Ottoman classical music (Türk Klasik Müziği) is a kind of music that developed parallel with the Ottoman Empire. As the Empire grew, elements of conquered peoples were incorporated into the increasingly diverse field of Ottoman music. With the decline of the empire in the early 19th century, the music gradually evolved from serious artistic music to shallow "metropolitan entertainment music" Turkish Ministry of Culture. Three of the most well known composers of Turkish classical music are Buhurizade Itri, Dede Efendi, and Haci Arif Bey.

The Ottoman Empire was a multi-ethnic state, and cultural influences, including music, were shared by groups including the Turks, Byzantines, Armenians, Greeks, Kurds, Arabs, Persians, Assyrians and Jews.

In 1934, the government of Kemal Atatürk banned Ottoman classical music, though the ban was lifted the following year. Even though the Republic of Turkey had a considerably less multiethnic character than the Ottoman Empire, important performers and composers like Yorgo Bacanos and udi Hrant Kenkulian came from minorities, while favourite Turkish composers include Sadettin Kaynak.

Some of the important musciologists involved with this genre are Prince Cantemir, Cinuçen Tanrıkorur and Rauf Yekta Bey who wrote the first modern account of Turkish classical music available in a Western language.

Modern Turkish singers of neo-classical music include Münir Nurettin Selçuk, Müzeyyen Senar, Zeki Müren, Bülent Ersoy and Emel Sayın.

Notes

External links

• Database of Turkish music, including the private archive of Ismâil Baha Sürelsan, a musicologist who specialized in Ottoman classical music

• Neyzen, the most complete collection of Ottoman sheet music, available for free online. The long list of Turkish words on the screen are names of individual 'makam'. Each makam has its own quality and repertoire, click on any of these to get a list of the sheet music available to view and download.

• TurkMusikisi, the premier Turkish-language website dedicated to Ottoman music. Highly recommended, regardless of any ability to speak Turkish.

Turkish music | Music genres