The Turkish Music
The Turkish Music has several building stones. We can resume the Ottoman period with the Ottoman Classical Music which has developed in the palaces,Mosques and Mevlevi lodges.
The major types of Turkish music today are folk music,neo-classical music,music arabesque and the pop music. Pop music has been on of the most popular main branches of music in Turkey for nearly fifty years. Especially during the last ten years, pop must be considered the “main highway” on this broad musical map. Pop began to find its true meaning in the 1990s, because it is not merely a type of music: as a culture, it is an inseparable part of everyday city-based life, everyday sensitivities and lifestyles; that is, of the total reshaping of our culture. This is because the pop music culture finds is true meaning and response in the shaping of a consumer culture and ideology. The 1990s were just such a period in Turkey. The “free-market economy,” which was just starting to sprout up and become a state policy during the Özal administration in the 1980s, brought a new acceleration to the Turkish music industry. As the doors opened, the wave of technological developments that symbolizes the foundation of the world music industry brought with it the increasing presence of world-class recording studios in Turkey.
The Turkish Music has several building stones. We can resume the Ottoman period with the Ottoman Classical Music which has developed in the palaces,Mosques and Mevlevi lodges.
The major types of Turkish music today are folk music,neo-classical music,music arabesque and the pop music. Pop music has been on of the most popular main branches of music in Turkey for nearly fifty years. Especially during the last ten years, pop must be considered the “main highway” on this broad musical map. Pop began to find its true meaning in the 1990s, because it is not merely a type of music: as a culture, it is an inseparable part of everyday city-based life, everyday sensitivities and lifestyles; that is, of the total reshaping of our culture. This is because the pop music culture finds is true meaning and response in the shaping of a consumer culture and ideology. The 1990s were just such a period in Turkey. The “free-market economy,” which was just starting to sprout up and become a state policy during the Özal administration in the 1980s, brought a new acceleration to the Turkish music industry. As the doors opened, the wave of technological developments that symbolizes the foundation of the world music industry brought with it the increasing presence of world-class recording studios in Turkey.
Turkish Folk Music
Turkish folk music is based chiefly on lyrics. Turkish folk music is the musical expression of folk literature, which addresses events experienced by all sections of society with both a secular and religious approach. In Turkish society, where the word is considered sacred, it is natural that the meanings of lyrics should take on a sacred character. Among the Turks of Anatolia, who are today’s inheritors of old Turkish society, this same characteristic can be observed. In such a society, with sayings such as “The word is honor” and “to keep your word is the greatest virtue,” it is certainly natural that the words should be emphasized in their music. The Turks are always open to individual creation; and this aspect of the Turks is especially evident in the poetic dimensions of their music. This front, which we encounter in asik music and literature, shrouds itself in an anonymous structure in dance tunes, türküs and instrumental pieces.
Turkish folk music is based chiefly on lyrics. Turkish folk music is the musical expression of folk literature, which addresses events experienced by all sections of society with both a secular and religious approach. In Turkish society, where the word is considered sacred, it is natural that the meanings of lyrics should take on a sacred character. Among the Turks of Anatolia, who are today’s inheritors of old Turkish society, this same characteristic can be observed. In such a society, with sayings such as “The word is honor” and “to keep your word is the greatest virtue,” it is certainly natural that the words should be emphasized in their music. The Turks are always open to individual creation; and this aspect of the Turks is especially evident in the poetic dimensions of their music. This front, which we encounter in asik music and literature, shrouds itself in an anonymous structure in dance tunes, türküs and instrumental pieces.
Arabesk Music
Arabesk music contains within its system all the technical elements of Turkish folk music. The term Arabesk, first used by the media for the unique musical style of Orhan Gencebay, later came to be applied to all types of music not fitting into Turkey’s familiar musical genres. It was also referred to by names such as “yoz (degenerate) music,” “gecekondu (shanty town) music” and “minibus music.” It was especially the hopelessness and expressions of pain in the lyrics of arabesk that lay behind the negative reactions to this music. This was a period when the gap between sections of society such as rich and poor, villager and urbanite, was steadily widening, and the political activities of the time only added more fuel to the fire. The rise of Arabesk music came about with no support either from any official institution or the government. Quite the contrary, arabesk music was banned from state television from the 1970s through the 1980s. This was a musical form that developed completely out of private initiative and the infrastructure of the music industry. It is now a genre of music performed in music halls, nightclubs and bars in wealthy districts of large cities, and every type of entertainement venue. Arabesk, which we will be able to take as far as the periods in which it was changed by the currents of western culture, maintains its existence today as one of the most prolific styles of mass music culture.
Arabesk music contains within its system all the technical elements of Turkish folk music. The term Arabesk, first used by the media for the unique musical style of Orhan Gencebay, later came to be applied to all types of music not fitting into Turkey’s familiar musical genres. It was also referred to by names such as “yoz (degenerate) music,” “gecekondu (shanty town) music” and “minibus music.” It was especially the hopelessness and expressions of pain in the lyrics of arabesk that lay behind the negative reactions to this music. This was a period when the gap between sections of society such as rich and poor, villager and urbanite, was steadily widening, and the political activities of the time only added more fuel to the fire. The rise of Arabesk music came about with no support either from any official institution or the government. Quite the contrary, arabesk music was banned from state television from the 1970s through the 1980s. This was a musical form that developed completely out of private initiative and the infrastructure of the music industry. It is now a genre of music performed in music halls, nightclubs and bars in wealthy districts of large cities, and every type of entertainement venue. Arabesk, which we will be able to take as far as the periods in which it was changed by the currents of western culture, maintains its existence today as one of the most prolific styles of mass music culture.
Pop Music
After the 1990s, pop music was to become the most important form of sentimental style and perception. This was the pulse of consumption. From modes of dress to trends in entertainment, an unbelievable variety sprang up in everyday life. It became the most important guiding and force in the shaping of the media network, especially TV, radio and magazines. Even though pop music did not enjoy truly widespread popularity in the 1980s, it’s safe to say that this music did gain significant momentum in proportion to the establishment of urban life. The appearance of makam music within pop music was especially helpful in gaining the public’s attention and names like Sezen Aksu, Nilüfer and Kayahan (with Aksu at the top of the list), made great sales.
Economically Turkey recovered at the end of the eighties. With composers Hakan Peker and Aşkın Nur Yengi giving a new push to pop music the scene exploded at the start of the nineties with numerous new acts. Singers like Candan Erçetin, Zuhal Olcay, Asya, Sertab Erener, Yildiz Tilbe, Tarkan, Serdar Ortaç and Mustafa Sandal appeared.
After the 1990s, pop music was to become the most important form of sentimental style and perception. This was the pulse of consumption. From modes of dress to trends in entertainment, an unbelievable variety sprang up in everyday life. It became the most important guiding and force in the shaping of the media network, especially TV, radio and magazines. Even though pop music did not enjoy truly widespread popularity in the 1980s, it’s safe to say that this music did gain significant momentum in proportion to the establishment of urban life. The appearance of makam music within pop music was especially helpful in gaining the public’s attention and names like Sezen Aksu, Nilüfer and Kayahan (with Aksu at the top of the list), made great sales.
Economically Turkey recovered at the end of the eighties. With composers Hakan Peker and Aşkın Nur Yengi giving a new push to pop music the scene exploded at the start of the nineties with numerous new acts. Singers like Candan Erçetin, Zuhal Olcay, Asya, Sertab Erener, Yildiz Tilbe, Tarkan, Serdar Ortaç and Mustafa Sandal appeared.
Also Turkish rock made a return with acts like Özlem Tekin, Şebnem Ferah, Haluk Levent, Demir Demirkan, Kargo soloist Koray Candemir, Kıraç and Teoman. Even more western styles were incorporated into to Turkish pop with a group like Arena making ska-punk and Pentagram making heavy metal.
Slowly but gradually the other European countries finally got used to the Arabic influences in Turkish pop. In 1997 Sebnem Parker came third in the Eurovision song contest with the song Dinle. But the real breakthrough was Tarkan’s song Şımarık, which was both written and composed by Aksu, that became a huge hit in Europe and Latin America in 1999.
Slowly but gradually the other European countries finally got used to the Arabic influences in Turkish pop. In 1997 Sebnem Parker came third in the Eurovision song contest with the song Dinle. But the real breakthrough was Tarkan’s song Şımarık, which was both written and composed by Aksu, that became a huge hit in Europe and Latin America in 1999.
Neo Classic Music
Even though the Republic of Turkey has a considerably less multiethnic character than the Ottoman Empire, important performers and composers like Yorgo Bacanos and udi Hrant Kenkulian came from minorities, while favourite Turkish composers include Sadettin Kaynak. Modern Turkish singers of neo-classical music include Münir Nurettin Selçuk, Müzeyyen Senar, Zeki Müren, Bülent Ersoy and Emel Sayın.Where to listen Turkish music?
For any Turkish concert,live performance,dance theater,football match ticket we suggest you to address on www.biletix.com .Biletix is Turkey’s leading ticketing company for live entertainment. Biletix sells over 4 million tickets valued at more than $90 million for more than 400 event organizers and 7,000 events per year. With management offices in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Antalya, Biletix services events throughout Turkiye call center (0 216 556 98 00 )
For the arabesk music,you can hear it more on taxi drivers tapes or in the Fatih or Zeytinburnu districks where the municipalities are organising public concerts.
For the neo-classical turkish music : We suggest you the restaurants that we call “Meyhane” where people eat traditional appetizers “mezze” and listen to the traditional band “fasıl”. For the turkish folk music,we suggest you the “turku bars” that you can easily find on the İstiklal Avenue.
There are also local groups who combine the turkish traditional music with ethnic rythms as Ayhan Sicimoğlu,Mercan Dede,Suavi,Can Atilla. You can find their cd on every music shop and also they perform sometimes on the main performance halls of Taksim,Kadıköy districts.
Even though the Republic of Turkey has a considerably less multiethnic character than the Ottoman Empire, important performers and composers like Yorgo Bacanos and udi Hrant Kenkulian came from minorities, while favourite Turkish composers include Sadettin Kaynak. Modern Turkish singers of neo-classical music include Münir Nurettin Selçuk, Müzeyyen Senar, Zeki Müren, Bülent Ersoy and Emel Sayın.Where to listen Turkish music?
For any Turkish concert,live performance,dance theater,football match ticket we suggest you to address on www.biletix.com .Biletix is Turkey’s leading ticketing company for live entertainment. Biletix sells over 4 million tickets valued at more than $90 million for more than 400 event organizers and 7,000 events per year. With management offices in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Antalya, Biletix services events throughout Turkiye call center (0 216 556 98 00 )
For the arabesk music,you can hear it more on taxi drivers tapes or in the Fatih or Zeytinburnu districks where the municipalities are organising public concerts.
For the neo-classical turkish music : We suggest you the restaurants that we call “Meyhane” where people eat traditional appetizers “mezze” and listen to the traditional band “fasıl”. For the turkish folk music,we suggest you the “turku bars” that you can easily find on the İstiklal Avenue.
There are also local groups who combine the turkish traditional music with ethnic rythms as Ayhan Sicimoğlu,Mercan Dede,Suavi,Can Atilla. You can find their cd on every music shop and also they perform sometimes on the main performance halls of Taksim,Kadıköy districts.