Abstract
The influence of western music started to be felt strongly in the Ottoman Empire with the establishment of the Muzıka-yi Hümâyun (The Imperial Music School) during the reign of Mahmud II, instead of Mehterhane (The Janissary Band) that was dissolved in 1826. Due to the Ottoman palace’s accommodation, the western-style tonality resonated not with the military music only but also Turkish classical music. It paved the way for the formation of the late Ottoman music.
The legacy of Müştakzâde Hacı Edhem Efendi (d. 1934), one of the famous composers of the time, reflects on a great scale the trends of the 19th-century Turkish music. He received his music education in Muzıka-yi Hümâyun. However, he had good knowledge of Sufî music thanks to his Qadirî background. In his work titled Bergüzâr-ı Edhem Yahud Ta'lîm-i Usûl-i Mûsikî (Edhem's Heirloom or Music Rhythms Training), he compiled a good number of song lyrics alongside with some theoretical information. Published in 1890, this work is such an important resource that we have in terms of determining the musical character of the period.
Starting by introducing to Muzıka-yi Hümâyun, the article gives a brief account of Müştakzâde’s life, works, and different aspects of his Tribute. Then it contains a musical analysis of four pieces composed by him, two of which were about religious themes while the other two are not.
Outcomes of this study conclude that Müştakzâde Hacı Edhem Efendi had a unique musical style and that maqam transitions he used in his compositions are quite different from what we see in other classical works. These features make him an original composer in many ways.