FOLKMUSIC
  aşıklar (troubadours)mehter
takımı (Janissary
Band)Mevleviler
(mevlevi
dervishes)
The
lively Turkish folkmusic, which originated on the steppes of
Asia, is in complete contrast to the refined Turkish
classical music of the Ottoman court. Until recently, folk
music was not written down, and the traditions have been
kept alive by the aşıklar (troubadours). Distinct
from folkmusic is Ottoman military music, now performed by
the mehter
takımı (Janissary
Band) in
Istanbul, which originated in Central Asia, and is played
with kettle drums, clan-nets, cymbals, and bells. The
mystical music of the Whirling Dervishes Mevleviler
is dominated by
the haunting sound of the reed pipe or ney, and can be heard
in Konya during the Mevlana Festival in December.
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FOLKDANCES
Each region in Turkey has its own
special folkdance and costume, and the best-known of these
are listed below :
Horon : This
Black Sea dance is performed by men only, dressed in black
with silver trimmings. The dancers link arms and quiver to
the vibrations of the kemençe (a primitive kind of
violin).
Kaşık Oyunu : The
Spoon Dance is performed from Konya to Silifke and consists
of gaily dressed male and female dancers 'clicking' out the
dance rhythm with a pair of wooden spoons in each hand.
Kılıç Kalkan :
The Sword and Shield Dance of Bursa represents the
Ottoman conquest of the city. It is performed by men only,
dressed in early Ottoman battle dress, who dance to the
sound of clashing swords and shields, without music.
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ZEYBEK
: In this Aegean
dance, colourfully
dressed male dancers, called efe,
symbolise courage and heroism.
Zeybek Dances
(a
dance of western Anatolia or its music, appear to our minds whenever, Western Anatolian
Folk Dances especially Izmir, Aydın, Denizli, Balıkesir and Muğla are told).
Zeybek dances are various about 150 types, however they can be
gathered into two main classifications.
1)
Slow Zeybek 2)
Yörük Zeybek
(Fast Zeybek)
In Izmir Zeybek Dances that are to be danced whether single or with a
group,
display the efe’s and Zeybek’s self-assurances, mainly braveness and their
challenges.
The Zeybek’s who show breveness and honestly with all their excitementare a symbol of
dignity and valor.
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Some example of the Zeybek dances in
Izmir and its surroundings are stated below :
Arpazlı, Harmandalı, Kordon, Bergama, Dağlı, Kaşıkçı Koca Arap,
Elifoğlu, Iki parmak, Soğukkuyu , Suslu, Jandarma, Yunt dağları, Bakırlı, Kasnak,
Hantuman, Bas bas, Sabahın Seher Vakti, ötme Bülbülüm, Yağdı yağmur, Çakıcı,
Ince Mehmet, Karşılama, Kozak, Somalı, Yandır, Yörük Ali, Minarede Ezan Var,
Sümbül Bahçesinde Karanfili, Kemeraltı Zeybekleri
Musical instruments for Zeybek
dances : The musical instruments that are used in Zeybek dances
are clarnet and drum in the open areas, bağlama (a plucked
instrument with 3 double strings and a long neck)
is used in
the closed areas. The double clarnet is traditional while the first clarnet plays the
melody the other one accompanies it.
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Costumes of Zeybek :
The costumes of Efe and Zeybek are told
below. Efe
wear a deddish helmet which is made of broad-cloth and this helmet called
Kabalak. Efe tie Posu that the young girls embroidered around their
helmets. The blue shalwar (baggy trousers)
that Efe wear are called
Casir Menevrek. These shalwars’ lenght
extends to the knee-caps and they are open in both winter and summer. The flank side of
these Casir Menevreks are black-silk caftan (robe).
They wear the tassels that is called
Koza and they are long. This tassed must be 100 drachma (400 th part of an
oka). If the
jackets that the efe wear have sleeves, this type is called Cepken and if not, then it is called
Camadan. These are made of blue or dark-blue broad-cloth and they are embroidered
with the black-silik caftan with various motifs and Zeybeks wear silver-thread
cepkens.
The mintan with thin round disks and without collor is called Alakye, is worn to the waist and leather weapon case which is tied to
it.In this
weapon case Kulaklı Yatağan Knife takes place.
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