Dilhayat Kalfa

Composer of Turkish Classical Music (Born 1710? - Death 1780 ?, Istanbul).She is a prominent female composer known as Dilhayat Kalfa, Dilhayat Kadın and Dilhayat Hanım in Classical Turkish Music Literature. As one can see from her name, she was raised in the palace and obtained the rank of a “kalfa” (A title given to female officers in the Ottoman Palace). Considering her works it is obvious that she learnt music from valuable teachers in Harem and that she was a good tambour player. She received her musical education in meşkhane (music education place in Ottoman Empire) of Harem after the XVII. Century. Apart from Reftar Kalfa she is probably the first and greatest among female composers. Considering her being a woman and social understanding of her period, one can say that she was close to being a genius given the fact that she has a special place in our vocal arts even nowadays.

Opinions of many researchers unite about that she was born in the last years of Mehmet IV. After living under the reigns of Sultan Süleyman III, Sultan Ahmet II, Sultan Mustafa II and Sultan Ahmet III., it is believed that she passed away in Istanbul around 1740 (28 December 1739). Some sources indicate the date of her death as 1740 or 1780.

As one can realize from her remaining works, our composer composed her songs with an excellent technique and a sovereign esthetics. Maqam sequences and prosody are excellent at her works. Especially Evcara Peşrev and  Saz Semaîsi are products of a composition skill near to one of a genius.