Lalezar Ensemble

The Lalezar Ensemble is a musical ensemble which performs Ottoman classical music. It is based in Istanbul, and is "spearheading" the revival of Ottoman music.<ref>"Lalezar: Music of the Sultans, Sufis & Seraglio, Vol. 4 - Ottoman Suite", AllMusic.com.</ref>

Female vocalist Selma Sagbas stands in for the male castrati who were traditional from the 16th-19th centuries while the kanun, a Turkish board zither, is also featured.<ref>"Lalezar: Music of the Sultans, Sufis & Seraglio, Vol. 2 - Music of the Dancing Boys", AllMusic.com.</ref>

Releases

They released a four volume series on the Traditional Crossroads label:

• Music of the Sultans, Sufis & Seraglio, Vol. 1 - Sultan Composers

Consisting of songs and pieces composed by imperial sultans, including Murad IV, Selim III, and Mehmed VI, over five centuries.<ref>"Lalezar - Music of the Sultans, Sufis, and Seraglio Vol. I - Sultan Composers", TraditionalCrossroads.com.</ref>

• Music of the Sultans, Sufis & Seraglio, Vol. 2 - Music of the Dancing Boys

Consisting of songs sung originally sung by köçek dancers, cross-dressed young male entertainers.<ref>"Lalezar - Music of the Sultans, Sufis, and Seraglio Vol. II - Music of the Dancing Boys Template:Webarchive", TraditionalCrossroads.com.</ref>

• Music of the Sultans, Sufis & Seraglio, Vol. 3 - Minority Composers

Consisting of songs and pieces composed by Armenian, Greek, and Jewish composers, including relatively recent pieces.<ref>"Lalezar - Music of the Sultans, Sufis, and Seraglio Vol. III - Minority Composers", TraditionalCrossroads.com.</ref>

• Music of the Sultans, Sufis & Seraglio, Vol. 4 - Ottoman Suite

Consisting of a suite, or fasil, constructed improvisatorily from different compositions all in the mode, or makam, Segâh, followed by a few examples of sarki.<ref>"Lalezar - Music of the Sultans, Sufis, and Seraglio Vol. IV - Ottoman Suite", TraditionalCrossroads.com.</ref>

In collaboration with Lalezar, Armenian-American musician Harold Hagopian spent three years to mix, annotate, and package the four volume series, causing the ensemble to increase their repertoire of pieces by Armenian composers.<ref>(Jul 7, 2001). Billboard, Vol. 113, No. 27.</ref>

Further reading

• (2001). The Wire, Issues 203-208, p. 82.