Background
He was born on 9 January 1778, in İstanbul, Şehzadebaşı.
He was born on 9 January 1778, in İstanbul, Şehzadebaşı.
He studied with Ali Nutki Dede and learned to play ney, in Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi.
He started studying music with Mehmed Emin Efendi, at the age of eight. He became "Dede" in 1799. In 1846 he pilgrimaged to Mecca, but in Mina contracted cholera and died.
His grave is now in Mecca.
Dede Efendi gave lessons in Turkish music to Hamparsum Limonciyan who developed the Hamparsum notation, the dominant notation for Turkish music One of the greatest Turkish composers, he has created masterpieces in all forms and modes of Turkish music
He has also developed the composite musical modes of "sultanî yegâh", "nev-eser", "saba-buselik", "hicaz-buselik" and "araban kürdî". More than two hundred of his compositions are available today.
His house and music salon in the Istanbul neighborhood of Kumkapi has been preserved and is now a museum.