Bozlak
Encyclopedia
Bozlak is a form of Turkish
folk song from Central Anatolia accompanied by the long-necked saz
(bozuk saz) and ney
or kaval
. The main subjects of the melancholic songs are separation and love. The songs begin with a very high pitched vocal and end in a low vocal. The best known players are Aşık Hüseyin, Muharrem Ertaş, Mustafa Tatlıtürk, Çekiç Ali, Hacı Taşan, and Bedia Akartürk.
Bozlak, which is a form of uzun hava (long tune) in Turkish Folk Music, has been a form of music starting from Central Anatolia and an expression of the cultures of the Yoruk
/ Turkmen
and Avshar
tribes which pursue a way of life based on yaylak (summer highland pasture)- and kislak (winter pasture). In terms of meaning, the word ‘bozlak’ has the meanings of to shout, to yell, to cry out, and to burst out. The bursting out of the sorrow, desolation and the outbreak that the Turkmens and Avshars experienced in daily life to the nature caused the emergence of
the bozlak culture. Turkmens, Avshars and the Abdals who existed among these tribes have transferred the tradition of bozlak to our day.
In the present study, the ideas of local and foreign researchers on bozlak were obtained by using the standard literature review method, and it was endeavoured to reach to a general definition of bozlak by performing a content analysis on these ideas. Furthermore, the theme,
melodic structure, performance style and the form of dialect in bozlaks were studied by performing interviews with one performer from the Ministry of Culture and the TRT Corporation.
The term ‘bozlak’ means to scream, to revolt; ‘to struggle’ and with this frame this term is used to deal with social concepts such as death, separate, and pain, and it is seen in the several parts of the country especially in the Middle Anatolia and Çukurova region, and two different style;
‘Avshar style’ and ‘Turkmen style’ is used in ‘bozlak’ thus, using two different makam (tones) proves that it cannot be explained only through ‘Kürdi’ style.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
folk song from Central Anatolia accompanied by the long-necked saz
Baglama
thumb|180px|Cura and bağlamaThe bağlama is a stringed musical instrument shared by various cultures in the Eastern Mediterranean, Near East, and Central Asia....
(bozuk saz) and ney
Ney
The ney is an end-blown flute that figures prominently in Middle Eastern music. In some of these musical traditions, it is the only wind instrument used. It is a very ancient instrument, with depictions of ney players appearing in wall paintings in the Egyptian pyramids and actual neys being found...
or kaval
Kaval
The kaval is a chromatic end-blown flute traditionally played throughout Azerbaijan, Turkey, Hungary, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, southern Serbia , northern Greece , Romania , and Armenia...
. The main subjects of the melancholic songs are separation and love. The songs begin with a very high pitched vocal and end in a low vocal. The best known players are Aşık Hüseyin, Muharrem Ertaş, Mustafa Tatlıtürk, Çekiç Ali, Hacı Taşan, and Bedia Akartürk.
Bozlak, which is a form of uzun hava (long tune) in Turkish Folk Music, has been a form of music starting from Central Anatolia and an expression of the cultures of the Yoruk
Yörük
The Yorouks, also Yuruks or Yörüks are immigrants, ultimately of Thracian descent,some of whom are still nomadic, primarily inhabiting the mountains of Anatolia and partly Balkan peninsula...
/ Turkmen
Turkmen people
The Turkmen are a Turkic people located primarily in the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and northeastern Iran. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Western Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages family together with Turkish, Azerbaijani, Qashqai,...
and Avshar
Avshar
Avshar is a town in the Ararat Province of Armenia and site of the 1993 and 1995 CYMA - Canadian Youth Mission to Armenia missions led by Archbishop Hovnan Derderian and Ronald Alepian.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com*...
tribes which pursue a way of life based on yaylak (summer highland pasture)- and kislak (winter pasture). In terms of meaning, the word ‘bozlak’ has the meanings of to shout, to yell, to cry out, and to burst out. The bursting out of the sorrow, desolation and the outbreak that the Turkmens and Avshars experienced in daily life to the nature caused the emergence of
the bozlak culture. Turkmens, Avshars and the Abdals who existed among these tribes have transferred the tradition of bozlak to our day.
In the present study, the ideas of local and foreign researchers on bozlak were obtained by using the standard literature review method, and it was endeavoured to reach to a general definition of bozlak by performing a content analysis on these ideas. Furthermore, the theme,
melodic structure, performance style and the form of dialect in bozlaks were studied by performing interviews with one performer from the Ministry of Culture and the TRT Corporation.
The term ‘bozlak’ means to scream, to revolt; ‘to struggle’ and with this frame this term is used to deal with social concepts such as death, separate, and pain, and it is seen in the several parts of the country especially in the Middle Anatolia and Çukurova region, and two different style;
‘Avshar style’ and ‘Turkmen style’ is used in ‘bozlak’ thus, using two different makam (tones) proves that it cannot be explained only through ‘Kürdi’ style.