TURKISH MUSIC DICTIONARY

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V Y Z

Iklığ

1. A long-necked instrument with three strings and a horsehair bow, considered to be an ancestor of the kemençe and similar bowed instruments.
2. A general term for bowed instruments. Also Iklık.

Ir

A sung melody, makam, air, folk song. Also Yır. Always used in reference to songs with lyrics.

Irâk

1. In Turkish Classical Music, the note Fa/F four komas sharp in the middle octave.
2. A compound makam used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding an Uşşâk tetrachord in its place to the Segâh tetrachord on ırâk (Fa/F four komas sharp). It is ascending in character. Its tonic is ırâk (Fa/F four komas sharp) and its dominant is dügâh (La/A). Its suspended cadences are the Segâh pentachord on ırâk (Fa/F four komas sharp) and the Hicâz flavor on kaba nîm hicâz (Re/D four komas sharp).

Irâk-Aşîrân

A variant of the makam Irâk used in Turkish Classical Music.

Irâk-Gerdâniye

A variant of the makam Irâk once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Irâk-Geveşt

A variant of the makam Irâk once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Irâk-Mâye

A variant of the makam Irâk once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Irâk-Nevrûz

A makam created by Sultan Murat II.

Irâk-Selmek

A variant of the makam Irâk once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Irâk-Şehnaz

A variant of the makam Irâk once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Irâk-ı Acem

A variant of the makam Irâk once used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Irâk Dörtülüsü (Tetrachord)

A four-note scale pattern used in formed by transposing the segâh tetrachord to the note ırâk so as to form a perfect fourth.

Irızva

A small instrument in the bağlama family resembling the cura. Though it was in very common use by the Southern Turkmen, it has fallen from favor today. Among the southern Alevis,it is known as Ruzba (See Ruzba).

Irlamak

To sing, always used for songs with lyrics. Ahtough this verbed, used in eastern Anatolia, was recommende by some music circles, it did not become common and is not used.

Isfahân

A compound makam used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding the Râst tetrachord transposed to dügâh (La/A) to the basic scale of themakam Isfahân. Its tonic is dügâh (La/A) and its dominant is nevâ (Re/D). It is descending-ascending in character.

Isfahân-Bûselik

A variant of the makam Isfahân used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding a Bûselik pentachord to the scale of the makam Isfahân. No examples have survived to the present day

Isfahân-Gerdâniye

A variant of the makam Isfahân onced used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have to the present.

Isfahân-Geveşt

A variant of the makam Isfahân onced used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have to the present.

Isfahân-Irak

A variant of the makam Isfahân onced used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have to the present

Isfahân-Mâye

A variant of the makam Isfahân onced used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have to the present.

Isfahân-Nevrûz

A variant of the makam Isfahân onced used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have to the present.

Isfahân-Rûy-i Nevâ

A variant of the makam Isfahân onced used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have to the present.

Isfahân-Selmek

A variant of the makam Isfahân onced used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have to the present.

Isfahân-Şehnâz

A variant of the makam Isfahân onced used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have to the present.

Isfahân-Zemzeme

A variant of the makam Isfahân onced used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have to the present.

Isfahân-ı Cedîd

See Isfahânek-i Cedîd.

Isfahân-ı Sultânî

A variant of the makam Isfahân onced used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have to the present.

Isfahânek

A compound makam used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding a Sabâ tetrachord in its place to the Isfahân scale. It is ascending-descending in character. Its dominant is dügâh (La/A), and its dominant is nevâ (Re/D). Its suspended cadences and extension are identical with that of the simple Isfahânmakam. See Isfahân.

Isfahânek-i Atıyk

A variant of the makam Isfahân onced used in Turkish Classical Music.

Isfahânek-i Cedîd

A variant of the makam Isfahân onced used in Turkish Classical Music, which was created by Sultan Selim III.

Isfahânî

A compound makam of Turkish Classical Music.

Istıhâb

See Düzen.

İbrâhîmî

1. A makam used in Turkish Classical Music.
2. An âşık makam used in Northern Anatolia.
3. A free-rythm melodic pattern used in Şanlıurfa and Diyarbakır.

İcrâ Hey'eti

1. An ensemble performing Turkish Classical Music.
2. The Turkish Classical Music ensemble which was established at the Istanbul Municipal Conservatory by Sadeddin Arel and performed for many years there.

İhvânu's-Safâ

A literary and philosophical school founded in Basra in the second half of the 10th century. It founders used this name for themselves, and through joint effort, published an encyclopedia. Known as the Resâil, this work's fifth volume was devoted to music.

Îkaa

The usûl patterns of Turkish Classical Music.

Îkaaî Terennüm

See Terennüm-i İkaa'i

Isfahân-Irak

A variant of the makam Isfahân onced used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have to the present.

İkinci Beste

In the classical fasıl progression, the second of two bestes and two semâîs composed by the same composer in the beste form. It is quicker and livelier than the first beste.

İki Telli (İkitelli)

A folk instrument in the bağlama family with either two single strings or two courses of strings, played with a plectrum or the fingers. In the Balkans, this instrument is called Çiftteli. It has fallen from favor in modern-day Anatolia.

İkiz Aksak

A 12-beat minor usûl used in Turkish Classical Music, composed of one cycle of Devr-i Hindî and one of Türk Aksağı

İlâhî

Mystic poems set to music, which emphasize praise for God and his diving power. They are sun with religious communities and orders but there are also ilâhîs sung among the people, such as the Beşik İlâhîsi (Cradle İlâhî) as well as those for the bride and the applying of henna. Such ilâhîs serve the main purpose of blessing the person in question and entreating God for his blessings.

İlâhîci

A singer of ilâhîs

İmâle

The extension of a short syllable in a poetic meter.

İncesaz

The Turkish Classical Musical ensemble including both vocalists and instrumentalists.

İnici

Descending, used both to describe descent of a scale, as well as the seyir (course, progression) of the makams of Turkish Classical Music.

İntikaal

See Geçki.

İrhâ

The Arabic term for "koma."

İrticâl

Spontaneous music or poetry.

İskenderî

A type of hoyrat common among the Turkmen of Iraq. This type of melody has recently become quite common in Turkey as well.

İşleme (=Süsleme)

Ornamentation.