Sufi, Vol. 4 (Ney & Bendir)

Ney is a genre centered on the expressive end-blown reed flute of Anatolia and the broader Middle East, featuring solo improvisations (taksim) and composed pieces within modal systems (makam/dastgāh/maqām). In Turkish practice the ney has a mouthpiece (başpare) and metal rings (parazvane); in Persian practice the ney is blown between the teeth, yielding a distinctly breathy, vocal timbre. Across traditions the instrument’s microtonal inflections, dynamic breath control, and melismatic phrasing evoke a contemplative, often spiritual character closely linked with Sufi ceremony and Ottoman/Persian classical repertoires. Performances range from intimate solo improvisations to chamber-sized classical ensembles (ney with tanbur, kanun, kemençe, kudüm, bendir, etc.), and can include ritual forms (e.g., Mevlevi ayin) or instrumental suites (peşrev, saz semai).

Mevlevi Sufi music is the sacred repertoire of the Mevlevi (Whirling Dervish) order in Anatolia, closely bound to the Sema ceremony founded on the teachings of Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī in Konya. It belongs to the Ottoman–Turkish art music tradition and is built on the makam system (modal scales and pathways) and usûl (long, cyclical rhythmic patterns such as devr-i kebir). The core form is the Ayin-i Şerif, a multi-movement suite that accompanies the ritual stages of Sema—from the opening Naat-ı Şerif in praise of the Prophet to a ney (end-blown reed flute) taksim (improvisation) and four “selam” sections representing spiritual ascent. Its quintessential timbre comes from the ney, supported by tanbur and kemence, with small kettledrums (kudüm), frame drums (bendir/def), and often choral or solo chant. The music is contemplative, microtonally inflected, melismatic, and designed to guide breath, movement, and remembrance (dhikr) rather than to dazzle with virtuosic display.