Makamlar: The Musical Scales of Turkey

TÜRK SANAT MÜZİĞİ - The Turkish art music, one of the greatest art musics in the world. Persians and Arabs both left deep traces in this music, which, despite its homophonic characteristic, inherits no harmony in the classical sense, has brought it to an impressive harmonious wealth and has, with the expansion of the Ottoman Empire in Southeastern Europe and especially the Balkans, heavily influenced the musical cultures of those countries (e.g. Bulgaria).

Makamlar: The Musical Scales of Turkey contains more than 50 of the most common makamlar, including transpositions and modulations, even with references to Arabic music. With its systematic presentation, Thomas Mikosch's book is the first of its kind. In addition, the Turkish comma system as well as the history of the makamlar, which can be traced all the way from the Ottoman Empire through Arabia and Persia back to ancient Greece, is discussed in detail.