TURKISH MUSIC DICTIONARY
Mâbeyn
The term used for the half tones.
Mahalli Sanatçı
Local musician.
Mahfel Sürmesi
See Tesbih.
Mahfûzat
In Turkish Classical Music, a term for learning music by memory.
Mahlas
A pseudonym used by âşıks, who generally write it into the last verse of their deyiş as a sort of "signature."
Mahnı
In Azerbaijani music, the term for a song, folk song, melody.
Mâhûr
1. In Turkish Classical Music, the note Fa/F four komas sharp or Sol/G five komas flat in the high octave.
2. A makam used in Turkish Classical Music. There are two types. The first is considered to be a transposed (şed) makam by theoreticians, and is formed by transposing the basic scale of the makam Çargâh to râst (Sol/G). It is descending in character. It's tonic is râst, and its dominants are gerdâniye (Sol/G) and nevâ (Re/D). Its suspended cadences are the flavors Çargâh on çargâh (in its place) and Bûselik on hüseynî aşîrân.
Mâhûr-Aşîrân
1. A variant of the makam Mâhûr once used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding an Uşşâk tetrachord on aşîrân (Fa/F) in the low end of the makam Mâhûr. No examples have survived to the present.
2. The other type of mâhûr is a compound makam, created by adding descending Râst, Acem'li Râst, descending Hüseynî and descending Beyâtî on râst (in its place), and using them in combination. Its tonic is râst (G/Sol) and its dominants are gerdâniye (Sol/G) and nevâ (Re/D). Its suspended cadences are the flavors Çargâh on çargâh (Do/C); Bûselik on hüseynî aşîrân (Mi/E); Çargâh, Râst and Bûselik on gerdâniyê (Sol/G); Bûselik and Uşşâk on hüseynî (Mi/E); Çargâh, Râst and Buselik on nevâ; Kürdî on bûselik (Si/B), Ferahnâk and Segâh on segâh (Si/B one koma flat), Bûselik and Uşşâk on dügâh (La/A); Çargâh and Râst on râst (sol/G); Uşşâk on hüseynî aşîrân; and Çargâh and Râst on yegâh (Re/D).
Mâhûr-Bûselik
A variant of the makam Mâhûr once used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding a Bûselik pentachord and sometimes an entire Bûselik scale to the makam Mâhûr. It's tonic is dügâh (La/A) and its dominant is nevâ (Re/D).
Mâhûr-Hân
In Turkish Classical Music, a compound makam created by İsmail Hakkı Bey. It is formed by combining the Mâhûr and Hicâz flavors. Its tonic is Bûselik.
Mâhûrrek
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Mâhûrî
An usûl used in Turkish Classical Music.
Mâhûr-i Kebîr
A variant of the makam Mâhûr once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present day.
Mâhûr-i Kebîr-i Kadîm
An alternative name for Mâhûr-i Kebîr.
Mâhûr-i Sagıyr
A variant of the makam Mâhûr once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Makam
A musical braid in Turkish Music in which a variety of sounds come together and complete. There are important keys such as durak, güçlü and asma karar in this system and the music is done by means of moving between these keys.
There are three types of Makam: 1- Basit (Basic) Makam, 2-Şed (Transposed) Makam, 3-Birleşik (Combined) Makam.
Mandal
The small metal bridges on the kanun which may be raised and lowered to change the tuning of the strings in order to form the scales for the makams. The word is also used for the tuning pegs.
Mandra
A Balkan dance in a 2+2+3 rhythm, and the tune that accompanies this dance.
Mâni
A folk poetic and musical form with seven-syllable lines in independent quatrains. Also mani, meani, m'ani. Manis are often used for both the verses of folk songs and the refrain sung between the verses. Thus Turkish folk music includes thousands of mânis, some related to each other and others completely unrelated. Mânis are also used in atışma, the verbal sparring competition between âşıks.
Mansûr
1. In Turkish Classical Music, the tuning from La/A.
2. A type of ney.
Marş (March)
In Turkey, marches are written for and played chiefly by military bands. However, there are non-military marches as well; the term is used in the sense of an anthem as in the name "İstiklâl Marşı" (Independence March), the Turkish national anthem.
Mâşûk
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Matlûb
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Matlûbek
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Mâverâünnehr
A compound makam used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding the makam Nihavent to the makam Hümâyûn. Its tonic is râst (Sol/G).
Maya
A type of uzun hava of Eastern and Southern Anatolia.
Mâye
A compound makam used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding the makam Segâh to the makam Uşşâk. Its tonic is segâh (Si/B one koma flat), and its dominant is nevâ (Re/D).
Mâye-Aşîr'an
A variant of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music. It is formed by adding the Aşîrân (Uşşâk) tetrachord to the Mâye scale.
Mâye-Büzürg
A variation of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music. Some theoreticians define it as the makam Büzürg resolving on segâh (Si/B one koma flat). No examples have survived to the present.
Mâye-Hicâz
A variation of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music. Some theoreticians define it as the makam Hicâz resolving on segâh (Si/B one koma flat). No examples have survived to the present.
Mâye-Hüseynî
A variation of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music. Some theoreticians define it as the makam Hüseynî resolving on segâh (Si/B one koma flat). No examples have survived to the present.
Mâye-Irâk
A variation of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music. Some theoreticians define it as the makam Irâk resolving on segâh (Si/B one koma flat). No examples have survived to the present.
Mâye-Isfahân
A variation of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music. Some theoreticians define it as the makam Isfahân resolving on segâh (Si/B one koma flat). No examples have survived to the present.
Mâye-i Atıyk
A variant of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music.
Mâye-i Kebîr
A variation of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Mâye-i Kevser
A variation of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Mâye-Kûçek
A variation of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music. Some theoreticians define it as the makam Kûçek resolving on segâh (Si/B one koma flat). No examples have survived to the present.
Mâye-Nevâ
A variation of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music. Some theoreticians define it as the makam Nevâ resolving on segâh (Si/B one koma flat). No examples have survived to the present.
Mâye-Râst
A variation of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music. Some theoreticians define it as the makam Râst resolving on segâh (Si/B one koma flat). No examples have survived to the present.
Mâye-Rehâvî
A variation of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music. Some theoreticians define it as the makam Rehâvî resolving on segâh (Si/B one koma flat). No examples have survived to the present.
Mâye-Uşşâk
A variation of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music. Some theoreticians define it as the makam Uşşâk resolving on segâh (Si/B one koma flat). No examples have survived to the present.
Mâye-Zengüle
A variation of the makam Mâye once used in Turkish Classical Music. Some theoreticians define it as the makam Zengüle resolving on segâh (Si/B one koma flat). No examples have survived to the present.
Mazhar
A large frame drum with no cymbals. Used mostly in religious music, it is played in groups of four or five. It is used in many religious orders, especially the Mevlevî, Kadirî and Rufaî orders, in open zikr.
Mazhar-Zen
A player of Mazharç
Meçik (=Meçük)
One name for the thin rod used in playing the davul.
Meclis-Efrûz
A compound makam once used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding an Uşşâk makam transposed to yegâh (Re/D) to the scale of the makam Irâk. Its tonic is yegâh (Re/D).
Meclisî
The term for fasıl among the Azerbaijanis.
Mecmûa
An anthology of lyrics. There are hundreds of such anthologies in Turkish musical history, written mostly in the old Ottoman Arabo-Persian script. However the vast majority of these anthologies have not been transliterated into the modern Turkish script, and thus new version have not been published.
Medhal
An instrumental form of Turkish Classical Music. Definable as a short form of peşrev, the medhal consists of two sections and is generally in even-count minor usûls. It is freer in form than the peşrev.
Mehdiye
A Turkish classical song form generally written in praise of a personality, sometimes a sultan.
Mehtâb (iyye) Faslı
A type of music played on the Bosphorus at night
Mehter
1. The general name for Ottman military music.
2. Locally, the colloquial name for groups of musicians, especially the davul-zurna duo.
Mehter-Hâne
See Mehter Music.
Mehter Music (Mehter Müziği)
Traditional Ottoman military music serving both a societal and political purpose, which was played until the reign of Sultan Mahmud II (1299/1826). Composed chiefly of wind and percussion instruments, it has its origins in the nevbet music of the Central Asian Turks. Used by the Turkish military, especially during wars, this tradition was later adopted by the European states; thus the form of modern military bands ws influenced by the Mehter ensemble.
Mellâhî
A compound makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present,
Mengi
A type of semah danced outside of formal worship by the Tahtacıs, and Alevi people of the Aegean and Mediterranean regions, mostly by young people.
Mersiye
A lament. This term is mostly used for laments/dirges sung for famous people with high standing in the community. Generally sung in free meter, the lyrics of mersiyes are from various poetic forms.
Mersiye-Hân
A singer of mersiye, mostly male. See Mevlidhan.
Mertebe
Used in Turkish Classical Music for the speed of usûls.
Mesnevi
A type of uzun hava sung in the Şanlıurfa region.
Meşk
1. In Turkish Classical Music, the training system based on learning pieces by playing and memorizing them. In this way, basic musical knowledge is learned to a large extent by learning the pieces.
2. A musical gathering held for pleasure, a jam session.
Meşk Silsilesi
Lit. "Meşk succession." In Turkish Classical Music, the creation of a virtual "lineage" of master and student.
Metelik
A dance of the Central Black Sea region and the melody that accompanies this dance.
Mevlevî Evferî
See Evfer.
Mevlevî Music (Mevlevî Müziği)
An important branch of mystic Turkish religious music, unique to the Mevlevî order. Existing within the context of the formal worship ceremony called the Âyîn-i Şerif, it is performed for the Mevlevî turning dance known as the sema. A significant number of Turkish Classical Music composers were Mevlevî, and of these, many were Mevlevî dervıshes known as dedes.
Mevlid (=Mevlüt)
A genre of religious music with lyrics consisting of poetry telling of the entire life of the Prophet Muhammed from birth to death, sung in free meter by singers known as Mevlidhâns.
Mevlidhân
A singer of mevlid. Chiefly the realm of men in the Ottoman-Turkish musical tradition, this profession has become more widespread among women as well, and there are now many famous female singers who have gained fame for singing mevlid.
Mevval (=Maval)
A free-rhythm melodic form of Arab music, used as a musical term in Turkish. Colloquially the word means "to lie," or "to engage in fraudulent business."
Mey
A woodwind instrument used commonly in Eastern Anatolia. It consists of a cylinder of hollowed out hard wood such as plum or apricot, and a reed 8-10 cm in length made from a species of water reed with a flattened end.
Meydân Faslı
In Turkish Classical Music, fasıl music played on a larger version of the incesaz ensemble. Ottoman records mention meydan fasıls consisting of over 100 performers. Such ensembles performed mainly at large celebrations and weddings.
Meydan Sazı (=Divan Sazı)
The largest of the bağlama family.
Mezdekânî
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Mıskal (=Miskal)
Also known as the mûsîkar, a Pan flute once played in Turkish Classical Music. No longer played in Turkey, it appears in many musical cultures.
Mıskalî
A player of the mıskal.
Mıtrıp
The name used in many parts of Southern and Eastern Anatolia for professional music groups that play at celebrations, usually the duo of davul and zurna; and sometimes one consisting of darbuka, tanbur and tambur. It should not be confused with the Mutrıb, meaning the musical ensemble of the Mevlevîs. See Mutrıb.
Mızrâp
Plectrum, which may be made of bone, tree bark, plastic or other materials, depending on the instrument.
Mızraplı Sazlar
Instruments played with a plectrum.
Mihr-i Cân
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Minor usûl
(Turkish: Basit Usûl.) A type of usûl (metric pattern) used in Turkish Classical Music, defined in terms of their smallest metric units. Accordigly, the two-beat Nim Sofyân and the three-beat Semâî are the two minor usûls which occur in all the usûls.
Mirâciyye
A religious form of Turkish Classical Music, written about the Prophet Muhammed's ascent to heaven (mirac-mi'raj).
Miraçlama
The name for various poems expounding upon the mi'raj of the Prophet Muhammed, and the melodies to which these poems are set. Known in many orders, this genre is more commonly sung in Alevi-Bektashi communities.
Misket
A dance common in the Ankara region, and the melody that accompanies this dance.
Miyân (Meyân)
Mugam
The general name for the free-meter melodies of Azerbaijani music with unique structural characteristics. They resemble the uzun havas of Turkish folk music and the gazels of Turkish Classical Music.
Mugannî
A singer.
Muganniye
A female singer.
Mugnî
An old stringed instrument mentioned in many different sources with conflicting information about its shape and number of strings.
Muhaccel
1. A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
2. A 56-beat major usûl of Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Muhaccer Dolab
An alternative name for the makam Maklûb.
Muhâlif
1. A compound makam used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding the makam Segâh to the makam Nikrîz. Its tonic is segâh (Si/B one koma flat). Its suspended cadences are the notes nîm hicâz (Do/C five komas sharp) and dik kürdî (Si/B five komas flat), as well as Nikrîz on râst, and the Ferahnâk tetrachord on ırâk (Fa/F five komas sharp). Suspended cadences with Hüzzâm on ırâk (Fa/F five komas sharp) and Râst on yegâh (Re/D) may also be performed.
2. A type of hoyrat in Iraqi Turkmen music.
Muhâlifek
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Muhâlif-i Irâk
A variant of the makam Muhâlif once used in Turkish Classical Music.
Muhâlif-i Râst
A variant of the makam Muhâlif once used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding the makam Hümâyun to the makam Râst> Its tonic is dügâh (La/A).
Muhâlif-i Uşşâk
A variant of the makam Muhâlif once used in Turkish Classical Music.
Muhammes
Muhayyer
1. In Turkish Classical Music, the note La/A in the high octave.
2. A simple makam used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding an Uşşâk tetrachord transposed to hüseynî (Mi/E) to the Hüseynî pentachord on dügâh (La/A - in its place). It is the descending form of the makam Hüseynî. Its tonic is dügâh (La/A), and its dominants are muhayyer (La/A) and hüseynî (Mi/E). Its suspended cadences are the flavors Râst transposed to nevâ (Re/D), Çargâh and Pençgâh on çargâh (Do/C - in its place), and Segâh and Ferahnâk on segâh (Si/B one koma flat).
Muhayyer-Bûselik
A variant of the makam Muhayyer used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding the Bûselik pentachord and rarely the entire Bûselik scale to the basic scale of the makam MuhayyerIts tonic is dügâh (La/A) and its dominant is hüseynî (Mi/E).
Muhayyer-Kürdî
A variant of the makam Muhayyer used in Turkish Classical Music. Its makam characteristics are all the same as the makam Muhayyer. It begins its seyir with the pitches of the makam Muhayyer but resolves on those of the makam Kürdî.
Muhayyer-Sünbüle
A variant of the makam Muhayyer used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding the scale of the makam Sabâ to the scale or flavor of Çargâh transposed to Acem (Fa/F). It is descending in character. Its tonic is dügâh (La/A), and its dominantsa re kürdî (Si/B four komas flat) and çargâh (Do/C). Its suspended cadences are the flavors Çargâh transposed to acem (Fa/F), Hicâz transposed to gerdâniye (Sol/G), Nikrîz transposed to acem (Fa/F), Hüzzâm transposed to dik hisâr (Re/D eight komas sharp) and Segâh.
Muhayyer-Zengûle
A variant of the makam Muhayyer used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding the scale of the makam Zengûle to the scale of the makam Muhayyer. Its tonic is dügâh (La/A) and its dominant is hüseynî (Mi/E).
Muhayyer-Zîrkeş
A variant of the makam Muhayyer used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Mukâbele
The zikr ceremony in mystic music.
Mulâyemet
See Derli.
Murabbâ
1. In a form of poetry consisting of four-line verses known as bent.
2. An old percussion instrument, a type of frame drum.
Murad-Hân
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Murassâ
1. A stringed instrument once used in Turkish Classical Music.
2. A musical form once used in Turkish Classical Music.
Mûsikar
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Mûsiki
The Turkish form of the word "music." Although the term mûsiki was used by the Turks for many years, the term müzik was adopted after the establishment of the Republic, as it was considered more in line with the structure of Turkish, and is the more commonly used word today.
Mûsiki-i Osmânî Mekbebi
The music school founded and directed by İsmail Hakkı Bey, a form of conservatory.
Mûsikşinâs
A person who loves and is knowledgable about music.
Mûtedil
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Mutrıb
A musical ensemble composed of instrumentalists and vocalists; the term has also been used for instrumental ensembles. It is mostly used in the context of Mevlevî music, but appears in other orders as well. Mevlevî mutrıbs have employed a variety of musical instruments including the ney, kudüm, tanbur, ud, kanun, rebab and viol d'amore. See Mıtrıp.
Mutrıbân
1. A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
2. Another name - the plural form - for the mutrıb ensemble.
Muvâfık
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Muvakkat Karar
See Asma Karar.
Muzâaf Devr-i Kebîr
A flowery term for the usûl Devr-i Kebîr.
Müberkaa
A compound makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. According to some theoreticians, this makam was formed by combining the makams Çargâh and Segâh, and its tonic was segâh, while others maintain that its tonic later changed to dügâh. No examples have survived to the present.
Mücenneb-i Kebîr
See Büyük Mücenneb.
Mücenneb-i Sagıyr
See Küçük Mücenneb.
Mücennebü'r-Remel
An old makam once used in Turkish Classical Music.
Müezzin
A singer of the ezan (adhan), the Muslim call to prayer.
Müjdegânî
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Mükerrer
In Turkish Classical Music, the term used for repeated sections.
Mülâyim
See Derli.
Mülâzime
The portion repeated after the hâne.
Münâcât
A religious genre of Turkish Classical Music, based on kasîde style poems expressing an entreatment to God.
Münâferet
See Dersiz.
Müntesib Makam
See Yakın Makam.
Mürekkeb Makam
A compound makam. The term is used for all of the makams that do not bear the characteristics of the thirteen simple makams of Turkish Classical Music. They are based on the the principle of modulation (geçki).
Mürekkeb Usûl
A compound usûl; that is, the usûls of Turkish Classical Music formed by combining more than one of the minor usûls. All of the usûls other than Nîm Sofyân and Semâî are compound usûls.
Mürgak
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Müsebbâ
1. A 26-beat major usûl of Turkish Classical Music, created by Kemanî Hızır Ağa.
2. A type of lyric containing seven lines in each verse.
Müselles
1. A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music.
2. A type of lyric containing three lines in each verse.
Müsemmen
An eight-beat minor usûl of Turkish Classical Music, used mostly in şarkı-type works as well as ilâhî, türkü and oyun havası forms. See Katakofti.
Müstahsen
A tuning range of Turkish Classical Music in which the pitch Fa/F is transposed to La/A.
Müsteâr
A compound makam used in Turkish Classical Music, which resembles the makam Segâh, the only difference being that the use of the Uşşâk tetrachord on segâh (Si/B one koma flat), known as the Müsteâr tetrachord. Its suspended cadences are the flavors Bûselik and Uşşâk transposed to nevâ (Re/D), and Segâh and Ferahnâk transposed to dik hisar (Re/D four komas sharp).
Müstesârek
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.
Müstezat
1. A form of Turkish poetry.
2. A type of makam resembling Mâhûr and Acemaşîrân, and used mainly in Eastern and Southern Anatolia.
Müstezat Düzeni
A tuning of the bağlama. The lowest string is La/A, the middle string is Sol/G and the upper string is Fa/F.
Müşkûye
A compound makam used in Turkish Classical Music. It is a form of Segâh, which resolves in an Uşşâk tetrachord transposed to the pitch aşîrân.
Müteaddî
A makam once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.