Dede Efendi
Encyclopedia
Hammamizade İsmail Dede Efendi (1778-1846) was a composer of Turkish classical music
. He was born on 9 January 1778, in Istanbul
, Şehzadebaşı. He started studying music with Mehmed Emin Efendi, at the age of eight. He attended rituals at Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi, a place of Mevlevi
gathering. He studied with Ali Nutki Dede and learned to play ney
, in Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi. He became "Dede
" in 1799. Dede Efendi's music was well appreciated by Sultan Selim III
and then he performed his works at the palace. He had composed hundreds of songs and mevlevi rituals. In 1846 he pilgrimaged to Mecca
, but in Mina contracted cholera and died. His grave is now in Mecca.
Dede Efendi gave lessons in Turkish music to Hamparsum Limonciyan
who developed the Hamparsum notation, the dominant notation for Turkish music.
One of the greatest Turkish composers, he has created masterpieces in all forms and modes of Turkish music. He has also developed the composite musical modes of "sultanî yegâh", "nev-eser", "saba-buselik", "hicaz-buselik" and "araban kürdî". His greatest works are the seven Mevlevi pieces for Samah. More than two hundred of his compositions are available today.
Ottoman classical music
Ottoman classical music developed in Istanbul and major Ottoman towns from Skopje to Cairo, from Tabriz to Morocco through the palace, mosques, and sufi lodges of the Ottoman Empire. Above all a vocal music, Ottoman music traditionally accompanies a solo singer with a small instrumental ensemble...
. He was born on 9 January 1778, in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Şehzadebaşı. He started studying music with Mehmed Emin Efendi, at the age of eight. He attended rituals at Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi, a place of Mevlevi
Mevlevi
The Mevlevi Order, or the Mevlevilik or Mevleviye are a Sufi order founded in Konya by the followers of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet, Islamic jurist, and theologian. They are also known as the Whirling Dervishes due to their famous practice of whirling as a form...
gathering. He studied with Ali Nutki Dede and learned to play ney
Ney
The ney is an end-blown flute that figures prominently in Middle Eastern music. In some of these musical traditions, it is the only wind instrument used. It is a very ancient instrument, with depictions of ney players appearing in wall paintings in the Egyptian pyramids and actual neys being found...
, in Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi. He became "Dede
Dedes
A dede is a socio-religious leader in the Alevi community. The institution of dede is the most important of all the institutions integral to the social and religious organization of the Anatolian Alevis...
" in 1799. Dede Efendi's music was well appreciated by Sultan Selim III
Selim III
Selim III was the reform-minded Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1789 to 1807. The Janissaries eventually deposed and imprisoned him, and placed his cousin Mustafa on the throne as Mustafa IV...
and then he performed his works at the palace. He had composed hundreds of songs and mevlevi rituals. In 1846 he pilgrimaged to Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
, but in Mina contracted cholera and died. His grave is now in Mecca.
Dede Efendi gave lessons in Turkish music to Hamparsum Limonciyan
Hamparsum Limonciyan
Hampartsoum Limondjian was an Ottoman Armenian composer of Armenian church music and Turkish classical music and musical theorist who developed the Hampartsoum notation system...
who developed the Hamparsum notation, the dominant notation for Turkish music.
One of the greatest Turkish composers, he has created masterpieces in all forms and modes of Turkish music. He has also developed the composite musical modes of "sultanî yegâh", "nev-eser", "saba-buselik", "hicaz-buselik" and "araban kürdî". His greatest works are the seven Mevlevi pieces for Samah. More than two hundred of his compositions are available today.