TURKISH MUSIC DICTIONARY

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V Y Z

Onikitelli

Lit. "Twelve-string." A large, infrequently seen member of the bağlama family with four courses of strings, each composed of three strings. The instrument may be known by various regional names such as meydan sazı, divan sazı and çöğür.

Orta Aksak

A minor usûl used in Turkish Classical Music. It is a special form of the usûl Aksak, and like Ağır Aksak, it is written in 9/4, but it is a bit faster than Ağır Aksak.

Osmanlı Bozuğu

The name of a makam used in the âşık music of Northeastern Anatolia. The name bozuk (bozuğ-) refers to the instrument by the same name on which it is played.

Osmanlı Divanisi

The name of a makam used in the âşık music of Northeastern Anatolia, and the melodic pattern to which this sort of divan is sung.

Oturak Havası

The name for a repertoire ofmusic, known in some areas simply as oturak, which is played at festivities and celebrations. The oturak songs of Central Anatolia are especially famous.

Ova Garibi

The name used in the Central Black Sea Region for the uzun havas sung to the poetry of Âşık Garibi.

Oynak

A 9-beat minor usûl used in Turkish Classical Music, composed of one cycle each of Semâî and Yürük Semâî. In its 9/4 form it is known as ağır oynak. It is used in the türkü, şarkı, ilâhî and oyun havası forms.

Oyun Havası

1. Lit. "dance tune/air." The term used in Anatolia for almost all of the music played to accompany dancing. There are oyun havasıs with and without associated songs, known as türkülü (with a folk song) and türküsüz (with no folk song). There are other classifications, such as those that are religious or secular in character, as well as for different dances performed only by men or by women. See Halay, Bar, Zeybek, Horon etc.
2. A genre of instrumental music within Turkish Classical Music. In addition to being a particular form, any music played in order to accompany dancing may also be considered an oyun havası.

Ozan

An âşık, or folk poet. The name for local poets and musicians who usually sing their own and others' poems accompanied by the saz/bağlama.

Ozanlama

The ozan/âşık style of singing. Historically, the term ozanlama has been used in the sense of singing an uzun hava.