Legend of Ottoman classical music
Celebrating 173 Years of Ismail Dede Efendi: The Father of Ottoman Classical Music
This Friday marks 173 years since the passing of Ismail Dede Efendi, a legendary figure often hailed as the father of Ottoman classical music. His contributions have left an indelible mark on the world of music, earning him a place among the greats.
“Dede Efendi is the pioneer of Ottoman classical music,” said Yalcin Cetinkaya, a musicologist at the Turkish Music Conservatory of Istanbul Technical University, during a commemorative event at Istanbul’s Yenikapi Mevlevi Lodge. This historic site is where Dede Efendi composed his first piece over two centuries ago.
A Legacy Comparable to Western Greats
Cetinkaya likened Dede Efendi’s influence on Ottoman music to that of Bach, Vivaldi, and Mozart in the Western classical tradition. “He is a musician created by a very strong historical past,” Cetinkaya noted, emphasizing the depth and richness of the heritage that shaped his compositions.
Dede Efendi’s music represents a culmination of the Ottoman classical tradition, which filtered through and developed from the works of earlier masters, including Buhurizade Mustafa Itri, a prolific Ottoman composer who passed away in 1711. Dede Efendi took this rich musical heritage and innovated, introducing a “sense of time” that set his works apart.
A Timeless Pioneer
Dede Efendi’s ability to both honor and renew the tradition he inherited has solidified his status as one of the most important figures in the history of Ottoman music. His compositions remain a cornerstone of Turkish musical culture, celebrated for their complexity, beauty, and timeless quality.
As we commemorate the 173rd anniversary of his passing, the legacy of Ismail Dede Efendi continues to inspire musicians and music lovers alike, bridging the past and the present through the universal language of music.
Ismail Dede Efendi, a well-known Turkish composer, lived in this house for 28 years. The house was leveled to the ground in the course of time until 1984. It was then restored by the Association for the Protection of Historical Houses of Turkey, depicting Turkish architecture of its period.
Mevlevi culture
Born in 1778 in Istanbul, Dede Efendi attended the Yenikapi Mevlevi Lodge in 1798 because of his interest in Mevlevi culture.
Mevlevis, also known in English as Sufis, follow a school of thought in Islam inspired by Muslim poet and scholar Mevlana Jelaluddin al-Rumi, who focused on tolerance and love with his book The Masnavi.
“There is a very important practice in Mevlevi culture. Each dervish candidate is assessed by a chief dervish” to discover their tendencies, talents, and abilities, said Cetinkaya.
“Dede Efendi, with his special talent in music, received the special attention of Ali Nutki Dede,” a prominent poet and musician, he added.
He composed his first piece in the lodge and attracted great attention from Istanbulites of the time.
“People came to Ali Nutki Dede and wanted to see Dede Efendi, wanted to hear him and meet him,” he added.
One of those who heard about Dede Efendi’s talent was Ottoman Sultan Selim III, also a musician himself, who summoned Dede Efendi to Istanbul’s legendary Topkapi Palace.
According to Talip Mert, a calligrapher formerly of Istanbul’s Marmara University, since the 15th century. Ottoman sultans had diaries called ruznames.
“In Sultan Selim III’s ruznames, the sultan himself visited the Yenikapi Mevlevi Lodge twice, although there was no specific mention of Dede Efendi,” he told Anadolu Agency, speaking at Ismail Dede Edendi’s house in Istanbul’s historic Sultanahmet district.
Although some accounts say Dede Efendi lived in the house for 28 years. Mert said the musician used it for around seven years until his death on Nov. 29, 1846, in Medina, modern Saudi Arabia, where he was doing the Hajj (pilgrimage).
Years later, while researching Ottoman archives on Dede Efendi. Mert found documents showing that the artist was plagued by debt and his house was confiscated after he died.
The house, which was presented to Dede Efendi by Sultan Abdulmecid I, was rebuilt after being destroyed by a storm. It is now open for visitors four days a week and offers a glimpse at Dede Efendi’s daily life.
“Historical information about him may not give us any idea about his artistic quality. But when we examine the Mevlevi rituals Dede Efendi composed, we can see his quality and abilities,” said Cetinkaya.
“In Mevlevi rituals, the words came directly from Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi. Setting Rumi’s poems to music isn’t easy, and few musicians are successful at it,” he added.
“But Dede Efendi did justice to Rumi and his poems. This is a talent that can’t be seen in many musicians and composers.”
According to Cetinkaya, Dede Efendi never used music notes, but his music was immortalized for the ages because his students learned them by heart and passed them down to future generations.
Yet although Dede Efendi is said to have composed perhaps 1,000 songs. Making him the most prolific Ottoman-era composer – only about 250 survive to this day, said Cetinkaya.
Interaction with Ottoman sultans
Dede Efendi’s relations with the Ottoman sultans also played a large role in his career.
“His first connection with the Ottoman sultans starts with Selim III, but Dede Efendi’s prime was during the reign of Mahmud II. Mahmud II valued all artists and culture dearly,” said Mert.
“Mahmud II also protected Dede Efendi and even took him to places he visited,” he added.
In 1802, Dede Efendi married a lady from the palace and achieved the rank of Musahib-i Sehriyari, meaning the sultan’s companion, under Mahmud II, said Mert.
His interaction with sultans continued after Mahmud II. Abdulmecid I also protected Ismail Dede Efendi, whom he loved and respected.
Ottoman Westernization
Dede Efendi lived and composed in the 19th century, when the Ottoman Empire was going through a Westernization period.
This also affected music, according to Cetinkaya.
The first Ottoman imperial orchestra was formed during the reign of Mahmud II, and Italian musician Giuseppe Donizetti was appointed maestro.
According to Cetinkaya, this move may have offended some composers.
“In a period when the Ottoman Empire became passive towards the West, after the passing of Selim III. Dede Efendi and his students tried to preserve what is local and traditional in music,” said Cetinkaya.
Although he tried to preserve traditional music. Efendi was influenced by Western musicians who visited Istanbul, the Ottoman capital.
“For example, his composition Gulnihal shows how he caught the rhythm of the age. Because at that time, waltzes were very popular in Europe,” said Cetinkaya.
Yine Bir Gulnihal is a well-known song in Turkey, especially after famed Turkish singer. Zeki Muren performed the song in the 20th century.
“This man had never been to Europe in his life. But he listened to composers from Europe,” Cetinkaya said. “This is a great success.”
“This helps us understand how great Dede Efendi was,” he added.
