Turkey’s cultural fabric is made up of a rich combination of diverse cultures rooted deeply in history. By virtue of its geographical position, Turkey lies at the axis of the cultures of the East, the West, the Middle Eastern, the Mediterranean and Islam. Anatolia is one of the world’s oldest human habitats – hosts of civilizations have called it home – and it enjoys a unique cultural richness with its thousands of years of history. Anatolia’s cultural variety is so rich that we can see great cultural differences even in areas geographically quite close to each other. This colorful portrait holds just as true for Turkey’s music. We can categorize the types of music heard through the years of Anatolia’s long history into three groups: Traditional/Local Music Traditional/Local Music Modern Turkish Classical Music Modern Turkish Classical Music Popular Music Popular Music
The Concept of Traditional Music: This is generally music that is created in a common manner, has continued from the time of its production right down to the present day, is popular and frequently played and recited in its region and by local people, and is usually anonymous. In Turkey, music that conforms to the above definition, which is produced by and located in a settled culture and which has thereby become traditional, can be classified as either ‘religious’ or ‘secular.’ These can also be considered under the headings ‘Folk/Local Music’ and ‘Ottoman Music.’ These two groups have many features in common, and can be classified as either ‘instrumental’ or ‘with lyrics.’ Folk/Local Music Ottoman Music Janissary (Mehter) Music Religious Music Folk/Local Music Ottoman Music Janissary (Mehter) Music Religious Music
In the Turkish tradition, janissary music is a sign of majesty, splendour and might, rather than a vehicle for merriment. The majestic and sacred nature of the state are reflected in the banging of the drum. The unity of the people and the greatness of the state are particularly important concepts in the Turkish view of the nation. This belief and tradition was also to be found in the pre- Islamic Turkish states, and those of the Seljuks and the Ottomans, and very little has since changed.
The Ruler’s Drum (Kös) – This large drum stood in front of the ruler’s tent and belonged solely to him. The ruler’s Janissary Band (Mehter) play under the standard and before the tent in order to instil courage into the troops.
The mehter was no less sacred to the Ottomans than the standard. As well as representing independence and the existence of the state, the mehter also encouraged martial feelings with uplifting airs during battles, sieges and naval engagements. It would raise the morale of the Turkish troops and fill them with enthusiasm for the fray. When there was peace, the mehter was a sign of the ruler’s sultanate and the continued existence of the state. Drums and mehter also served the purpose of spreading news and announcements on behalf of the state. The Europeans were impressed by the influence of the mehter, and military bands modelled on them were established in a number of countries. We also know that such composers as Gluck, Mozart and Beethoven were also inspired by mehter music. SampleSample
In the framework of music, the forms of music that accompanied or assisted such Islamic obligations as circumcision, fasting and the call to prayer, and known as Mosque Music or Dervish Lodge Music depending on where it was played, can all be consider under the single heading of Religious Music. Forms such as ‘tilavet’ (reading the Kuran), the ‘ezan’ (the call to prayer), and the ‘temcid’ (a call praising Allah chanted by the muezzin immediately after the morning call to prayer during the months of Rajab, Şaban and Ramadan) all fall under the category of mosque music. During the religious ceremonies practiced by a number of religious sects, especially the dervishes (Mevlevi) and Bektaşi, come under the general heading of Mystical Music. Sample of Religious Music1 Sample of Religious Music2
The form of music today generally known as Türk Sanat Müziği, or Ottoman Classical Music, matured, developed in form and aesthetics and came to assume the identity of a form of classical music in parallel to the establishment, growth and increasing strength of the Ottoman state itself. This variety of music furnished products dealing with many subjects, such as religion, love and war. Each of these then came to develop its own varieties, styles and communities. Ottoman music was influenced by other musical cultures as new nations became absorbed into the empire, giving and receiving various elements. Ottoman music is a synthesis, carrying within it a great many historical riches. It emerged as the result of a sharing process between the Turks and the minorities living alongside them, the Byzantines, Greeks, Persians, Arabs, Jews, Armenians etc. It reached its golden age in the private school in the Ottoman palace. No country that employed that system was able to reach the level of artistry attained by the Ottomans. Hicaz Saz Semaisi Hicaz Saz Semaisi Tereddüt Tereddüt New Compesition for Classic Turkish Music New Compesition for Classic Turkish Music Samples of Ottoman Classical Music Samples of Ottoman Classical Music
These are forms of music created by people settled in one particular location, played or recited with great affection, which have become the joint creation of the people of the area in question, and which have been passed down and kept alive down to the present day. Such music bears the traces of local cultures, and the names of the composers are generally unknown. Turkish folk music has combined the distinct cultural values of all those civilisations which have lived in Anatolia and the Ottoman territories in Europe. It is a unique structure which includes regional differences under one umbrella, giving rise to a wealth and variety the like of which can seldom be seen anywhere else in the world. Despite that wide variety from the point of view of regional characteristics, Turkish folk music can broadly be classified into the following seven regional categories: One must nevertheless bear in mind, of course, that there may well be important differences between cities or areas within the same region.
Istanbul and Europe Aegean Central Anatolian Folksongs Southeast Anatolian Folksongs East Anatolian Folksongs Black Sea Folksongs Mediterranean