Historical testimonies and mediation: The periodicals of the Ottoman Greeks and their musical heritage

Abstract

Numerous newspapers and journals were published in multiple languages during the late Ottoman Empire, encompassing a broad spectrum of subjects. In this sense, the publishing activities of non-Muslim communities are noteworthy. It is widely known that the focus on printing periodicals by the Ottoman Greeks, akin to that of the Armenian and Jewish citizens of the Empire, particularly emerged from the early nineteenth century onward. As of the latter half of the nineteenth century, various periodicals, including Ekklisiastiki Alitheia (1880-1923) and Mousiki (1912-1915), were published and in addition to their own religious and secular music, Greeks wrote historical and analytical essays on world music, particularly European music, musical traditions of diverse cultural groups in the Empire, and Ottoman-Turkish music. There were some articles on the theory and criticism of Ottoman music, the repertoire of that period's performance practices, and various daily news. It is evident from all of these written materials that the target readers of musical publications intended for educational and learning purposes were Greeks who were interested in Ottoman music. Nevertheless, the critical articles mainly focused on topics discussed by professional musicians who were proficient in music theory. Therefore, the primary focus of this research will be the analysis of the content and historical-theoretical issues raised by a selection of articles about Turkish music published in Greek periodicals.  The examinations will enable the identification of alternative Ottoman musical sources in Greek periodicals, as well as the addition of a new dimension to Greek-Turkish cultural and intellectual history through mutual criticism. Because these periodicals function as historical documents of the Ottoman music of the era, demonstrating the Greek community's cultural inclinations toward this music and the dynamics of demand and supply. The musical texts, on the other hand, are written sources that incorporate particular cultural codes and terminologies, acting as a bridge between various musical circles.