A systematic analysis of articles published on organology in Musiki Mecmuası

Abstract

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Scientific resources published in the field of organology related to Turkish music studies are quite limited. Musiki Mecmuası, which holds the distinction of being Turkey’s longest-running music journal, is one of the most important sources of its time in the Turkish music literature. It was published for 59 years with a total of 477 issues, the highest number among musical periodicals. In this study, the issues of Musiki Mecmuası related to organology were examined, and their contents were analyzed using the descriptive analysis method. Based on the data obtained, inferences were made about the content of the journal over its 59-year span and the comments of its authors. As a methodology, the issues of Musiki Mecmuası were digitized, and a literature review, which is a qualitative research method, was conducted to explore, identify, and discover specific findings, thereby developing a multi-perspective approach using document analysis. Articles related to organology from the 1st to the 472nd issue were reviewed and analyzed. In this document analysis, a total of 41 articles on organology were identified. Thematic analysis was conducted on the contents of these articles, leading to the results. In conclusion, the contents of this significant source, which was in publication for 59 years, serve as an important resource for contemporary organology studies. It was observed that the articles reviewed in the journal emphasized the development of Turkish music organology. These articles on musical instruments fulfilled their role by addressing the informational gaps in the organology of the time. It should not be overlooked that such rare periodicals in the history of Turkish music require more detailed examination, with each analyzed article potentially becoming a research topic in itself.