Traditional and Modern Music of Turkey
Traditional Turkish music, featuring instruments like the oud, zither, reed flute, and bagpipe, is a cornerstone of Anatolian culture. Over time, music and technology have shaped its evolution.
Music is a form of expression that has been a part of the world for centuries. With time, creativity and way of life have grown to challenge traditional music, but there is always an interesting experience in enjoying both traditional and modern music.
In Turkish culture, the making of music is with different instruments that have evolved with improved technology. Some of the culture-specific tools you should expect are the reed flute, bagpipe, and more.
Music in Turkey is mainly made with Turkic elements, including partial influences that range from Arabic, Persian, Balkan, and Ottoman, and not forgetting the Central Asian folk music. The trend in music improves with its origin going back to the 1930s as westernization takes over the world. There are different genres of music played in cities and towns as a way of enjoying vibrant local music and supporting their regional music.
Over the years, the Turkish music world has evolved thanks to the open economy and society that supports Sezen Aksu promoting pop music. In the 1990s, the development of alternative Turkish rock, hip hop, rap, electronica, and dance music transformed music in Turkey entirely.
Traditional Music in Turkey
Filled with sputtering rhythm, Turkey's traditional music shares the country's lucrative culture expressing some of the skillful and provocative nature of the country.
Brief history
In the early 1930s, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk tried to modernize Turkish music by promoting Western classical music and discouraging Alaturka (traditional Ottoman music). Though there was no legal ban, Turkish Radio temporarily censored Alaturka music in 1934 in favor of Western tonal systems.
Part of this transformation involved sending many Turkish composers abroad to study and then return to teach Western classical performance and composition principles. Orchestras began playing in public, including in schools specializing in musical education, by 1924.
New instruments like the piano, trumpet, and saxophone were introduced in cultural centers, gradually influencing Turkey's growing musical landscape. By the 1970s, Arabesque music, a blend of Turkish, Arabic, and Middle Eastern music, dominated and imposed its popularity.
Folk Music
Turkish folk music is mainly a combination of district cultural values and civilizations that were in Turkey. This was one of the most popular music in the Ottoman Empire Era. Turkish folk music started being recorded and mass broadcasted in the 1930s, aided by the state for collecting and preserving traditional songs. However, it gained popularity at a mass level in the 1960s, with artists like Neşet Ertaş becoming folk music icons.
Türkü as the folk songs is said to have originated from music traditions in Turkey. This type of music is played with various instruments including cumbus, baglama, Kabak Kemane and kemenche. The regional folk music is accompanied by folk dances which vary from one region to another. In turkey, this type of music is viewed as the music for the people.
Kanto Music
Influenced by Italian opera and theatre, Kanto emerged at the close of the 19th century as a vibrant musical form in Istanbul's Pera and Galata quarters. Presented in cabarets and musical theatres, Kanto consisted of solo or duo performances in which traditional Turkish makam melodies were blended with Western instruments like the piano, violin, and accordion.
The Kanto singers were known for their energetic and theatrical performances, often using humor, irony, and exaggerated expressions to amuse the crowd.
Kanto is presently viewed as a cultural and historical phenomenon rather than a forerunner of modern pop culture. However, its influence can still be experienced in Turkish popular music trends and theatrical performances.
Modern Turkish Music
The birth of western culture in Turkish music paved the way for the most popular styles and music like rock, jazz, roll and even tango. Presently, hip hop, heavy metal, and reggae also dominate the world of music in Turkey.
Sezen Aksu was one of the stunning contributors to the unique Turkish pop music. In the the mid-1970s, she was the most motivated advocate of Turkey to enter the Eurovision song contest. Modern music in Turkey is filled with exciting rhythm and style.
Turkish Hip Hop
Turkish hip hop came from a group of a migrant worker community in Germany. The music engaged with the young generation, and by 1995 the Turkish German community came up with a hip hop crew called Cartel.
Presently, hip hop is enjoyed by the young generation widely with Saian, Hayki and Şanışer as some of the famous figures in this type of genre.
Turkish rock
Rock music was popularized in Turkey by the late 1960s, influenced by American and British bands. Turkish musicians soon fused rock with traditional folk and created Anatolian rock. Barış Manço, Cem Karaca, and Erkin Koray were among the earliest to pioneer this genre, which continues to shape music today. Your trip to Turkey won’t be just about visiting its attractions, but also about experiencing its vibrant music and rich cultural heritage.
FAQS
Q1. What is traditional Turkish music called?
Traditional music in Turkey includes Türkü (folk songs), Ottoman classical music, and Makam-based music, which follows unique melodic structures. These styles have been preserved for centuries and continue to influence modern sounds.
Q2. What are the traditional musical instruments in Turkey?
Some key instruments in traditional music in Turkey include the bağlama (a stringed folk instrument), kemençe (a bowed fiddle), ney (reed flute), and davul (a large drum). These instruments are still used in folk and classical performances today.
Q3. How has traditional Turkish music influenced modern Turkish music?
Many elements of traditional music in Turkey, such as makam scales and folk rhythms, have blended into modern Turkish music, especially in pop, rock, and hip-hop. This fusion keeps Turkey’s musical heritage alive while adapting to contemporary tastes.
Q4. Where can you experience live Turkish music?
Visitors can enjoy traditional music in Turkey at meyhanes (taverns) or cultural festivals, while modern Turkish music is showcased in Istanbul’s vibrant nightlife, from rock bars to electronic music clubs.