Peşrev

''Peşrev'' (pronounced in Turkish), ''Pişrev'' (), ''peshrev,'' or ''pishrev;'' called ''bashraf'' بشرف in Arabic; is an instrumental form in Turkish classical music. It is the name of the first piece of music played during a group performance called a fasıl (). It also serves as the penultimate piece of the ''Mevlevi ayini'', ritual music of the Mevlevi order, under the name ''son peşrev'' (final peşrev), preceding ''son semai''. It usually uses long rhythm cycles, stretching over many measures as opposed to the simpler usul the other major form of instrumental music uses, ''saz semai''.

Along with the ''saz semai'' (called ''sama'i'' in Arabic), it was introduced into Arabic music in the 19th century, and became particularly popular in Egypt.

Etymology

In Ottoman Turkish, it was a Persian loanword composed of the particles ''pīš'', which means "before, ahead", and ''rev'', "that which goes". coming to mean "that which comes first". In Persian, however, the word پیشرو (pronounced: pi:ʃrow) is used in a different context, meaning "forerunner, "pioneer" or simply "forward". It is however noteworthy that notwithstandig the different pronunciation the term پیشرو was adopted into Ottoman Turkish with its Persian spelling. As for a Persian equivalent of the Ottoman Turkish loanword, the word ''pišdaramad'' is used instead of پیشرو in order to denote the first piece of a traditional music performance or even a classical prelude or overture.

Structure

Peşrevs are composed of movements called ''hane'' (lit. "house"), at the end of which there is always an unchanging particle introducing the ''teslim'' (lit. "handing in") ''mülazime'' (lit. "that which is inseparable or constant"), i.e. the refrain. Peşrevs are named after the makam used in the first ''hane'' and usually end with this makam; in Turkish classical music theory, they are said to be "bound" to this makam. There are always modulations to other makams in the ''hane''s that follow the first ''hane'', but with the refrain (''teslim''), the piece always regains the principal mode. At the end of each ''hane'', a pause is made on the strong degree of its makam, forming a semi-cadence. This is called a ''yarım karar'' or ''nim karar'' (lit. "semi-decision"). Peşrevs usually have 4 ''hane''s, yet they occasionally have 2, 5 or 6.ÖZKAN, İsmail Hakkı, ''Türk Mûsıkîsi Nazariyatı ve Usûlleri: Kudüm Velveleleri'', Ötüken Neşriyat, Istanbul: 2000 (6th edition).

In principle, they comport rather large usuls, yet peşrevs with shorter rhythmical patterns do exist. One rule that is never ever transgressed is that this usul may ''not'' be a compound meter of the family aksak. Some peşrevs, called ''batak'' or ''karabatak'' are so organized as to instigate a form of question and answer between instruments.

If the ''hane''s are to be marked with , C, D, Eand the ''teslim'' with the regular structure of a peşrev would be A+B/C+B/D+B/E+B, thus always ending with the ''teslim''. For some, the ''teslim'' is also the first ''hane''; therefore they have the structure: A/B+A/C+A/D+A.

''Peşrev'' composers in Ottoman classical music

Tanburi Büyük Osman Bey was a prominent peşrev composer. Other composers include Tanburi Cemil Bey, Gazi Giray Han, Dimitrie Cantemir and Dilhayat Kalfa.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pesrev
Turkish music
Arabic music
Classical and art music traditions
Musical forms
Forms of Turkish makam music
Forms of Ottoman classical music