The ''saz semai'' (also spelled in Turkish as ''saz sema'i'', ''saz sema-i'', ''saz sema i'', ''saz semaī'', ''saz semâ'î'', ''sazsemai'', ''saz semaisi'', or ''sazsemaisi'' and in the

Arab world The Arab world ( ar, اَلْعَالَمُ الْعَرَبِيُّ '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, refers to a vast group of countries, mainly located in Western A ...

as ''samâi'') is an instrumental form in

Ottoman classical music Ottoman music ( tr, Osmanlı müziği) or Turkish classical music ( tr, Türk sanat müziği) is the tradition of classical music originating in the Ottoman Empire. Developed in the palace, major Ottoman cities, and Sufi lodges, it traditional ...

. It was typically the closing movement of a ''

fasıl The ''fasıl'' is a suite in Ottoman classical music. It is similar to the Arabic '' nawba'' and '' waslah''. A classical ''fasıl'' generally includes movements such as '' taksim'', '' peşrev'', '' kâr'', '' beste'', '' ağır semâ'î'', '' y ...

'' (i.e. suite). The saz semai is metered and typically uses the usul (rhythmic structure) called ''aksak semai''. A saz semai is typically in 4 movements, called ''hane'' (lit. "house"), each movement followed by a ''

teslim A ''teslīm'' ( ar, تسليم; also spelled ''taslim'' or ''tasleem'') is a refrain in classical Arabic music and Ottoman classical music. It returns several times in the genres of ''sama'i ''Sama'i'' (also known as ''usul semai'') is a vocal ...

'' ( refrain). The ''teslim'' and the first three ''hane'' are usually in rhythm structure 10/8, unlike the fourth ''hane'' which will be in 6/4.

Common Saz Semaisi

Some Saz Semaisi are very known and played in the all makam music area (From Greece to Iraq, and from Iraq to Morocco). Here a few of them : *Samâi al Thakil - also called : Arap saz semai. This samai is in makam Bayati. *Samâi Al-Aryan - also called : Samâi Bayati. *Samâi Shad Araban - Shet Araban Saz Semaisi. Composed by

Tanburi Cemil Bey Tanburi Cemil Bey (1873, Istanbul – July 28, 1916, Istanbul) was an Ottoman tanbur, Turkish tambur, yaylı tambur, kemençe, and lavta virtuoso and composer, who has greatly contributed to the ''taksim'' (improvisation on a makam/maqam) ...

. *Samâi Husseyni. Composed by

Tatyos Efendi Tatyos Ekserciyan (1858 – March 16, 1913), or Tatyos Efendi, was a famous composer of classical Turkish music, and his works continue to be among the most played and revered examples of the genre. An Armenian from Istanbul, Tatyos Efendi w ...

. *Samâi Nahawand - Nihavend Saz Semaisi. Composed by the son of Tanburi Cemil Bey : Mas'ud Cemil Bey.

Saz Semai 's Composers

was a noted composer of ''saz semai''. *Ismail Hakki Bey *Misirli Ibrahim Effendi

Bibliography

*Walter Feldman : "Music of the Ottoman court : Makam, composition in the early Ottoman instrumental repertoire" ; Intercultural Music Studies, 1996.

External links

''Saz semai'' page

Common Saz Semaisi

Saz Semai 's Composers

Bibliography

External links

See also