CLASSIC TURKISH MUSIC
Comment
Of course, it was a good idea to get such a report, with ATATÜRK's directives on the development of Turkish music, to which he was deeply attached, in the direction of the west and directing studies in line with contemporary art movements. However, it was not an easy task to get a society that could not adapt polyphonic music to accept and love a type of music and representation, such as opera, which was not easily accustomed even in the West, as the foreign expert who gave the report emphasized this.
Despite this, studies in accordance with the order specified and recommended in the report could not be carried out except for a few individual trials.
Of course there are reasons for this. In our opinion, the main reason is that the order that I have tried to indicate above is not kept in the light of our ATATÜRK's directives, and that the Alaturka-Alafranga conflicts are still continuing even today.
Before moving on to opera, which is a developed and matured music and theater genre of Western taste and culture, we have previously tried and successful examples such as operetta, and it is recommended to make smaller trials. It is envisaged that a music (Hungarian music) and local motifs, decorations, costumes and ornaments will be used in the first dialect that will be easy and suitable for the Turkish ear and taste.
The recommendation of Hungarian music can be seen as a historical fact, but it is very possible to benefit from the polyphonic movements and elements in the structure of our folk music, especially in terms of the events that affected their burning, and it is very possible to benefit from its colorful subjects. In fact, the spread of cultural waves and melodies originating from the same source within the same geographical regions, especially (over the Balkan countries), shows that these countries have a musical presence that gives almost the same atmosphere. The music brought by the serhat veterans and Turkish raiders from Anatolia also had an effect on this.
However, Hungarians and other Balkan countries developed their music and gave it a polyphonic flavor.
In the meantime, I would like to mention one point that has not been overlooked. There is a passage in the report: "The taste of Turkish music has been eroded over time and regressed with the narcotic atmosphere of Arab and Byzantine music..."
This ascription is a crippling view put forward by those who have not known Turkish music for a long time.
As far as I know, the person who prepared this report is a well-known expert, a Turkish friend, who has studied Turkish music on the spot. Unfortunately, there are not only foreigners but also local experts (?) who put this stamp on their music.
A Turkish friend, Ojen Borrel (who was the general clerk of the Paris musicology institute), who studied Turkish music in depth and wrote various articles and comments on these issues, writes in a letter: Even though they hated the Byzantines, how could they include their music after they entered Istanbul? Since the fights between the two religions were very bloody at that time, Byzantine church chanting could not have any effect..."
On the other hand, another mistake that considers Turkish music to be a branch of Persian or Arabic music does not show much resistance against the examination of events, and Iran, Arabia and Anatolia are not the same things in terms of modes or styles. Comparison tables for maqams and chants can be very useful to show the differences. It is extremely useful in the analysis of Turkmen-Uzbek-Tatar music and in determining what belongs to the real Turkish roots."
Foreigners confuse Indian, Persian, Arab, Armenian, etc. They are incapable of even distinguishing the Italian school from the French school.
In his book "Music Movements in the Balkans", the late musicologist Mahmut Ragıp Gazimihal reports:
"The superiority of Turkish music over other music, Gullam Shadi (Master Shadi), who is considered the father of this music and the master of Abdulkadir Merâgi, was the highest and most favorite musician of his age... Arab musicians had no influence on Turkish musicians..."
XVII. From the end of the century, a new Turkish era has emerged. One of the first majors of this new current was ITRI.
"Petro Lampadariyo's movement to bring church music closer to the Turkish music taste also falls in this last century. The masters of old church music, which is a completely simplified and diatonic art, were amazed by the magnificence of the Conquerors' (Turks) music. Because they found Greek music terms such as the names of Greek judges (Nete, Paripat, Ficinen, Doriyan) in these books, they learned the oldest Greek music rules, whose mother they lost, and many new formulas from Turkish masters. They forgot the tradition of the ear in favor of Turkish tunes..."
These are the historical reasons for the similarities between historical Turkish music and Fener church music.
Many historical facts can be listed on this subject. In this way, the rottenness of the foundation on which those who have left their mark on Turkish music as Arab, Persian and Byzantine are revealed.
Source: www.kultur.gov.tr