The life and works of Gavsi Baykara and a maqam analysis of his compositions

In this study, the Mevlevihane to which Gavsi Bey belonged, the spiritual lineage (silsila), and his life have been briefly examined. His works, however, have been analyzed in detail from a theoretical (nazari) perspective. The influence of Mevlevi culture on the cultural life of the Ottoman Empire is profound. Gavsi Bey was one of the last Mevlevi şeyhzades—sons of Mevlevi sheikhs—who grew up within the cultural atmosphere surrounding the Mevlevihanes. He holds a significant place in the history of Turkish music, both through his compositions and the students he trained.The fact that his childhood coincided with the late Ottoman period and his youth with the early years of the Republic allows for a partial tracing of the cultural transformation of the era through his life. In some of his compositions, elements of Western music and the musical perception of the period are evident. In this study, the works of Gavsi Bey that are accessible online have been listed and analyzed theoretically.Furthermore, the significance and value of Gavsi Bey and the cultural sphere to which he belonged have been discussed from the perspective of his works and the environment in which he was raised. With these qualities, he is a figure who may attract the interest of anyone curious about music and cultural history. In light of this importance, Gavsi Bey has been examined in the study from these aforementioned perspectives