Memories attributed to composers and the stories behind pieces, with their sources. Each story shows how reliable its source is; read each one on its own page and listen to the piece.
Sheet music archive
Classical Turkish music works in real staff notation with AEÜ accidentals. Read the score, hear it with kanun sound, adjust the tempo.
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The archive only holds classical and sacred works whose composer and lyricist died more than 70 years ago; folk songs (türkü) and recent composers are not included for copyright reasons.
The level is estimated automatically from the score: range, notes per second, tempo, short and dotted values, the length and asymmetry (aksak) of the usul, the variety of perdes and the length of the piece are scored together. It is a guide, not a substitute for a teacher's judgement.
The archive only includes works by composers whose copyright has expired.
The level is estimated automatically from the score (range, speed, rhythm, usul, variety of perdes, length).
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About this workThe story of the piece
The story linked to this piece, as told in the sources. The reliability of the source is shown above it; the sources are listed at the end of the page.
Scores of works by Dimitrie Cantemir (1673–1723): 5 pieces in real notation with AEÜ accidentals, playable with kanun sound, plus recordings.
MakamAcemtarab (1), Muhayyer (1), Nevâ (1), Rast (1)FormSaz semai (3), Peşrev (2)UsulAksak Semai (3), Havi (1), Fer‘-i Muhammes (1)
In brief
Life
Born in 1673 in Moldavia, he died in 1723. As the son of the Prince of Moldavia, he came to Istanbul as a hostage in 1687; he learned the tanbur from Tanbûrî Angeliki and theory from Kemânî Ahmed Çelebi. His Kitâbu İlmi'l-mûsikî, written in the letter notation he developed, recorded hundreds of works, including his own compositions, and saved them from oblivion. In 1710 he became Prince of Moldavia.[1]
Work: Kitâbü İlmi'l-mûsikî alâ vechi'l-hurûfât (c. 1700); its only known manuscript is at Istanbul University, and it was first published by Hüseyin Sadeddin Arel.
Notation: He devised a letter notation based on the frets of the tanbur, writing two octaves with 33 letter signs and durations with numerals.
Notated collection: He notated more than 350 peşrevs and semais; it is the most comprehensive record of the instrumental repertoire of his time.
Theory: Alongside the old edvâr tradition he introduced a theory grounded in performance; he reclassified the makams, discussed tuning and gave an example of a modulating taksim.
Memories
Memories attributed to him and told in the sources. The reliability of the source is shown above each one; the sources are listed at the end of the page.
The level is estimated automatically from the score: range, notes per second, tempo, short and dotted values, the length and asymmetry (aksak) of the usul, the variety of perdes and the length of the piece are scored together. It is a guide, not a substitute for a teacher's judgement.
Collections
Usuls without works in the archive
No works in these usuls are in the score archive yet; you can hear their düm-tek patterns in the usul metronome.
