Historical approach to Turkish folk and classical music

Abstract

Turkish Classical Music, especially with the success at the Ottoman period, is a music of a civilization. It became a common language in all geographies and people that Turks made contacts with in various ways. Turkish civilization does not deny what she learned from Persians and Arabs, but she managed to use them to improve herself and developing better by adding the information to herself. This shows her power of creating civilization. One of the main signs of this three-continent-spread culture is of course Turkish Classical Music. İt is seen that collective awareness and mind which forms Turkish Classical Music, first recovered the common points, coming from the roots, between Turkish “boy” clans then considered the musical specialities of other societies that share same climate, geography, or some cultural values with Turks. In this manner, the music developed, came to the point that we say “classic”, in which societies and nations found themselves within, by climbing over the identity of being a particular group’s or society’s music.

 This study is directed towards to recover the main components which gives Turkish Classical Music its character in the process of development by looking beyond the history. In this point the relationship between Turkish Classical and Folk Music is presented.

The main path to Muslim Turkishness in the art and political area – Oguz Turkishness is emphasized and their understanding and behaviour before and after Islam is discussed from the music side. Second mainland of Turks, Anatolia is again discussed under another title by the means of Seljuks, Anatolian Seljuks and Beyliks periods; reflections of Oguz “bey” understanding in music is told. The effects of the sufi understanding which came to Anatolia over Horasan on music and the Anatolian Turkishness’ role over sufi understanding is considered, Ahi organization which is said to be a semi religious foundation of Turkish style mentioned by the means of music.

The most natural tones of understanding and practises of deciding Turkish Classical Music’s Turkishness could have been existed by modelings and integrations on the example of Folk Music. On the other side we see Folk Music taking the things which is integrated from her as a model so it is seen that this process is working with an enlarging, developing and transferring continuation.