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CLASSIC TURKISH MUSIC

Banning of Turkish Music

ATATÜRK said under the influence of a bad music team he listened to in Sarayburnu: "This music is far from expressing our excitement." The word was misunderstood and Turkish music was removed from the radio.

Vasfi Rıza Zobu explained the following on this subject:

"For centuries, there has been a race to deny Turkish music, which has come from generation to generation and took its highest form in Istanbul, and since the day this noise broke out, Turkish music has been removed from the tables of ATATÜRK. He neither sings it himself, nor does he offer to read it to anyone else. How long has it been? I don't remember, one day a news came from Muhittin Üstündağ, the governor of Istanbul at the time: "He is being called from the mansion to move to Ankara by train tonight." The next morning I was in Ankara. I informed the mansion that I had come from the hotel I had landed. It was late in the evening, a young man came to the hotel and said: "Here, I have orders to take you to the farmhouse."

When we came to the mansion, I found them (ATATÜRK) standing around, talking about an important issue with some of the state officials and a few generals. I kissed her hand: (You came to pleasure) I received your compliments.

It's evening, it's time to eat. At the table, the clocks were ticking by. They didn't look cheerful at all. Usually, our presence at this table would be with the late Hâzım. Whether he was or not, ATATÜRK liked to joke with both of us. But he didn't seem to have any intention of doing such a thing tonight.

It's well past midnight. Unexpectedly, hearing my name in his voice, I gathered myself and said, "Here you are, sir".

- If you remember, at the beginning of a play, before the curtain opened, you used to sing a song, what was the name of that play?

- I remember, sir, the Murai comedy adapted by Kemal younger than Molyer.

- It was a beautiful piece of work.

- Yes, sir, it was a successful adaptation.

- No, I'm not talking about the play. In fact, it was also beautiful, but I want to say the beauty of that composition.

What can I say, I was scared. For the first time, I hesitated to answer a question. My mind was so filled with the opposition of Turkish music that I affirmed its beauty and said:

What if I say "yes" and he's looking for my mouth? If I say no, denying her beauty, then there's no way she wouldn't realize it was a sycophantic lie.

- Don't you remember?

- I remember, sir, Dellâlzâde İsmail Efendi's Isfahan... I couldn't complete the sentence.

- No, I'm asking about the composition, don't you remember, can't you read it?

- Remember, I read, sir.

Not only to me, but to all the people at the table, astonishment came at once. I took refuge in the Creator, gathered myself in my place, put on my best acting, started to read the nomadic semai, which started with the line "Aaah, let me admire your beautiful eyes" and finished it in blood and sweat.

Since no movement was seen in ATATÜRK, everyone was looking ahead as if he had committed a crime, waiting for what he would say.

After a while:

- Unfortunately, they misunderstood my words, what a beautiful piece to read, I listened with pleasure, and so do you. But is it possible to give pleasure to a European by reading this work like this? I wanted to say that there should be a way to make them listen to Turkish compositions that we gladly listen to, with their technique, their knowledge, their instruments, their orchestras, whatever the solution. Let's make Turkish music an international art, let's throw away the Turkish tunes, let's just take the music of the Western nations and make it our own, I didn't say let's listen to them alone, they misunderstood my word, they gave me such an uproar that I couldn't speak again.

One night, at the Dolmabahçe Palace, while Turkish music was banned and removed from the radio, Yunus Nadi Bey made a request to ATATÜRK.

- My Pasha said, "Let them not deprive us of Turkish songs and folk songs, we are hurt because our taste and emotions are being interfered with."

ATATÜRK replied as follows:

- I like it too, but a revolutionary generation has to endure deprivation and sacrifice. However, our national culture should be valued.

This statement of ATATÜRK clearly shows that the total prohibition of Turkish music does not mean that it should be removed from the radio.

As I mentioned before, ATATÜRK longed for a western, national and advanced Turkish music. The fact that he had Vasfi Rıza Zobu read it that night in the farmhouse clearly shows this.

One day he says:

- What is the state of this radio? Songs that are always crying and groaning. Remove these, it is the right of joy and joy of this nation.

ATATÜRK was right in this, from earth to heaven. If eighteen sighs are made in a song in the morning, can the listener go to a new day and work with fresh vigor and vitality?

One evening, ATATÜRK asked the presidential instrument team to sing one of his favorite folk songs "There is a pool in the middle of the monastery".

Childhood and youth friend Nuri Conker:

- The imam gives his talc, he swallows the bunch himself. He says you removed the Turkish language from the radio, let's not play it yourself.

ATATÜRK's answer is as follows:

- Now, is it permissible for the state to open a tavern in every village just because we are drinking raki here? we are used to this as a result of bad upbringing and neglect, we may not save ourselves, but we do not have the right to instill our bad habits (habits) on future generations. Just as we can't open cannabis lodges because the public has gotten used to it, we can't broadcast crying and groaning tunes on state radios.

Source: www.kultur.gov.tr

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