Sama'i
Encyclopedia
A vocal piece of Ottoman Turkish music composed in 6/8 meter, or usul semai, or yürük semai. This form and meter (usul
in Turkish) is often confused with the completely different Saz Semaisi
, an instrumental form consisting of three to four sections, in 10/8 meter, or usul aksak semai (broken semai in Turkish). Semai is one of the most important forms in Ottoman Turkish Sufi music.
Sufism, Music and Society - Swedish Research Institute
Makam - Karl Signell
Meaning in Turkish Musical Culture - Eugenia Popescu-Judetz
Usul
In Ottoman classical music, usul is an underlying rhythmic cycle that complements the melodic rhythm and sometimes helps shape the overall structure of a composition. An usul can be as short as two beats or as long as 128 beats. Usul is often translated as "meter", but usul and meter are not...
in Turkish) is often confused with the completely different Saz Semaisi
Saz semai
The saz semai is also spelled saz sema'i, saz sema-i, saz sema i, saz semaī, saz semâ'î, sazsemai, saz semaisi, or sazsemaisi. In the Arab world, it is called Samâi. It is an instrumental form in Ottoman classical music. It was typically the closing movement of a fasıl...
, an instrumental form consisting of three to four sections, in 10/8 meter, or usul aksak semai (broken semai in Turkish). Semai is one of the most important forms in Ottoman Turkish Sufi music.
English Language References
The Music of the Ottoman Court - Walter FeldmanSufism, Music and Society - Swedish Research Institute
Makam - Karl Signell
Meaning in Turkish Musical Culture - Eugenia Popescu-Judetz