Turkish instruments in Gelibolulu Mustafa Ali’s Mevaidü’n-Nefais

Abstract

Social life, ethical behaviors and etiquette are explained in the work named Mevaidü’n-Nefais Fi Kavâdi’l-Mecalis, written by the Ottoman author Gelibolululu Mustafa Ali who lived in the last quarter of the 16th century. This work, which he wrote in 1587, is a continuation of his work named Kavâ‘idü’l-Mecâlîs, presented to Murad III. Some parts of the work, written in Turkish as prose, and some parts are written in verse. Besides, Arabic and Persian verses, hadiths, proverbs and idioms are included in the work. The first of the two copies of Meva‘idü’n-Nefâis was found by Raif Yelkenci in Bayezid, Istanbul. The second copy was found in the Bursa Orhangazi Library in 1951. This article bases on Istanbul Raif Yelkenci copy translated by Mehmet Şeker. The original of the text was also examined for translation errors made on some musical terms. Besides, the aforementioned instruments were analyzed by comparing them with those described in 15th century source works and 17th century Evliya Çelebi’s Seyahatname. Instrument classifications are specified according to the Hornbostel-Sachs system such as idiophones, membranophones, chordophones and aerophones. In the sixteenth chapter of this work, under the heading “ Envâ’i sâzun teşbîhâtı ve sâyir sâzendeler ahvâlî beyânındadurki zikrolunur”, the simulations of various instruments and the situations of those who play other instruments are explained. The classes and names of the instruments identified in this work are given as follows; eleven instruments such as muğni, qanun, oud, şeşhane, kopuz, tanbur, şeşta, santur, çarhane, çeng, kemânçe classified as stringed instruments (chordophones); six instruments such as nay, erganun, musikar, nay-i Irakî, mansûr, surna, kemânçe classified as wind instruments (aerophones); four instruments such as def, çağana, çârpâre, filcan classified as percussion instruments (membranophones/idiophones). Besides, the names of five instruments used in mehter music such as nefir, nakkara, zinc (sanc), nakkarava, drum are given together with the surna (zurna), but these instruments are not disclosed. Ali entered into the technical features of the instruments from time to time, but he enabled us to obtain indirect information about the instruments and understand the characteristics of the instruments, mostly by making analogies. The fact that the instrument names are included in this work, written in the 16th century, is important in terms of our knowledge about the instruments used of the period and for understanding that it was performed in the musical assemblies. Also, when we compare it with other works of the period, the existence of these instruments with similar names is confirmed.

XVI. yüzyılın son çeyreğinde yaşamış olan Osmanlı müellifi Gelibolulu Mustafa Ali’nin kaleme aldığı Mevaidü’n-Nefais Fi Kavâdi’l-Mecalis adlı eserinde sosyal hayat, ahlaki davranışlar ve görgü kuralları anlatılmaktadır. Bu eserin on altıncı bölümünde dönemin mûsikî meclisleri ve çalgılarına da yer verilmiştir. Dönemin çalgılarının adlarının eserde verilmiş olması döneme ait hangi çalgıların kullanıldığını anlamak bakımından önemlidir. Bu çalışma İstanbul Raif Yelkenci nüshasının Mehmet Şeker tarafından yapılan çevirisinden faydalanılarak kaleme alınmıştır. Çeviride bazı mûsikî terimleri üzerinde yapılan çeviri hataları için metnin orijinali de incelenmiştir. Ayrıca yine adı geçen çalgılar XV. yüzyıl kaynak eserlerde anlatılan ve XVII. yüzyıl Evliya Çelebi’nin Seyahatnâme’sinde anlatılan çalgılar ile de karşılaştırılarak incelenmiştir. Hornbostel-Sachs sistemine göre çalgı sınıflandırmaları belirtilmiştir.