Religious lyrics manuscripts in the history of Turkish music: Classification, sources and methodology

Lyrics manuscripts, which are the most basic auxiliary tools of meshk, the method of performance, education and transmission of Turkish music, are the works which are prepared for a specific purpose; most of whose content consists of composed poems, and are understood at least either explicitly through maqam attribution or indirectly through information in the work. The manuscripts in question are generally divided into two categories: religious and non-religious. Those in which the majority of the composed works consist of non-religious musical forms are defined as non-religious lyrics manuscripts, while those in which the majority consist of religious compositions are referred to as religious lyrics manuscripts. In Turkish music, the perception of lyrics manuscripts more as a repertoire pool than as a source of high historical value has led to their being utilized in a rather limited way. This situation indicates that the lyrics manuscripts have not yet been fully understood, and that the primary data they offer have not been sufficiently valued. This study, on the other hand, argues that these manuscripts are among the fundamental sources for writing the history of Turkish music, and aims to offer a different perspective to the field. In this regard, it has been concluded that religious lyrics manuscripts, with the rich information they contain, are among the most important foundations that illuminate both the theoretical and practical aspects of Turkish music, as well as its historical and socio-cultural dimensions in depth. Furthermore, due to their multidimensional content, they have been identified as valuable documentary sources for various disciplines such as literature, Sufism, and sociology. This study, which analyzes religious lyrics manuscripts through a methodological approach, is the first research in which the relevant materials have been examined in great detail in terms of both quantity and content. In this context, a research field that—until now—has not been defined in detail, whose basic terminology has not been established, and whose classification criteria have not been determined, has been established by us on a solid scholarly basis. Through an interdisciplinary approach—primarily involving historical musicology and document analysis—the types of religious lyrics manuscripts and the historical trajectories of many composition types have been analyzed in detail from the very moment they were first reflected in the sources. As a result of these analyses, it has been demonstrated that the existing knowledge regarding composition types must be questioned and re-evaluated. In addition, distinguishing features that determine the unique characteristics and position of each type of manuscript have been identified. Thus, the classification to which each manuscript belongs has been clarified, and the significance, scope, richness of repertoire, and prevalence of the relevant type within Turkish music have been revealed. In addition, it has been observed that studies focusing specifically on lyrics manuscripts are scarce, and that there is a lack of a systematic methodology. Taking this situation into consideration, a three-stage methodological proposal has been developed for future researchers in the field. The proposed methodology consists of specifically developed approaches, methods, and table templates designed for studies to be conducted on an individual manuscript, within a specific library, or around a particular theme. By applying this methodological approach, it is aimed to elevate the lyrics manuscripts to the level of primary sources and to enable the production of high-quality studies in a significantly shorter time. As a result, this study concludes that even the smallest fragments of information found within the manuscripts, when examined with precision, serve as significant scholarly documents in terms of music historiography, music theory, repertoire history, and critical biography. Moreover, it has been demonstrated through examples that these documents possess the potential to correct existing knowledge and contribute new insights within the disciplines of music, literature, and Sufism. KEYWORDS: Religious Music, Musicology, Lyrics Manuscripts, Religious Lyrics Manuscripts, Composition Types, Hymn and Tasbih Manuscripts, Classification, Methodology.