A A Perspective on Kemani Tatyos Efendi Through the Approach of Melodic Nuclei

Abstract

Kemani Tatyos Efendi is one of the most distinguished and significant composers and performers of Turkish Classical Music. Renowned for his compositional prowess, Tatyos Efendi utilized the traditional features of Classical Turkish Music makams in a manner suited to the demands of his time and composed his works accordingly. Among the seven peşrevs identified through research, his ‘Rast Peşrev’ is examined in this study using the ‘melodic nuclei’ approach. The article elaborates on the concept of the melodic kernel, analyzing the functional roles of the pitches that form the melodic structure of the piece. First, Tatyos Efendi’s life and musical career are briefly discussed, along with his contributions to Ottoman-Turkish music. Subsequently, the unique melodic coding of the makam structures, which represent the makam itself, is detailed, and Rast Peşrev is analyzed using this approach. In this context, the pitches in Tatyos Efendi’s Rast Peşrev and how they reflect the character of the makam are thoroughly examined, providing an in-depth evaluation of the musical structure of the piece. In conclusion, Kemani Tatyos Efendi's Rast Peşrev has been analyzed using the melodic nuclei method, and the findings have been reported.