This Presentation is to help achieve ‘’ PEACE on EARTH’’ for this reason we hope to build bridges of understanding between different cultures…

Turkish Music Culture and Examples

Turkey’s cultural fabric is made up of a rich combination of diverse cultures rooted deeply in history. By virtue of its geographical position, Turkey lies at the axis of the cultures of the East, the West, the Middle Eastern, the Mediterranean and Islam.

Anatolia is one of the world’s oldest human habitats – hosts of civilizations have called it home – and it enjoys a unique cultural richness with its thousands of years of history. Anatolia’s cultural variety is so rich that we can see great cultural differences even in areas geographically quite close to each other.

This colorful portrait holds just as true for Turkey’s music.

The Concept of Traditional Music: This is generally music that is created in a common manner, has continued from the time of its production right down to the present day, is popular and frequently played and recited in its region and by local people, and is usually anonymous.

These are forms of music created by people

settled in one particular location, played or

recited with great affection, which have

become the joint creation of the people of the

area in question, and which have been passed

down and kept alive down to the present day.

Such music bears the traces of local cultures,

and the names of the composers are generally

unknown

Ottoman Music (TURKISH CLASSICAL MUSIC)

The form of music today generally known as Türk Sanat Müziği, or Ottoman Classical Music, matured, developed in form and aesthetics and came to assume the identity of a form of classical music in parallel to the establishment, growth and increasing strength of the Ottoman state itself.

This variety of music furnished products dealing with many subjects, such as religion, love and war. Each of these then came to develop its own varieties, styles and communities.

MASTER of TURKISH CLASSICAL MUSIC

Derya Türkankemençe Derya Türkan is a young master of classical Turkish kemenche. He plays improvisational as well as the Ottoman classical music repertoire.

Tanbur player Necdet Yasar

is a living master of Turkish

Classical music and was

recently honored as a

Distinguished National

Artist. Considered one of

the finest instrumentalists

in Turkish music in the

second half of this century,

he is a virtuoso on the

tanbur (a long necked string

instrument).

ERKAN OĞUR

He was immersed with fretless guitar, an

instrument that he built. Following years,

he became more focused on playing the

fretless guitar, and especially makams on it

and he is now considered to be the

strongest exponent of this instrument.

Without frets, the guitar became capable

of producing the complex untempered

scales of folk melodies.

NEY

The ney is the principal wind instrument in Turkish classical music. The term is derived from the Persian nay, "reed." There are seven finger holes, six on the front of the instrument, and one on the back

The lowest tones are called the "dem" (breath) tones. The semitones unique to classical Turkish music are achieved by opening some of the holes either half or one fourth of the way. Other semitones are achieved by a slight turn of the head.

Kudsi Erguner, one of the

foremost ney masters of

our times, is particularly

famed for his activities

helping to introduce

Ottoman and Sufi music

to the world with

internationally acclaimed

projects and recordings

Decorative Turkish Arts

MARBLING

The art of marbling on paper, or 'ebru' in Turkish, is a traditional decorative form employing special

methods

The word 'ebru' comes

from the Persian word

'ebr,' meaning 'cloud.' The

word 'ebri' then evolved

from this, assuming the

meaning 'like a cloud' or

'cloudy,' and was

assimilated into Turkish in

the form 'ebru.

Marbling does actually give the impression of clouds. Another possible derivation of the word 'ebru' is from the Persian 'âb-rûy,' meaning 'face water.'

Although it is not known when and in which country the art of marbling was born, there is no doubt that it is a decorative art peculiar to Eastern countries. A number of Persian sources report that it first emerged in India.

It was carried from India to Persia, and from there to the Ottomans. According to other sources, the art of marbling was born in the city of Bukhara in Turkistan, finding its way to the Ottomans by way of Persia. In the West, 'ebru' is known as 'Turkish paper.'

How Marbling is Done

Marbling is a most enjoyable art form, although one requiring

great patience. The first thing is to select suitable paper, as not

all paper can be used. The paper needs to be hard-wearing

and able to absorb the paint thoroughly. Masters of

calligraphy in former times preferred to write on what was

known as 'dressed' paper, which had had a mixture of

cornstarch and egg-white rubbed over its surface. Marbling

practitioners’ on the other hand preferred raw, 'undressed'

paper since the 'dressed' version did not absorb paint well.

A large, wide, shallow and generally rectangular

tray is necessary for the practice of marbling. A kind

of white gum obtained from the stem of the

tragacanth plant is mixed in a bowl with water in

specific proportions. Different substances, such as

dried orchid tubers, flax or quince seeds and

kerosene may be used instead of the tragacanth

gum. The mixture is left to stand for up to 12 hours

and stirred occasionally. The gum eventually

dissolves, and the mixture comes to take on the

consistency of boza, a thick drink made of

fermented millet.

Later on, the paint for the marbling is prepared

in small cups. The paint to be used needs to be

ground very finely, and should not be one of

those vegetable or chemical paints that do not

dissolve in water. After the paint has been

dissolved in water in the little cups, two coffee

spoonfuls of fresh cattle gall is added. The aim

behind this procedure is to prevent the finely

ground paint from sinking to the bottom and

ensure that it floats on the surface.

The paints of various colours prepared in this manner are

then spread over the boza-like mixture described earlier

which has been emptied into the tray. The paint clings to the

surface in small pools, which are then mixed or spread by

means of a wooden stick, giving rise to surprising and

fascinating designs. Specific designs can also be created

according to the artist's wishes. The special paper laid over

these designs is lifted to one side some 5-10 seconds later, in

very much the same manner as turning the pages of a book,

by holding it by two edges and being careful not to smear the

paint.

The paper is left to dry in a suitable place, the painted side facing upwards. In this

way, designs with thousands of details and colours emerge. If the artist wishes to

place writing or a flower motif between these designs, he employs another

method. The writing or motif is drawn or scratched onto paper. A sharp implement

is used to cut them out, and these are then fixed onto the marbling paper with a

thin adhesive. The paper is then laid onto the paint in the tray as described above.

After the marbling design on the paper has dried, the patterns that have been thinly

glued onto the paper are removed, leaving an empty space. This method was

discovered by the calligraphy and marbling Master Necmeddin Okyay (1883-1976),

for which reason marbling produced by that method is known as 'Necmettin

Marbling.' There are several other varieties of marbling, such as 'oversize,' 'combed'

and 'flowered.'

Marbling used to be extensively employed in bookbinding and calligraphy. On

occasion, particularly interesting and attractive designs are used as pictures.

Turkey has produced many great exponents of the art, such as Hatip Mehmed

Efendi (18th century), Şeyh Sadık Efendi (19th century) and Bekir Efendi (early

20th century). Among the last great masters produced after Necmeddın Okyay,

both Mustafa Düzgünman (born 1920) and Niyazi Sayın (born 1927) are

particularly worthy of mention.

WORKSHOP

in the CONFRENCE

ALİ İHSAN GÜRDAMAR & HANİFE GÜRDAMAR