Composer of Turkish
Classic Music and tambour player (B. 1894, Istanbul – D. 1954, Istanbul). Her mother was Şem-i Nur Hanım, her father was Faik Bey, one of the
chamberlains of Abdülhamit II. Her mother is also the sister of Fahire Fersan,
an interpreter of Turkish Classic Music and sister-in-law of Refik Fersan, a
composer. She could develop herself in her profession thanks to the
understanding of her husband Ruhi Bey. With his support she learnt to play
tambour and attracted attention of music environments with her skill. Music
masters of that period did not delay to notice the skill of this young lady and
helped her to develop her skills. She took tambour lessons from Tamburî Cemil
Bey and benefited from İsmail Hakkı Bey and Enderunlu Hafız Hüsnü Bey.
Faize Engin who learnt
to play tambour in this way attracted attention of music environments with her
competence and skill she obtained in a short time. She started to compose with
her first work at maqam of Şedaraban and her first composition with the lyrics
“Bade-i Vuslat İçilsin Kâse-i Fağfurdan”
was a great success. It deserved to be mentioned as a sample of perfection in
its field. The number of masters who accepted it as a magnum opus is not small.
Faize Engin as a tambour
performer who also attracted attention and was appreciated with her competence
in playing and interpretations composed a song titled “Kız Sen Geldin
Çerkeş’ten” in maqam of Nihavend, which granted her great reputation. This
composition, which protected its popularity for a long time, received the
appreciation of almost all environments at the time of the artist. It is still
being played with even more frequency.
Faize Engin passed away
in 1954 in Istanbul. Her main compositions are “Bade-i Vuslat İçilsin Kâse-i Fağfurdan” (Her first composition.
Lyrics belong to Şeyh Abdülbaki Baykara.)”, “Severim Her Güzeli Senden Eserdir Diyerek (hicazkâr)”, “Kız Sen Geldin Çerkeş’ten (nihavend)”.
REFERENCE: İslâm Ansiklopedisi (1941-1967), Türkiye Ansiklopedisi (1974), Rahmi Kalaycıoğlu / Türk Musikisi Bestekârlar Külliyatı (4 cilt, 1979), Avni Anıl / Anılar ve Belgelerle Musikimiz (1981), Mehmet Nazmi Özalp / Türk Musikisi Tarihi (1986), Yılmaz Öztuna / Büyük Türk Musikisi Ansiklopedisi (1990), Ahmet Şahin Ak / Türk Musikisi Tarihi (2002), Vural Sözer / Müzik Ansiklopedik Sözlük (2005).