Who was Gevrekzade Hasan Efendi, and are the makam and illness lists really his? Read about the attributed treatise, why it is disputed and what we know today.
Anyone who searches online for "which makam is good for which illness" will sooner or later come across the same name: Gevrekzade Hasan Efendi. Many articles say that this Ottoman physician wrote a treatise matching makams (the modes of Turkish classical music) with mental and physical illnesses, and that he claimed the rast makam was good for paralysis and the buselik makam for headaches. But does this information really come from Gevrekzade Hasan Efendi? In this article we look, in plain language, at what is known about him, why the work attributed to him is disputed, how the makam lists should be read today and what current knowledge says about the place of music in mental health. You can read it as a history enthusiast, a music student, or simply as someone asking, "Is this true?"
Who Was Gevrekzade Hasan Efendi?
The reliable information we have is less than people assume. The Küre Encyclopaedia introduces Gevrekzade Hasan Efendi as a physician who died in 1801 and who is counted among the last representatives of traditional Ottoman medicine. In popular sources his name often appears as "Chief Physician (Hekimbaşı) Gevrekzâde Hâfız Hasan Efendi".
The phrase "traditional Ottoman medicine" matters. The late eighteenth century was a period in which Ottoman medicine was slowly beginning to encounter new approaches from Europe. Gevrekzade Hasan Efendi is remembered among the representatives of the older tradition, that is, medicine based on the theory of the four humours and temperament. This theory comes from Hippocrates and Galen; it explains health through the balance of blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. Modern medicine abandoned it long ago.
Much of what you may read in popular articles about the details of his life, his education and his medical practice could not be confirmed by independent sources in the research this article is based on. For that reason we pass on here only what can be said with confidence.
The Music Treatise Attributed to Gevrekzade Hasan Efendi
In popular sources, Gevrekzade Hasan Efendi is credited with a work whose title appears as Emrâz-ı Ruhâniyye'yi Negamât-ı Mûsikiyye ile Tedavi or in similar forms. The title roughly means "the treatment of spiritual (mental) illnesses with musical melodies". Most of the makam and illness lists are also traced back to this work, or to accounts said to be based on it.
But there is a point to be careful about here: the Küre Encyclopaedia notes that Gevrekzade Hasan Efendi had no direct connection with music. In other words, whether this music treatise attributed to him really came from his pen is disputed. The title of the work is also written differently from source to source.
That is why in this article, instead of saying "the treatise Gevrekzade wrote", we use the phrase "the treatise attributed to Gevrekzade". This small difference in wording makes a big difference in reading history: if it is unclear whom a piece of information belongs to, its weight is unclear too.
Why does attribution matter?
When an idea circulates together with the name of a chief physician, it seems more convincing. The sentence "an Ottoman chief physician said so" gives the reader a sense of authority. Yet attaching a list of uncertain origin to a famous name is a common occurrence in the writing of history. The reason is usually not bad intent; it is that information becomes simplified and comes to lean on a name as it is passed from generation to generation and from text to text.
What Do the Makam and Illness Lists Say?
In the lists circulating online, in magazines and on social media, you will see pairings like these:
- That the rast makam is good for paralysis
- That the rehavi makam is good for melancholy
- That the buselik makam is good for headaches
- That the zirgüle makam helps with sleep
Some lists add that makams should be listened to at particular times of day. Besides Gevrekzade, these pairings are usually also linked to names such as al-Farabi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Abu Bakr al-Razi, Hasan Şuûrî and Haşim Bey. But this list of names has not been verified either.
The most striking point is this: these lists contradict one another from source to source. In one article a makam is good for one illness, while in another the same makam is linked to something completely different. When there is no shared, corrected and compared text to work from, such contradictions are inevitable.
There is also this: none of these pairings has been scientifically tested. So the sentence "the rast makam is good for paralysis" is a claim whose source is uncertain and which has not been researched in today's sense. As a historical belief it is interesting; but it is not health advice.
The idea of makams for different times of day
The way some lists match makams with times such as morning, noon, afternoon or night is also a product of the same world of thought. In a worldview in which everything in the universe corresponds to something else, one would expect sounds to be in harmony with the hours of the day too. For those interested in Ottoman music, this idea is a culturally valuable detail. However, there is no finding that listening to a particular makam in the morning will prevent or cure an illness. Listening to a favourite peşrev (an instrumental prelude) while you drink your morning coffee can be a lovely start to the day; it is enough simply not to think of it as a treatment schedule.
A list being old does not make it true; it only makes it old. Respect for the past is no obstacle to questioning what it says.
How Did Temperament Theory Shape These Lists?
The way to understand the makam and illness pairings is to read them within the medical thinking of their time. According to the four humours theory, every illness was related to a disturbance in the balance of the body's fluids. There were temperaments defined by qualities such as hot and cold, dry and moist, and to restore balance the physician would recommend tools such as diet, remedies, baths or a particular way of living.
In this world of thought, music was assessed by the same logic. Al-Kindi had linked the four strings of the oud with the four elements, the seasons and the heavenly bodies. In such a picture of the universe, it is consistent to think that particular sounds correspond to particular qualities and might therefore affect the balance. So the makam lists fitted logically within their own theoretical framework.
The problem is that this framework is no longer valid today. At a time when we know that black bile is not a cause of illness, saying that a makam recommended to balance black bile will be good for melancholy has no foundation. You can find a broader picture of this tradition of thought in our article music in Turkish-Islamic medicine.
How Should Such Claims Be Assessed Today?
The makam lists do not stay only in history books; sometimes they are sold as "makam prescriptions", "healing music" or "curative" recordings produced at particular frequencies (for example 432 Hz). These claims have no scientific basis. A criticism voiced by a music therapy specialist in 2011 is important in this respect: they stressed that information based on names such as al-Farabi and Ibn Sina was being used "with a tabloid logic, without conforming to scientific methodology".
When you come across this kind of content, you can ask yourself these questions:
- What is the source? Does the claim refer to a specific work or page, or does it settle for a general phrase such as "Ottoman physicians said so"?
- Is it consistent with other sources? If different illnesses are listed for the same makam in different articles, that is a warning sign.
- Has it been tested? If something is said to be "good for" a condition, check whether it has been examined in a controlled study.
- Is something being sold? A page selling a product, a course or an app cannot be expected to be neutral.
- Is it being suggested in place of treatment? Any content that suggests dropping the recommended treatment for an illness and only listening to music poses a risk to your health.
Let's say someone who has been struggling with insomnia for a long time sees the phrase "the zirgüle makam is good for sleep" in a video. Listening to a piece in this makam at night may relax them; there is nothing wrong with that. But if the insomnia has lasted for months, relying only on the makam and putting off looking into the underlying cause would not be right.
What Do We Know About Music's Effect on Mental Health?
The fact that the makam lists are not based on evidence does not mean that music has no effect on our mood. For many people, music stirs feelings, revives memories and strengthens a sense of togetherness. Today this effect is studied by a very different method from the historical lists: through research.
According to Cochrane reviews, music therapy, when added to usual care, may reduce depressive symptoms in the short term; however, the certainty of the evidence is between low and moderate, and guidelines do not yet recommend it routinely. "Music therapy" here means musical interaction with a trained practitioner within a therapeutic framework; simply listening to recorded music does not fall under this definition. You can read what music therapy is, who it is for and how it is applied in our article on music therapy.
Why does music affect our feelings so much?
Most of us have experienced a song suddenly taking us back years. A folk song played at a wedding, a march that recalls military service, or a song loved by an elder who has passed away evokes strong feelings because it is intertwined with personal memories. In other words, the effect of music comes largely not from the makam itself but from what that music stands for in our own lives.
Beyond this, the rhythm of music also interacts with our bodies: a fast rhythm can make it easier to get moving, while a slow and predictable melody can accompany calming down. Singing together or dancing the halay (a Turkish line dance) can strengthen a sense of belonging and connection. These effects vary from person to person; the same piece may relax one person and make another feel sad.
This is why a "same makam for everyone" approach ignores individual differences. What a piece makes you feel is shown less by a list than by your own experience. Noticing which music accompanies you at which moment is also a way of getting to know yourself.
In short, music still has a place in mental health today; not in the form of "this makam cures that illness", but as a supportive element, alongside other treatments.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
Listening to music can be a valuable habit that helps you regulate your mood. In some situations, however, it is not enough, and speaking to a professional is important:
- Low mood, hopelessness or an inability to enjoy things lasting more than two weeks
- Marked changes in sleep, appetite and energy
- Struggling at work or school because of difficulty concentrating
- A sense that nothing, including music you love, moves you any more
- Thoughts of harming yourself or of giving up on life
If this last point applies, call 112 (emergency services) without waiting. The other signs do not amount to a diagnosis on their own, but they deserve to be assessed. We describe the signs through which depression can show itself in our article on the symptoms of depression.
How Are Music and Creative Tools Used in Therapy?
In a process of psychological support, music can be treated not as a "prescription" but as a tool that helps a person express and understand themselves. For example, a client might bring to a session the lyrics of a song they have been listening to constantly lately; talking about why those words feel so meaningful right now can open the way to feelings that have not yet been put into words.
When working on depression and mood, the basic framework is evidence-based approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy. Within this framework, music can also find a place in steps such as re-planning enjoyable activities: touching an instrument you have not played for a long time, or going to a concert with a friend, can be small parts of bringing daily life back to life. Where needed, a psychiatric assessment also becomes part of the process.
It is also worth saying: loving music, or feeling that it does you good, is valuable. If you find peace while listening to a makam, you do not need a chief physician's approval for it. It is only important not to let that peace take the place of the support you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Gevrekzade Hasan Efendi really write a book on treatment with music?
In popular sources he is credited with a treatise on treating mental illnesses with music. However, the Küre Encyclopaedia notes that he had no direct connection with music; the attribution is therefore disputed, and it is more accurate to describe the work as "attributed" to him.
Is the rast makam good for paralysis?
This pairing is a historical belief found in treatises of the period and in popular lists. It has not been scientifically tested and is not supported by today's medical knowledge. For recovery after a stroke or paralysis, the treatment and rehabilitation recommended by your doctor should be the basis.
Why don't the makam lists agree with each other?
The lists are compiled from different accounts, often from sources that have not been compared or verified. The fact that the same makam is linked to different illnesses in different texts shows that this information does not rest on a sound shared text.
Is there any harm in listening to makam music?
There is no harm in music you enjoy; for many people it can be relaxing and meaningful. The risk arises when music is put in place of treatment for an illness. For ongoing health problems, it is necessary to consult a professional.
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Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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