CLASSIC TURKISH MUSIC

The year is 1925. The people all over Ankara are happy and joyful.

Taşhan patisserie and Samanpazarı coffeehouse create a friendly atmosphere with those who come from the junior officer to the general manager.

The Şule Club in Ulus Square, Ankara's most luxurious gathering place at that time, was the place where deputies and deputies gathered and spent time.

Those who lived in a neat, one-roomed place in the Jewish Quarter as a place of residence were looked upon with envy, and those who lived in regular places with two or three rooms, especially when two friends came together, were pointed out.

Naturally, no one would have arrogance or arrogance in this sincere decor, and there would be people visiting their friends from state officials who took shelter in a room in the Öksüzce neighborhood, where a small official had dinner with a deputy.

One evening, we were gathered at the house of one of our friends. We were quarreling, and we were brewing a little. It was close to midnight, there was a quick knock on the door, we opened it. The guard and a policeman are looking for me.

It was the custom for the artists who were members of the Riyâseticumhur music committee to leave the address of the place they were going to, if they were in a place other than their home in the evening.

I immediately took the road to Çankaya. It had been three months since I joined the delegation. I just got used to Muhite and Çankaya Mansion. The clean air of the mansion and the sincerity of every member of it reminding me of their father's home relieved my timidity.

Our ATA was very cheerful tonight. My friends had come before me and started the chapter. Songs and ghazals followed each other.

ATATÜRK's dinner would continue for a long time, and Turkish music would certainly decorate the table.

In the mansion, on nights when the music committee was not invited, the gramophone was used, but Turkish music was definitely listened to.

My purpose in mentioning Turkish music insistently is to express the interest and love shown by ATATÜRK to our music to the next generations. ATA was also interested in western music. He particularly enjoyed some arias and waltzes from the Tuscan Opera.

Some of those who insult our music say that Turkish music makes people lazy. This is a big mistake. I heard it from the late Hayati Bey, one of the special chiefs of staff. Even in the most depressing days of the War of Independence, our ATA invited some musicians from Ankara's locals to listen to Turkish music.

(My note: I heard it personally from Yağcı Fehmi efe, one of the notorious figures of Ankara. During Atatürk's first visit to Ankara, Fehmi efe, one of those who played the national games, invited him to the mansion some nights with some of his friends. and that they were saddened by having folk songs played and called, and that after the victory, ATATÜRK often called the Ankara effigies, listened to them and watched their plays with great interest.

In fact, ATATÜRK both sang and played one of Ankara's famous folk songs (Misket). Again, one of the well-known saz players of Ankara, Gençosman and meatball player Cafer are among those who earned the honor of playing saz and singing folk songs in the presence of the great ATATÜRK from time to time.)

ATATÜRK told us the following confirmation one evening when he was cheerful: During a tour around Ankara that day, they came across a teacher wearing a turban. ATA asked the teacher some questions. Meanwhile, an airplane was flying over them. By showing the airplane to the ATA teacher:

- Hodja Effendi, how does this plane fly? he asked. Teacher:

- My Pasha said, I don't know how this plane flew, because they didn't teach me that.

ATATURK:

“Well, what do you know?” he asked. The teacher shrugged:

- You tell me to ride this airplane, I will. You say throw yourself from there, I will do that without thinking, I learned that, my pasha.

ATATÜRK was very pleased with this answer and was happily telling his surroundings.

That night, as songs, ghazals, folk songs followed one another, ATA became more cheerful. He wanted us to play zeybek air for a while.

There are also famous people from the land of zeybeks such as Şükrü Saracoğlu and Mustafa Necati in the Assembly. These two efe children got up for the zeybek game. Both were playing well and well.

Everyone stops for a while. We see that ATA is up to the zeybek game. How beautifully he plays this Turkish dance full of male figures and makes it fit him. Zeybek's ATATÜRK figures suit ATA's ATATÜRK stature so well that everyone watches this beautiful view in great ecstasy. And in exuberant joy the night comes to an end...

(My note: It is a fact that ATATÜRK played the zeybek game masterfully. He showed a great approach towards folk dances in terms of his nature and body structure. A good example of this is that he attended the Artvin bar, which he had not seen or watched before, and continued the game without interruption.)

Source: www.kultur.gov.tr