The Effects of Mawlavi Lodges of Istanbul on Ottoman Musical Art

Abstract

This study focuses on the effects of Mawlawi Lodges of Istanbul, which were one of the central places of the ideas and teachings of the Mawlawi order during the Ottoman period and which stood out with the artists they trained in different fields of art, on Ottoman music. Mawlawi Lodges, which were a center of culture, knowledge, wisdom, and education with their religious, linguistic, literary, musical, cultural, and artistic education in a serious artistic discipline, as well as an academy and conservatory, and which trained great writers, poets, masnawîkhans, intellectuals, musicians, painters, calligraphers, illuminators and craftsmen, occupied an important place in Ottoman intellectual life. In this context, Mawlawi Lodges of Istanbul were one of the most important institutional channels that shaped Ottoman musical life, especially with the musicians they trained. In this respect, determining the influence of Mawlawi Lodges of Istanbul on Ottoman music is very important in terms of understanding the development processes of both Turkish religious music and classical Turkish music. When considered in the specific case of Istanbul, Mawlawism began to show its influence in the capital with the establishment of Galata Mawlawi Lodge in 1491, and the subsequent establishment of Yenikapı, Beşiktaş (Bahariye), Kasımpaşa and Üsküdar Mawlawi Lodges became important institutions that influenced both the cultural and artistic life of Istanbul. Artists trained in Mawlawi Lodges of Istanbul, especially in Galata and Yenikapı Mawlawi Lodges, created works that left their mark on the periods they lived in. In this sense, this study aims to understand a cross-section of Ottoman musical life through the examples of musicians trained in Mawlawi Lodges of Istanbul. The study was conducted within the framework of qualitative research method. Primary and secondary sources were accessed by scanning the literature on the subject with the documentation technique. While the subject was spatially limited to Mawlawi Lodges of Istanbul, the 15th-20th centuries were taken into consideration temporally. Considering the historical data, the music artists trained in the aforementioned Mawlawi Lodges and their spheres of influence were evaluated in the context of the artistic network they created. As a result of the research, it was seen that the Mawlawi Lodges, which started to take a place in the cultural life of Istanbul from the 15th century onwards, both increased in number and formed active circles in many fields of art, especially music. The close relations between Mawlawism and the Ottoman court elevated Mawlawi Lodges to an important position in Ottoman musical life. The Ottoman Sultans Selim III and Mahmut II, who had a great influence on the development of Turkish music and were known as poets, composers, and musicians, were both Mevlevîs affiliated with the Galata Mawlawi Lodge. These sultans especially revived the Mawlawi Lodges, patronized Mawlawi musicians in the palace, and were instrumental in raising great musicians who left their mark on the Ottoman musical art. Among those who grew up in the Mawlawi Lodges of Istanbul were Buhurizade Mustafa Itri, Dede Ali Şirugani, Nayi Osman Dede, Hammamizade İsmail Dede Efendi, Abdülbaki Nasır Dede, Ali Nutki Dede, Abdurrahim Künhi Dede, Mustafa Nakşî Dede, Dr. Subhi Ezgi, Dellalzade İsmail Efendi, Zekai Dede, Hacı Arif Bey, Behlül Efendi, Mehmed Celaleddin Dede, Şeyh Atâullah Dede, and Hüseyin Fahrettin Dede have left their mark on Ottoman music art with their works and performances.