Martin Harris Centre Music Online presents Giannis Koutis (Oud): Ferahfeza Son Pesrev

The University of Manchester Music Department welcomes you to its series of Virtual Concerts. Here, Giannis Koutis plays 'Ferahfeza Son Pesrev' by Zeki Mehmet Ağa (1776-1846). The composition is part of the classical Ottoman repertoire, and is the last piece to be performed during a Mevlevi Ceremony (Ayini), when Makam Ferahfeza is presented. Ferahfeza is a Makam (Mode) formed out of the combination of fundamental modes, yet it maintains a unique character and ethos. Peşrev is one of the main compositional forms of Ottoman Music, presenting the idea of usually three or four parts (Hâne) while a characteristic part (Teslim) is repeated at the end of each Hâne. The last part of the composition typically changes to a 3/4 or 6/8 time signature. Several rhythmic cycles can be used as the main rhythmic structure of a Peşrev. In this case a Hafif Usûl (rhythmic cycle) of 32/8 serves the composers’ idea. In this video a Taksim on free rhytmn – improvisation based on rules – is performed as a prologue in order to present the color of the Ferahfeza Makam. Artist's biography: Born in Nicosia, Cyprus, Giannis Koutis studied Byzantine Ecclesiastical Music, classical guitar, and the Oud with the virtuoso Oud player Haig Yazdjian. He completed his Master studies on Ottoman Music at the Codarts Conservatory of Rotterdam with the neyzen master Kudsi Erguner (UNESCO Artist for Peace). Giannis has performed in Hong Kong, Qatar, Uzbekistan, Las Palmas, Venice, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Israel, and Cyprus, collaborating along the way with Kudsi Erguner, Ross Daly, Omar Farouk Tekbilek, and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra among many others. He actively researches in the field of Modal Music of the Eastern Mediterranean, focusing mainly in sources of unpublished manuscripts of Monasteries’ archives. He plays an Oud made by Dimitris Rapakousios.