The Usûls in Abdülmü’min b. Safiyyüddîn’s Behcetü’r-Rûh

Abstract

When Behcetü’r-Rûh, which is estimated to have been written in the Safavid empire (1501-1736), is compared with the music risâlas written in the previous periods and written at about the same period (in the Anatolian geography), it is seen that the subjects discussed in these risâlas were explained in different methods. With the establishment of the Safavid empire and new political borders in the region, the communication between important music centers such as Isfahan, Tabriz, Fars, Herat and Bukhara, Istanbul, and Baghdad gradually decreased. This situation caused the music risâlas written in these regions to progress with partially different characteristics. Behcetü’r-Rûh, written in Persian by Abdülmü’min b. Safiyyüddîn, in the mentioned period, can be shown as an excellent example of the decreased communication between the regions mentioned. Because in this work, the usûl concept was used instead of the circles of rhythms concept, and the tehecciü’l-edvâr method was used instead of the etânîn method and the tef‘iles. This research is essential in showing how the usûl concept was explained theoretically in Behcetü’r-Rûh, written in the mentioned period and geography. In line with this importance, the research aims to determine which usûls were included and how these usûls were described in Behcetü’r-Rûh. The study is descriptive research; the relevant data were obtained from a literature review and musical analysis. Based on the findings of the research, it was concluded that in addition to the 20 usûls explained by the tehecciü’l-edvâr method by giving the number of beats, information was provided about 19 usûls described just by giving the number of beats in Abdülmü’min b. Safiyyüddîn’s Behcetü’r-Rûh. In line with this result, it was determined that the usûls described by the tehecciü’l-edvâr method by giving the number of beats were Fâhte Darp, Türk Darp, Berefşân, Muhammes, Çenber, Sakîl, Hafîf, Evfer, Devir, Nîm Sakîl, Hezec, Evset, Remel, Fer‘, Devr-i Revân, Semâ‘î, Darbü’l-Kadîm, Darbü’l-Mülûk, Nîm Devir and Ekel usûls, and the usûls described just by giving the number of beats were Darbü’lFeth, Çihâr Darp, Düyek, Mieteyn, Mukaddem and Shâhnâme usûls. Besides, it was seen that in Behcetü’r-Rûh Darbü’l-Kadîm, Darbü’l Mülûk, Hezec-i Kebîr, Hezec-i Sağîr, Fâhte-i Kebîr, Fâhte-i Sağîr and Shâhnâme usûls were also mentioned referring to Gulâm Şâdî as well as Kalenderî, Münâsefe-i Sîrâzî, Münâsefe-i İhlâtî, Münâsefe-i darbî, Harbî, Sakîl usûls which were the invention of Melik Şâh-ı Selçûkî’s gulâmi.