Itrî was born in Istanbul, and is thought to have been between 1630-40; his death is recorded in various sources as in 1711 or 1712. His real name was Mustafa; Itrî was the pen name he used in his poetry. He participated as a singer in musical gatherings at the Palace, and his compositions gained him a close friendship with the sultans. After many years teaching and performing at the Palace, Itrî retired at around the age of fifty and left the Palace. However, his musical reputation continued, growing even more during the Tulip Age. He blazed a new trail with his works, and became one of the founders of Turkish classical music. In compositions of those before him, the traces of Middle and Near Eastern music are felt to a degree. In his compositions, these influences were completely erased, and the clearest lines of the Ottoman-Turkish style - which we call classical Turkish music - were drawn. Many composers who remain true to the classical style show his influence to a greater or lesser degree. Along with Abdülkadir Merâgi and Hammâmîzade Ýsmail Dede Efendi, Itrî became one of the three composers who were to direct the development of Turkish music.
Composers
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