MUSIC OF ISTANBUL OVER 600 YEARS
Living Tradition in Istanbul: Instrumental Pieces
The musical tradition of Istanbul traces its roots to the transition of Byzantine music from Syria to the city, which became its capital in the 11th century.
Following the conquest of the city in 1453, this rich musical tradition continued to evolve through a variety of institutions, including the Enderun palace school, Mevlevi lodges, religious sect lodges, the Mızıkay-ı Hümayun (the Imperial Ottoman Orchestra and precursor to the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra), the Mehter (Janissary band), private mansions, and coffeehouses. From the early 20th century onward, the tradition endured through 78 rpm recordings and radio broadcasts, carrying it into the present day.
Following the conquest of the city in 1453, this rich musical tradition continued to evolve through a variety of institutions, including the Enderun palace school, Mevlevi lodges, religious sect lodges, the Mızıkay-ı Hümayun (the Imperial Ottoman Orchestra and precursor to the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra), the Mehter (Janissary band), private mansions, and coffeehouses. From the early 20th century onward, the tradition endured through 78 rpm recordings and radio broadcasts, carrying it into the present day.
Instrumental music holds a central place in Istanbul’s musical tradition. This project seeks to showcase instrumental works of classical Turkish music composed in Istanbul over the past 600 years. These include compositions by figures such as Galata Mevlevi Lodge Shaykh Nayi Osman Dede, Tanburi Artin Kevseri, and others.
The program also features selections from Mecmua-i Saz u Söz, a 17th-century manuscript by Ali Ufki, regarded as the first notated collection of Turkish music. Additionally, it includes works from Prince Dimitrie Cantemir’s seminal history and notation book on Ottoman court music, as well as instrumental pieces by early 19th-century masters such as Tanburi Cemil Bey, Refik Fersan, Mesud Cemil, and Hacı Arif Bey.
The ensemble was founded in 2010 by renowned researcher, academician, composer, and tanbour player Refik Hakan Talu under the name Söz Saz Istanbul. Having released four albums and performed extensively across Türkiye, the group will begin touring internationally under the name HAKAN TALU & FRIENDS starting in 2026.
The ensemble performs in various formations. With the inclusion of vocalists, the repertoire expands to encompass both liturgical and non-liturgical works from the classical tradition, further enriching the performance experience.
When there are whirling dervishes accompanying the group, they perform under the name Istanbul Music and Sema Group with a unique repertoire specific to whirling ceremony.
Hakan Talu is also the co-founder of the Istanbul Music and Sema Group, with which he has toured across four continents. He has released a major CD and book project titled Aşk İle ("With Love"), which presents the full scope of Turkish liturgical music.
Comprising two CDs and a companion book, this work provides examples of all forms of religious music—developed within the Ottoman-Turkish Islamic worldview—and serves as a cornerstone of the region’s musical tradition. Offering a comprehensive overview of all liturgical musical genres and their performance practices, the book has become a key reference in its field. Today, Aşk İle is housed in many public and university libraries, including Stanford University.
He is frequently consulted by artists, institutions, and critics for his extensive knowledge of these genres, both musically and in their historical context.
