The bağlama weaves poignant stories through its wooden body, echoing the melodies of Neşet Ertaş and the versatility of the “3 Saz Bağlama.” The kemençe, with its haunting melodies, dances between the Black Sea tunes and the Istanbul Yaylı Grubu’s conspiratorial strings. Musa Eroğlu and the revered tanbur share a complex dialogue, while the kanun transitions to nylon strings for a voice in the modern world. Hasret Gültekin and Arif Sağ redefine tradition with the šelpe style on the bağlama, merging classical and folk elements seamlessly. Explore the paradox of ancient yet modern sounds in Turkish music, where questions are just as important as answers.
Strings and Shadows
Ah, the Turkish oud. Not merely an instrument, but a relic, echoing whispers from ancient Mesopotamia. It’s fretless, like life; no guides, just instinct. Look at Cinuçen Tanrıkorur, wresting sound from its depths, a modern magician summoning history. The palace courts of the Ottomans know its resonance. It’s featured in “Leylim Ley,” mingling lament with nostalgia. But what’s this? A Greek luthier, Manolis Venios, pulls the oud into the 20th century, chiseled by his hand in Istanbul. Yes, Constantinople ages the wood, embeds it with tales untold. And so, oud’s journey updates with nylon strings, not gut. Nylon, powerful and readily available, for a world that moves on.
Now, the bağlama. Folk vocals in wood and strings, where stories breathe, not told but sung. Neşet Ertaş plays its songlines, his fingers dance like nobody’s watching, and they truly aren’t—just listening, hearts open. Shepherds in Anatolia, they know, they’ve danced to “Çeke Çeke,” eyes closed, not another soul in sight. Deep roots in Central Asia, it’s the progenitor of the Greek bouzouki. A versatile storyteller, the bağlama weaves through melodies like fate through life. Meanwhile, the “3 Saz Bağlama” showcase the instrument’s multifaceted personality. The simplicity intrigues, so simple it’s clever; after all, is not life a series of simple choices, complexified by unseen strings?
Bows and Waves
Kemençe—ah, to hear is to see with ears. Derya Türkan conjures the visceral spirit within. Between the sea-driven tunes of the Black Sea and a mournful note in “Ecel Elinden,” the kemençe dances with the wind. A bow is the brush; the air, a canvas. The Pontic lyra might share its name, but neither owns this ghostly sound outright. Together, they spin tales; alone, they whisper secrets. In the Istanbul Yaylı Grubu, it’s a conspiratorial partner, a plot unfolding through strings.
Lost and Found Strings
Musa Eroğlu strums out “Açma Yaram Derindedir.” Placed beside the tanbur, revered in Kurdish sufi traditions, it’s a complex dialogue. And what of the kanun? Another cousin of oud, it sings alongside “Selânik Türküsü.” Thanks, Turkish Cultural Foundation, thanks for the nylon transition that gives it a voice for the modern ear. No longer gut-stringed whispers but nylon-stringed reasonings. In the halls where Romans once frolicked, Roman Havasi plays on; Yurdal Tokcan throws “Saba taksim” into the air like a challenge to silence.
Hasret Gültekin, bold and irreverent, ventures to redefine tradition. With Arif Sağ, he crafts the şelpe style on the baglama, a virtuosic evolution birthed from tradition. Songs like “Ellerin Türküsü” echo a world that’s always changing, yet ever the same. It’s a paradox, just like the kemençe: classical, yet folk; ancient, yet modern. So why, then, listen? Perhaps that’s the point. Or perhaps pondering the questions is more than enough.
Tracklist :
Hasret Gültekin-Çeke Çeke
Hasret Gültekin performs the folk song “Çeke Çeke,” crediting Pir Sultan Abdal for the lyrics and traditional melody.
The lyrics speak of heartache and devotion, urging not to touch beloved Ali’s wound (“Seversen Ali’yi, değme yârama”).
It appeared on his 1991 album *Rüzgarın Kanatlarında*, shortly before his death in the 1993 Sivas massacre at age 22.
Ali Ekber Cicek-Arif Sag(Ecel Elinden)
Ali Ekber Çiçek and Arif Sağ interpret “Ecel Elinden,” a song reflecting on fate and mortal hands.
It is featured on Çiçek’s 2013 EP *Vay Dünya*, and showcases his bağlama skills rooted in Alevi folk tradition.
Feel Relaxing Music (Turkish Instrument)
Saba Taksim Yurdal Tokcan
Yurdal Tokcan delivers an improvisational taksim (instrumental prelude) in the Saba makam on the oud.
Recorded in a classical style, it highlights his mastery as a Turkish oud virtuoso and conservatory instructor.
Leylim Ley 3 Saz Baglama
Müziğin Renkleri – Kanun
Musa Eroğlu-Açma Yaram Derindedir
Musa Eroğlu sings “Açma Yaram Derindedir,” a folk lament inviting the one who knows the cure to come.
The bağlama track dates from at least the early 2010s and emphasizes deep emotional pain and longing.
Saz 1/3 – Ellerin Türküsü Kanal B
These are instrumental bağlama segments labeled “Saz 1/3,” “Saz 2/3,” and “Saz 3/3,” broadcast by Kanal B under the title *Ellerin Türküsü*.
They present traditional melodies arranged for solo saz, likely intended for TV program background or instructional use.
IDK
Saz 2/3 – Ellerin Türküsü Kanal B
Saz 3/3 – Ellerin Türküsü Kanal B