2010

č. 1

MEZINÁRODNÍ WEBOVÝ
SBORNÍK HUDEBNÍ VÝCHOVY
katedra hudební výchovy
Pedagogická fakulta
Ostravská univerzita v Ostravě

Aktuální trendy hudební psychologie,

hudební pedagogiky a didaktiky hudební
výchovy IV

Region, regionální hudební kultura

a regionální umělec v kontextu
vývojových proměn společnosti V

ISSN 1802-6540
 TURKISH FOLK MUSIC
Ph.Dr. Zeki NACAKCI

The berief description of the article is given below;

The research is about the Turkish Folk Music. The research has been done to share the
structural and theoretical aspects of Turkish folk music that possesses an impressive state in
the world history with universal cultures.

This study provides the opportunity of sharing knowledge with the other countries, presenting
the folk music of Turkey in the Asian continent theoretically. It is expected that this study will
serve for enabling music theorists to compare their own folk music to the others and holding
joint studies and projects.

Assistant Professor Zeki NACAKCI

Mehmet Akif Ersoy University
Fine Arts Teaching Department
Music Teacher Education Program
znacakci@gmail.com

1
 TURKISH FOLK MUSIC
Ph.Dr. Zeki NACAKCI
Mehmet Akif Ersoy University
Abstract

Every nation on earth has its own peculiar folk music. Folk music is a means of verbal and non-verbal melodies
which portraits the musical backgrounds and cultural heritage of any nation with an emotional perspective. The
aim of this study is to share the structural and theoretical aspects of Turkish folk music that possesses an
impressive state in world history with universal cultures.
Key Words: Folk Music, Scale, Turkish Folk Music, Pitch, Usul.

Introduction

Because of multiple reasons, people started to come together in groups throughout history and
due to the common living conditions of these groups communities came about.

Individuals living in shared societies cause the initiation of cultural processes as a result of
sharing similar feelings and thoughts. Folk art emerges due to the accumulation of these
shared cultural backgrounds with time. A major part of this folk art which is a result of
common social feelings and thoughts consists of folk music. As in that of many other nations,
the history of Turkish folk music goes back to primeval Shamanic times when music was
needed during worshiping and making spells.

“Similar to all music whose roots go back to the depths of primeval times, the music of
ancient Turks had few keys at first. Music initiating from verbal items happened around two
sounds in certain distances and occurred around it.”1

The Turkish cultural heritage flourishing inside old Turkish states, Huns, Gokturks, Uyghur’s,
Seljuk’s, Ottomans etc. in time made up Turkish folk music. This may lead us to the
following definition of Turkish folk music as, “Turkish folk music is a set of tunes free of any
rules comprising the accumulation of feelings and thoughts that came about in the historical
lifeline of the Turkish nation emerging as a result of its rich cultural life styles.”2

Aspects Of Turkish Folk Music

1. Becoming a tradition
2. Belonging to the nation
3. Initiating and maturing in a historical timeline
4. Having no obligation to follow rules
5. Bearing the cultural structural aspects (tradition, language, music, etc.)of the
nation
6. Depending on master- apprentice relationship
7. Being accepted by the nation and entitled as folk music

1
UÇAN A., Türk Müzik Kültürü, 2000.p.19
2
NACAKCI Z., Türk Halk Ezgilerine Dayalı Viola Albümü, 2006. p.5

2
Variety In Turkish Folk Music

According to the structure of their melodies variety in Turkish folk music is studied under two
main titles.

1. Uzun Hava

Melodies whose scales are known and whose course in the scales is based on certain patterns
even if they are free in measure and rhythm are called “Uzun Hava”.

Uzun Hava are melodies which have no measures because of their rhythmic structures, appear
to be sung through improvisation and are spread from ear to ear.

Types of Uzun Hava usually named after their regions are as follows: Bozlak, Maya, Garip,
Kerem, Hoyrat, Divan, Kesik, Yanık, Müstezat, Aydos, Tamzara, Eğin, Türkmeni, Kayabaşı,
Dağ Havası, Gurbet Havası, Ağıt.

3
 2. Kırık Hava

Melodies which have a specific measure and rhythm, scales and certain courses to follow
these scales are called “Kırık Hava”. All folksongs and folkdances with different names
regarding their regions are part of this form and listed as: Zeybek, Teke Zortlatmaları,
Bengiler, Güvendeler, Halay, Bar, Horon, Hara, Kaşık Havası, Karşılama, Sallama, Şıkıdım
Havası, Dımıdan, Sağma, Metelik, Kolbastı.

The Melodical Structure Of Turkish Folk Music

The Sound System

Throughout history Turkish Music developed itself in a different sound system from Western
Music in terms of its own traditional tune and style. Therefore; the Turkish sound system is
quite different from that of the Western one. The sound system of Western Music is based on
a Tampere octave (equally spaced) system. The space between eight notes is divided into
twelve equal parts. In accordance to the fact that the Tampere system is not used in Turkish
music, the main difference that separates our music from the Western music is that it uses
“Koma” sounds in its melodies.

In Turkish Music we name the space that occurs from dividing a complete note into nine
equal parts a “koma”. Theoretically, scales in Turkish Music come about by using komas in
different forms to divide an eighth into uneven spaces.

In the table below, a complete sound has been divided into nine equal parts. Each scale has
the value of a koma.

The most essential aspect of the medical structure of Turkish Folk Music is that the melody
starts with any of the sounds that make up the tonality and end definitely with a basic sound.
Another important aspect is that Turkish Folk Melodies are usually donated with aligned
sounds that are at least in a four and at most in a twelve sound range.

The Turkish Folk Music sound system is made up of seventeen sounds inside an octave. Even
if this number rises to eighteen, twenty or twenty-four in some occasions, the general
accepted key is seventeen. Scales used in Turkish Folk Music are established by the different
combinations of these sounds to form an octet scale.

4
The table below shows pitch names used in an octave starting from “A” in Turkish Folk
Music. The numbers listed on converting signs like sharp and flat show the koma values of
the sounds.

A B Q BE B C C# C#
3
D Eb E E E F
3
F # F# G Ab A E A

USULS

Usul is an underlying rhythmic cycle that complements the melodic rhythm and sometimes
helps shape the overall structure of a composition. An usul can be as short as 2 beats or as
long as 128 beats. Usul is often translated as "meter", but usul and meter are not exactly the
same. Despite the many similarities between the usuls of Turkish Folk Music and those of
Eastern Music, there are differences among them due to regional usul and tendencies. We put
usuls in Turkish Folk Music in to three groups:

1- Main usuls and ternary forms

2- Combined usuls
3- Mixed usuls

Main Usuls

The base of Turkish Folk Music usuls is made up of main usuls. It is composed of 2/4, 3/4,
4/4 times and their ternary forms. Folksongs which are formed by the division of each stroke
to three times of their usuls with 2,3 or 4 strokes, start with a slow part and continue in this
slow part in 2/4- 6/8 (3+3), 3/4 - 9/8 (3+3+3), 4/4 - 12/8 (3+3+3+3) with the “Hoplatma”
(hopping) and “Yeldirme” (running swiftly) parts

Compound Usuls

When main usuls come together due to certain rules, the emerging usul is called a
“compound usul”. Types of compound usuls are 5/8(3+2), 6/8(3+3) - 6/4(4+2), 7/8(2+2+3),
8/8(3+2+3) , 9/16 - 9/8(2+2+2+3) etc. Different versions of these usuls can be seen should the
triple in the parentheses change places.

Samples To Compound Usuls (5/8,7/8,9/8)

5
Mixed Usuls

When main usuls and combined usuls come together or when two separate combined usuls
come together the new usul is named “mixed usul”.Mixed usuls are rather rich in terms of
rhythm and seen as 10/8, 11/8, 12/8, 15/4-15/8, 16/8, 18/8, 20/8 and 21/8.

6
A 15/8 Folksong As An Example For Mixed Usuls

7
Scales In Turkish Folk Music

Even though Turkish Folk Music has a long history for thousands of years, the need for
classifying all the works up to now inside a sound system showed itself only years after the
establishment of the Turkish republic with formal and specified field work studies. For a long
times it was claimed that classifying Turkish Folk Music into certain rules and patterns was
disadvantageous. This claim is true to a certain extent. The reason is that folk music did not
consist of formerly stated rules. Most of or all of the performers did not have any education in
music.

Until the 1950s folk melodies were sung according to regional scale names. After the 1950s to
prevent confusion in the Turkish Folk Music scales it was agreed on using a common name
for them. So the words “Ayak” and “Makam” became frequently used terms. This tradition
lasted up to our day.

Makam: Are scales that comprise certain characteristic sounds in Turkish Music. Frequently
used scales in Turkish Music are listed below.

Turkish Folk Music Scales

8
The Classification Of Turkish Folk Music

Even though Turkish Folk Music had a history of thousands of years the need to classify the
produced work in a theoretical system was felt after the establishment of the Turkish republic.
Although the theoretical structure of Turkish Folk Music has not been significantly stated
from the 1930s up to this day, the works produced throughout history have started to be
analysed in a certain class. As folk music works were not produced by prior rules and those
who made them did not have any education in music, it is quite natural that some work had
exceptional peculiarities in being classified.

Turkish Folk Music works are also being studied as verbal and non verbal pieces next to
being analysed considering their rhythmic and melodic structures.

Verbal works are named as “Türkü”. In classifying verbal works, regional aspects, ways of
being performed, and themes dealt within the lyrics were taken into consideration. Folksongs
may deal with mystic subjects as well as lullabies and children, nature, love, heroism,
soldiering, death, mourning, sad events, any life related subject etc.

As a result; folkloric melodies comprise a very important state in the music based culture of
societies. While European folk music has been introduced to us by “troubadours” or
“minnesingers” etc., who were singing travellers, Turkish folk music melodies reached our
day thanks to minstrels. Minstrels brought most anonymous melodies to this day and built and
important bridge between generations.

Despite the fact that anonymity loses its importance due to today’s improving technology,
folk songs with known composers are seen nowadays.

Turkish folk melodies are being carried to next generations by improving its modal form
without losing its authentic aspects.

RESOURCES

1. NACAKCI Z.(2006), Türk Halk Ezgilerine Dayalı Viyola Albümü, Ankara.

2. UÇAN Ali, (2000). Türk Müzik Kültürü, Ankara
3. YENER, S. (2001). Türk Halk Müziğinde Diziler ve İsimlendirilmesi, Müzikte 2000
Sempozyumu Bildirileri, Ankara, Kültür Bakanlığı Yayınları
4. ŞENEL, S.(1996). Türk Halk Müziğinde Beste, Makam ve Ayak Terimleri Hakkında,
V. Milletlerarası Türk Folklor Kongresi'ne sunulan bildiri, Ankara
5. AKDOĞU, O. (1999). Türk Müziğinde Perdeler, Ankara