bağlama

A stringed folk instrument with a pear-shaped wooden body and a long neck, played either with a plectrum called a tezene or with the bare fingers. Its name is rumored to come from the frets, which are tied onto the neck (bağlamak = to tie). Found in almost every region of Turkey, it is played with different techniques/styles (tavır) from region to region. In Anatolia, the bağlama is also frequently called the saz. See Saz.

Bağlama Family

The family of instruments composed of various sized bağlamas. Although known by a great variety of names, the most common names from large to small are: Divan, Bağlama, Tambura and Cura.

Bağlama Tuning

A tuning of the bağlama most common among the Turkmen of Western Anatolia and the Alevi-Bektashi communities. The lowest string to the floor is A(la), the middle is D(re) and the top is E(mi).

Bağlamak

To sing a folk song to write a composition.

Bağlantı

The refrain of a song; also called nakarat or kavuştak.

Bağrıyanık

An uzun hava (free-meter folk song) of the Elazığ region.

Bahâr

A compound makam of Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Bahâriye

A genre of Turkish Classical Music composed to words that describe the spring. (Bahar = spring). The words of these songs generally contained words of praise for the Sultan or statesmen of the time, and the pieces were presented to these figures.

Bahr-i Nâzik (=Evc-i Bahr-i Nâzik)

A compound makam of Turkish Classical Music. Based on surviving examples, some theoreticians consider this makam to be a form of Hicâz with a transition in the Segâh scale or a part of it.

Bakiyye

The symbol for a four-koma sharp or flat in Turkish Classical Music, abbreviated to "B."

Bakiyye Bemolü

A four-koma flat.

Bakiyye Diyezi

A four-koma sharp.

Balaban

A woodwind instrument played in the Azerbaijan region, similar to the mey of Turkey and the duduk of Armenia.

Bam Teli

A thick string producing a low tone.

Bar

A type of folk dance of Northeastern Anatolia; the tune that accompanies this dance.

Bar Havası

The melody that accompanies a bar dance

Barak Ağzı

An uzun hava singing style of the Turkmen tribes of the area to the southeast of Gaziantep.

Barak Havası

The musical repertoire unique to the Barak.

Barana

In Balıkesir and its surroundings, a celebration with music and dance. In these types of celebrations, the music is played in a particular order; in a form of suite, which is to be observed in every type of musical celebration.

Barana havası

The repertoire unique to the Barana.

Basit İsfahân

A simple makam used in Turkish Classical Music. Its tonic is dügâh (A/la) and its dominant is nevâ (D/re). It is ascending-descending in character.

Basit Makam

See Simple Makam.

Baş övme havası

A folk song or quatrain sung at wedding, praising the good and beautiful qualities of the bride.

Başpâre

The mouthpiece used on some Turkish instruments, made of ivory, horn, or various woods such as ebony and palisander.

Baş Taksim

A type of taksim used in Turkish Classical Music, played before the peşrev in order to accustom the listener to its makam. Thus it is of the same makam as the peşrev to be played.

Batak

In Turkish Classical Music, the piece played by a single instrument. (See Karabatak)

Bayâtî (=Beyâtî)

1. The name given to today's nîm hisâr pitch in the Edvâr of Safîyüddîn Urmevî.

2. A simple makam of Turkish Classical Music. It is composed of a Bûselik pentachord from nevâ (Re/D) added to (in place of) an Uşşâk tetrachord from dügâh (La/A). Though it resembles the makam Uşşâk, it departs from it with certain features. It is ascending-descending in character. Its tonic is dügâh (La/A), and its dominant is nevâ (Re/D). Its suspended cadences are, as in the makam Uşşâk, the note Segâh, the Segâh and Ferahnâk pentachords. What distinguishes it from the makam Uşşâk is the notes nevâ (Re/D) and çargâh (Do/C), as well as the flavors Hicâz transposed to nevâ (Re/D) and Nikrîz transposed to çargâh).

Bayâtî Arabân

In Turkish Classical Music, a variation of the makam Bayâtî, composed of adding the Bayâtî scale from (in place of) the dügâh (La/A) onto a Zirgûle'li Hicaz scale on nevâ - which is known as the Arabân scale). It is descending in character. Its tonic is dügâh (La/A), and its dominants are muhayyer (La/A) and nevâ (Re/D). Its suspended cadences are Bûselik from gerdâniye (Sol/G), Zirgûle'li Hicâz from nevâ, Hicâz and Bûselik, Nikriz from çargâh (Do/C), çeşnis of Segâh or Eksik Ferahnâk on segâh (Si/B one koma flat) and a Segâh third on segâh.

Bayâtî Arabân Kürdî

See Arabân Kürdî

Bayâtî-Buselik

In Turkish Classical Music, a variety of the makam Bayâtî developed by Zekâî Dede Efendi (1825-1897). It is composed of a Bûselik tetrachord or pentachord on a basic Bayâtî scale. Its tonic is dügâh (La/A), and its dominants are nevâ (Re/D) and hüseynî (Mi/E).

Bayâtî-Hisâr

A variant of the makam Bayâtî. No examples have survived to the present.

Bayâtî Isfahân

A variant of the makam Bayâtî. It is still used in the music of Azerbaijan.

Bayâtî Rûy-i Acem

A variant of the makam A variant of the makam Bayatî. No examples have survived to the present..

Bayâtî-Kürdî

A variant of the makam Bayâtî, constructed by adding a Kürdî tetrachord to the basic scale of the makam Bayâtî. It is still used in the music of Azerbaijan.

Bayâtî-Sultânî

A variant of the makam Bayâtî. Its tonic is dügâh (La/A). It is still used in Arab music.

Bayâtî-Şîrâz

A variant of the Bayâtî of Turkish Classical Music. It is mostly used in folk music.

Bayram Salâtı

See Salât.

Beg (=Bey Havası)

Another name for a Harput maya (See Maya).

Bek

The mouthpiece of a clarinet or saxophone.

Bekar

Accidental natural.

Bektâşî Devr-i Revânı

A 13-beat minor usûl of Turkish Classical Music, created by combining a measure of Sofyân, Türk aksağı and Sofyân. Used mainly in Bektâşî music, it also appears in some folk songs.

Bektâşî Divanisi

A type of divan in Northeastern Anatolia, one of the common âşık makams.

Bektaşî Makamı

An instrumental genre played in the area of Elbistan on a signle instrument. At cems, this piece is played before any other pieces, and is considered holy by the local people.

Bektâşî Music

The music of communities which belong to the Bektâşî sect. The genre is extremely broad and includes tens of varieties employing special makams and rhythms. It and Mevlevî music comprise the two most important tarikat (religious order) genres of Turkish music. Performed in the Ayîn-i Cem of the Bektâşî sect, this music is played especially in Islam, as well as parts of Anatolia and the Balkans. In terms of style, it is styled after the local folk music. In urban centers, the instruments of Turkish Classical Music are used, while in villages and small towns, it uses mainly bağlama, dîvan, tanbura and cura but also local instruments such as the violin and kabak kemâne.

Bektâşî Raksı

See Raks

Bemol

A flat, or the sign indicating a flat.

Bend-i Bûselik

A compound makam of Turkish Classical Music devised by Sâdeddin Heper.

Bend-i Hisar

A compound makam of Turkish Classical Music. Devised by Ahmet Avni Konuk, it consists of a Sultânî Yegâh scale from yegâh (Re/D - in its place) added to the scale of the makam Hisar-Bûselik.

Bengi

A type of zeybek danced by men in the Balıkesir region; the melody that accompanies this dance.

Bent

In folk poetry, a section consisting of at least two lines, which contains the actual message of the verse.

Beste

1. A composition. Though it is generally used in the sense of a consciously composed musical piece of any form, it is also used colloquially in to mean any piece of music, a folk song, a melody.

2. In Turkish Classical music, when this word is added in front of the name of a makam, indicates that the makam ends with the Irâk tetrachord.

3. In Turkish classical music, a secular vocal form. Bestes are composed in the style of a gazel upon quatrains; for this reason they are also called "murabba," which means "of four." The four lines of the quatrain are called Zemin-hâne, Nakarat-hâne, Miyân-hâne and Nakarat hâne respectively. They are generally set to major usûls.

Besteci

Composer.

Beste Devr-i Revânı

One of the 26-beat major usûls of Turkish Classical Music. It is composed of one measure of Türk Aksağı, two measures of Sofyân, one of Türk Aksağı and two more of Sofyan. Because Itrî's Nevâ Kâr is in this usûl, it is also referred to as the "Nevâ Kâr Usûlü."

Beste-Hicâz

A variant of the Hicâz makam used in Turkish Classical Music, composed of the basic scale of Hicâz with the addition of an Irâk tetrachord. According to some theoreticians, this makam has the same characteristics as the makam Rahât'ül-Ervâh.

Beste-Hisâr

A variant of the makam Hisâr used in Turkish Classical Music, composed of a Segâh tetrachord from ırak (Fa/f four komas sharp) added to the basic scale of the makam Hisâr.

Beste-Isfahân

A variant of the makam Isfahân used in Turkish Classical Music. It is obtained by adding a Segâh tetrachord from ırak (Fa/F four komas sharp) to any of the scals of the makam Isfahân from dügâh (La/A). It is usually descending-ascending in character. Its tonic is ırak (Fa/F four komas sharp), and its dominants are nevâ (Re/D) and dügâh (La/A). Its suspended cadences are a Segâh and Eksik Ferahnâk pentachord from segâh (Si/B one koma flat), a Segâg third, çeşnis of Uşşâk and Rast from dügâh (La/A) and dügâh.

Beste-Nevâ

A variant of the makam Nevâ used in Turkish Classical Music, developed by Tanbûrî Abdülbâkî Gökçek. It consists of the basic scale of the makam Nevâ with the addition of an Irak tetrachord.

Bestenigâr

A compound makam in Turkish Classical Music, composed of the scale of the makam Sabâ from dügâh (La/A) with addition of the Segâh tetrachord from ırak (Fa/F four komas sharp), and is mostly descending-ascending, and sometimes ascending in character. Its tonic is ırak, and its dominants are çargâh (Do/C), dügâh (La/a) and segâh (Si/B one koma flat).

Bestenigâr-Hisârek

A variant of the makam Bestenigâr of Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Bestenigâr-Atıyk

A variant of the makam Bestenigâr of Turkish Classical Music. Its tonic is dügâh (La/A).

Bestenigâr-I Kadîm

A variant of the makam Bestenigâr of Turkish Classical Music. Its tonic is dügâh (La/A).

Beşirî

A type of uzun hava sung in the regions of Urfa, Elazığ and Kerkük.

Beşliler

Pentachords, the name give to the scale patterns composed of five tones which form the scales of the makams in Turkish Classical Music. The Çârgâh, Bûselik, Kürdî, Rast, Hüseynî and Hicâz pentachords are the pentachords are basic components in the formation of the simple makams; from the standpoint of intervalic relationships, the Müsteâr, Hüzzâm, Nikrîz, Pençgâh, Ferahnâk and Nişâbur pentachords are the tetrachords in the same category which combine with them to form the compound makams.

Beyit

A two-line poetic whole, a distych, also known as bent in Turkish. Although they are more used in Divan literature, they also appear occasionally in folk literature.

Beyne'l-Bahreyn

A compound makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Beyzâ

A compound makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No example have survived to the present.

Bezmârâ

A compound makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No example have survived to the present.

Bezm-i Tarab

A compound makam used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding the first pentachord of the makam Sabâ to the basic scale of the makam Nihâvend. (See Sabâ) Its tonic is rast (Sol/G), and its dominants are nevâ (Re/D), çargâh (Do/C) and dügâh (La/A).

Bilür (=Bülür)

The name used for various fipple and end-blown flutes of Eastern Anatolia.

Birleşik Usûl (Compound Usûl)

A type of usûl (meter) formed by the combination of at least two of the main usûls. Composed of 2- and 3-beat measures in Turkish Classical Music, usûls created with 5-9 different arrangements are to be found in folk music.

Bişkur

A type of ney, or end-blown flute, used by the Crimean and Kazan Turks.

Boğaz Gaydası ("Throat bagpipe)

A type of tune sung with the index and middle fingers of one hand pressed on the throat. This type of singing is practiced mostly in the Teke peninsula, especially by young shepherd girls.

Boğma

A bağlama playing technique in which the upper string is pressed with the thumb, and the middle and lower strings are pressed with the index finger.

Bolâhenk

A tuning used in Turkish Classical music. In this tuning, the tone dügâh (La/A in the middle octave) is transposed to nevâ (re/D of the upper octave).

Boru

The chief wind instrument of Mehter music. See Buul, Nefir.

Bozlak

A type of free-meter melody (uzun hava) found mostly in Central and Southern Anatolia. Bozlaks are known by different names according to their subjects and the structure of their melodies, such as Kırat Bozlağı, Türkmen Bozlağı, Aydost Bozlağı, etc.

Bozlak Düzeni (Bozlak Tuning)

A bağlama tuning most common among the Abdals of Central Anatolia. The low string is tuned to la/A, the middle string to la/A, and the upper string to sol/G.

Bozlamak (=Bozulamak)

To cry out in anguish; the term bozlak is said to derive from this verb.

Bozuk

An instrument in the bağlama family. Forgotten in Anatolia today, it is rumored to have been played mostly in Central and Southern Anatolia. It is a predeccssor of the bouzouki played in Greece, however that instrument has changed considerably and is now quite different.

Bozuk Düzeni (Bozuk Tuning)

The name given to the tuning of the bozuk. The tuning is la/A, re/D and sol/G from bottom to top string.

Buci Kopuz

The high-pitched kopuz.

Buhârî

A compound makam once used in Turkish Classical Music, of which no examples have survived to the present.

Bulgar(i)

A small two-stringed family in the bağlama family played either with the fingers or with a plectrum. Some hold that its name refers from a bağlama played by the Bulgars, while others relate it to the fact that it is common in the Bulgar (Bolkar) Mountains of the Toros range.

Bulgari Düzeni (Bulgari Tuning)

A tuning of la/A on the lower string and mi/E on the upper string.

Bunkar

A stringed instrument used in Turkish Classical Music, invented by Şemsi Çelebi, son of Akşemseddîn-zâde Hamdullâh Hamdî Çelebî.

Burgu

Tuning peg. Also kulak, burgaç.

Burguluk

The pegbox of a stringed instrument.

Burıngi ölüng

A term for "song" in Kirghiz.

Bûselik

1. The pitch si/B in the middle octave of Turkish Classical Music.

2. A simple makam of Turkish Classical Music. It has two types of scales. One is formed by adding a Kürdî tetrachord transposed to hüseyni (mi/E) to the Buselik pentachord on la/A (in its place); the other is formmed by adding a Hicaz tetrachord on hüseyni to the Bûselik pentachord on dügâh. It mostly exhibits an ascending, and sometimes ascending-descending character. Its tonic is dügâh (la/A), and its dominant is hüseynî (mi/E) and sometimes çargâh (do/C). Its suspended cadences are the flavors Hicâz transposed to nevâ (re/D) and Nikriz transposed to çargâh (do/C), as well as the Uşşâk tetrachord transposed to hüseynî (mi/E).

Bûselik-Aşîrân

A variant of the makam Bûselik used in Turkish Classical Music. It displays two different types of scales. One consists of a Bûselik pentachord on dügâh (la/A, in its place) on top of a Hüseynî pentachord transposed to hüseynî, with the addition of a Hüseynî pentrachord transposed to hüseynî aşîrân (mi/E). The other is formed by adding a Hüseyini pentachord on hüseynî aşîrân to the Bûselik scale on dügâh. It possesses descending character. Its tonic is hüseynî aşîrân (mi/E), and its dominant is hüseynî (mi/E). Its suspended cadences are the flavors Bûselik, Hicâz, Çargâh and Nikrîz transposed to nevâ (re/D); Çargâh on çargâh (do/C), Bûselik and Hicâz transposed to dügâh (la/A); Nikrîz and Çargâh transposed to rast (sol/G); the Eksik Ferahnâk pentachord and Segâh trichord on ırak (fa a bakiye sharp), and a Rast pentachord transposed to yegâh (re/D).

Bûselik Beşlisi (Bûselik Pentachord)

In Turkish Classical Music, five-tone scale pattern formed by adding one whole tone to the Bûselik tetrachord on dügâh (la/A - in its place) (See Bûselik Dörtlüsü).

Bûselik Dörtlüsü (Bûselik Tetrachord)

In Turkish Classical Music, a four-tone scale pattern on dügâh (la/A) forming a perfect fourth.

Bûselik-Gerdâniye

In Turkish Classical Music, a variant of the Bûselik makam of which no examples have survived to the present.

Bûselik-Geveşt

In Turkish Classical Music, a variant of the Bûselik makam of which no examples have survived to the present.

Bûselik-Mâye

A variant of the makam Bûselik in Turkish Classical Music. Some theoreticians define it as a form of the makam Mâye (See Mâye) on bûselik (si/B). No examples have survived to the present

Bûselik-Nevrûz

In Turkish Classical Music, a variant of the Bûselik makam of which no examples have survived to the present.

Bûselik-Selmak

In Turkish Classical Music, a variant of the Bûselik makam of which no examples have survived to the present.

Bûselik-Şehnâz

In Turkish Classical Music, a variant of the Bûselik makam of which no examples have survived to the present.

Buvben

The Kazakh name for the tambourine/tef.

Bülür

See Bilür

Büyük Mücenneb

An accidental symbol used in Turkish Classical Music to indicate an interval of eight komas. Its letter counterpart is "K."

Büyük Mücenneb Bemolü (Flat)

A symbol used in Turkish Classical Music to indicate an eight-koma flat.

Büyük Mücenneb Diyezi (Sharp)

A symbol used in Turkish Classical Music to indicate an eight-koma sharp.

Büyük (Great) Usûl

In Turkish Classical Music, the general term used to describe all the usûls from 16 to 124 beats long.

Büzürk (Büzürg)

A compound makam used in Turkish Classical Music, formed either by adding a Bûselik pentachord or Bûselik scale on dügâh (la/A - in its place) to a Hüseynî pentachord transposed to hüseynî (mi/E), and on top of this, a Çargâh pentachord transposed to rast (sol/G). It is descending-ascending in character. Its tonic is rast (sol/G), and its dominant is hüseynî (mi/E). Its suspended cadences are the flavors Kürdî transposed to hüseynî (mi/E) and of Bûselik transposed to nevâ (re); a flavor of Bûselik transposed to dügâh (la/A) and hüseynî aşîran with the leading tone hüseynî aşîrân.