Turkish music incorporates diverse elements from Central Asian, Byzantine, Ottoman, Persian, Balkan, and European influences. It has roots dating back to the 11th century Seljuk Empire and contains Turkic and pre-Turkic influences. Modern Turkish popular music emerged in the early 1930s as part of a drive for Westernization. Traditional musical instruments include the kanun, doombec, zills, saz, and tar. Famous dances include the Horon, Zeybek, and Whirling Dervishes' sema ceremony which represents union with God.

2. What is Turkish Music?
The music of Turkey includes diverse
elements ranging from Central Asian folk music to
influences from Byzantine music, Greek music,
Ottoman music, Persian music, Balkan music, as
well as references to more modern European and
American popular music. Turkey is a country on the
eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, and is a
crossroad of cultures from across Europe, North
Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus and South and
Central Asia.
The roots of traditional music in Turkey
spans across centuries to a time when the Seljuk
Turks colonized Anatolia and Persia in the 11th
century and contains elements of both Turkic and
pre-Turkic influences. Much of its modern popular
music can trace its roots to the emergence in the
early 1930s drive for Westernization.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Turkey

3. Whirling Dervishes (Mevleviler)

4. According to the Dervishes, the fundamental condition of
our existence is to revolve. There is no object, no being which does
not revolve.
This Mevlevi worship ceremony is a ritual dance, or sema,
representing union with God. The dervishes enter the whirling hall
dressed in in long white robes with full skirts which represent their
shrouds. The ceremony begins whit a chant from the hafiz, a
celebrant who has committed the entire Koran to memory. By
holding their right arms up, palms upward, they receive the
blessings of heaven which are communicated to earth by holding
their left arms down, palms downwards. Pivoting on their left
heels, the dervishes whirl ever faster, reaching ecstasy with a
blissful expression. At the end of the ceremony part of the public
joins the dervishes into a small prayer.
http://www.destoop.com/trip/3%20DAYBYDAY/020105%20Beirut/5-Dervishes.HTM

5. Makam

6. Makam (pl. Makamlar); from the Arabic word ‫مقام‬
) ) is a system of melody
types used in Turkish classical music. It provides a complex set of rules for composing
and performance. Each makam specifies a unique intervalic structure (cinsler) and
melodic development (seyir).
Commas and accidentals
The basic notes named according to the solfege system and thus, for example, "Do" is
C and "Re" is D.
In Turkish music theory, one whole tone is divided into nine commas. The following
figure gives the comma values of Turkish accidentals. In the context of the Arab
maqam, this system is not of equal temperament. In fact, in the Western system of
temperament, C-sharp and D-flat—which are functionally the same tone—are
equivalent to 4.5 commas in the Turkish system; thus, they fall directly in the center of
the line depicted above.
Notes
Unlike in Western music, where the note C, for example, is called C regardless of what
octave it might be in, in the Turkish system the notes are—for the most part—
individually named (although many are variations on a basic name); this can be seen in
the following table, which covers the notes from middle C ("Kaba Çârgâh") to the same
note two octaves above ("Tîz Çârgâh"):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makam

7. Horon (Hora)

8. The Horon dance originated many centuries ago in
the region of the Black Sea. Today this region comes
under the domain of Turkey. The dance style is
reminiscent of the Pontus and is considered to be
one of the national dances of Turkey.
Greek and Persian influence can clearly be seen in
this unique Turkish dance form. The terms used to
describe the style such as “Horoi” and “Horo”
literally translate as dance in English. The term
comes from the ancient Greek language. The dance
steps have a constant circular movement with the
dancers taking distinctive short steps to characterize
the movement.

9. The Horon dance is accentuated by the Tremoulo movement. This is a
fast shaking of the upper part of the body. It is achieved by twisting
the back on its natural axis and this is what lends color to the dance
form. Dancers align in a single file and then form a circle when looking
to perform the horon dance.
There are many variations of the Horon dance but most of them bear
striking resemblance to Greek dances of the past. The only obvious
difference in the Turkish style Horon dance is the fact that the
dancing troupe does not have a lead dancer. Rather, the dancers
make a single formation and synchronize all movements with each
other.
The Turkish addition to this ancient Greek dance was the rapid
moving dance step of the upper torso. This innovation is quite recent
compared to the rest of the dance style. It is believed that this dance
step takes inspiration from the silver anchovy fish’s shimmying which
is found in great abundance in the neighboring Black Sea.
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/turkey/Horon-Turkish-Dance/3292

10. Spoon Dance Zeybek

11. Kasik Oyunu, also called ‘The Turkish Spoon Dance’ is performed in
Turkey from Konya to Silifke by lively-dressed men and women
creating dance rhythm with a pair of wooden spoons in each hand.
The Turkish folk danced named the Horon is a popular folk dance in
the Black Sea region. This dance is characterized by tense, quick
movements. It is usually danced by a line of women or men that
stand in a semi-circle. This dance comes from the word "Horom".
Imagine a line of cornstalks tied together and looking as if it forms
a lattice. This is what the dance is like. It is also interesting because
the dancers will suddenly squat during this dance making it very
exciting to watch.

12. The zeybek is a form of folk dance peculiar to Western, Central and
southern Anatolia in Turkey. It is named after the Zeybeks.
All zeybek dances have a common characteristic form, but the
positioning of the arms and body differ according to the different
regions. The rhythm is also very characteristic, a pattern of nine
slow beats: 9/4 = 2+2+2+3 beats or 3+2+2+2 with occasional
variations.
Zeybek melodies can be divided according to their tempo: ağır
(slow) and kıvrak (fast). The ağır zeybek have rhythmic patterns of
9/2 or 9/4, which begin with an introduction called gezinleme in
free style where the dancers wander freely before starting to dance
in time with the rhythm. There is, however, no gezinleme
introduction in female zeybek dances. Kıvrak zeybek have rhythmic
patterns of 9/8 or 9/16.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeybek_dance

13. Instruments

14. Qanon-It is basically a zither with a narrow trapezoidal soundboard.
Nylon or PVC strings are stretched over a single bridge poised on fish-
skins on one end, attached to tuning pegs at the other end.
Kanuns used in Turkey have 26 courses of strings, with three strings per
course. It is played on the lap by plucking the strings with two tortoise-
shell picks, one in each hand, or by the fingernails, and has a range of
three and a half octaves, from A2 to E6. The dimensions of Turkish
kanuns are typically 95 to 100 cm (37-39") long, 38 to 40 cm (15-16")
wide and 4 to 6 cm (1.5-2.3") high. The instrument also has special
latches for each course, called mandals. These small levers, which can be
raised or lowered quickly by the performer while the instrument is being
played, serve to change the pitch of a particular course slightly by
altering the string lengths.
http://www.iranguidebook.com/tourism-travel-to-iran/iranian-culture/iranian-musical-instruments/3774-kanun-instrument
Doombek-Arabian in origin, the doombek is commonly found in Turkey,
the Balkan countries, and North Africa. The Doombek is a drum with a
goblet or chalice-like shape. Also known as the Dombak, Doumbek,
Darabuka, and Darbukka it is commonly associated with Middle Eastern
music, often as the lead voice of percussion. The name is an
approximation of the two basic sounds the drum makes: "Dum" (the
bass tone) and "Bek" (the high-pitched crack from the edge of the
drum). There is actually a great deal of variety available in the sound.
http://yellowbellmusic.com/instruments/percussion/dumbek.php

15. Zills-also zils or finger cymbals, (from Turkish zil, "cymbals") are tiny metallic
cymbals used in belly dancing and similar performances. They are called sājāt
( ‫صاجات‬
) in Arabic. They are similar to Tibetan tingsha bells.
Saz-The Saz is a chordophone and is a member of the long necked Lute family.
Such long necked Lutes have an ancestry that can be traced as far back as the
ancient cultures of Babylon and Sumeria. Today the Saz is the most important
instrument of the Turkish folk. The Saz may even define the poetic heart of the
Turkish people. Its general shape is similar to the Bouzouki and Oud. The
traditional method of playing the Saz is to pluck with the fingers of the right hand
and note the strings with the fingers, and occasionally the thumb, of the left
hand. Today however, most players use a plastic plectrum to strum the strings.
Professional players also use electronic pickups to amplify the sound. When
playing with the fingers or a plectrum, players can add rhythm, by hitting the
soundboard with the right hand.
http://www.worldmusicalinstruments.com/c-105-saz.aspx
Tar- long-necked lute descended from the tanbur of Sāsānian Iran and known in a
variety of forms throughout the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. The
body of the tar is hollowed out of a single piece of wood and is rounded out in
two bulges so that the membrane-covered belly is like a figure 8 or hourglass. The
instrument, which is played with a small metal pick, has movable frets and lateral
pegs for the metal strings that are rib-fastened.

17. Prepared by:
Recep Kızılırmak
Muhammet Fatih Aslan
Merve Bulut