Turkish Classical Music Instruments by Queen KAE

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Turkish Classical Music Instruments

NOTE: Some western type of musical instruments are also practiced in the Turkish music, like Violin, Clarinet, Viola, Violencello, Contrabass, Piano and Accordion.

5.a) String Instruments:

5.a.i) Plectrum instruments: (Lute, Tambur, Lavta)

UD (LUTE)

Lute is the only instrument in the Turkish music that has no frets on the handle. It has been practiced among the western and Eastern countries for about 3000 years. Various mitologies have been narrated in connection with the birth of lute.

Many books have been written about lute which attracted the interest of many musicians since the 7^th century.

Lute which was played in the Central Asia, old Egypt, China, Mezopotamia, Iran, Arabia and finally, in Anatolia was in the shape of a pear with silk wound strings on the fretted handle up to the 9^th century but in the later periods, frets were removed.

Farabi, a Turkish Theorist, gave us the most perfect date about lute. Up to his time, there were only 4 strings on lute.

If we suppose that the lowest string is tuned to Yegah RE (La in the western music) then, the system of sounds on frets was being inadequate. Therefore, Farabi added the fifth string on the lute to eliminate this inconvenience. In the later periods, the sixth one was also added. This produces the lowest sound and it is fitted to the uppermost.

Lute which was transferred to Spain by the Arabs, was greatly admired by the elite of Europe and England between the 13^th and the 18^th centuries under the name of LUTH (AL-OUD) and it has been played with much pleasure.

What is different between a LUTH and an UD is that the handle of the LUTH is longer and it is played with fingers.

Although lute was popular among the Ottomans in the 17^th century, it did not surpass the superiority of Ney-Tambur combination which were the instruments of religion and the place until the 19^th century, a period known to be the climax of the classical music.

It is noticed that lute regained its popularity towards the 19^th century when it began to be played in group concern together with Sine-Keman, kemençe, lavta and tambourine.

Lute has got a half-pear shape, a short handle and rings on it which can be tuned to as high as to six octane.

The body of lute is made by bringing together the slicer fine woods (like the watermelon slices) which are obtained from valuable trees such as Walnut, plum, plane-tree, juniper mahogany, balsam-tree and rosewood.

The front table is made of a ladin-tree (white-pine) which has got three round latticework, one big and two small. There are lutes also with one latticework.

The latticework are cut from trees, bones, ivories, animal horns and mother-of-pearls. There is also a bridge on the front table where strings are tied up. The bridge is made of walnut, horn beam, balsam-trees and stuck to the panel with a strong glue.

Under the front table were the supporting narrow stripes of ladin wood to avoid any possible collapse. The middle part of the handle is made of a tekne wood again in thin slices. The part of the handle where fingers are applied on, is made of resistible trees such as abanese and balsam-tree.

An ivory or bone-made bridge is stuck to the top of handle and strings are tightened on pegs going over this bridge. The uppermost string (the 6^th) is a single one and the others go in double. (pairs)

The lute strings are tuned to the following notes (Sounds):

	According to the Turkish music	According to the Western music
1.String	SOL	RE
2.String	RE	LA (220 frequency)
3.String	LA	MI
4.String	MI	SI
5.String	SI	FA (Sharp)
6.String	FA (Sharp)	DO (Sharp)

Lute is tuned according to the key SOL in the Turkish Music.

In fact, the sounds produced are lower by one octave. Lute has a sound range of 3,5 octaves and 54 kg. force tension on its total strings. In the early periods, it was played by plectrums which were made of eagle-wings but today they are made of plastic. Lute is played on the lap and the handle should be held parallel to the floor.

Lute players are called UDI. There are some differences in making and quality between the Turkish and the Arabian lutes except the tonal and dimensional differences as well. The best lutes were and still are being made by the Turkish artists.

Length of strings of the Turkish lutes are 57-58,5 cm. and length of handles are 19-19,5 cm.s, Their length of body is 48-50 cm.s with of body is 36-37 cm.s. and the depth of body is 18-18,5 cm.s

Length of strings of the Arabian lutes are 60-63 cm. and length of handles are 20-21 cm. Their length of body is 52-54 cm. with of body is 36-38 cm. and the depth of body is 20-22 cm.

Many renowned personalities have played lute in past centuries. For instance, some book mention that prophet acquired the popular union simple by playing his lute.

In the Turkish Music, there are many musicians who played lute skilfully such as Nevres, Serif Içli and Serif Muhiddin Targan and, young musicians of today are quite enthusiastic to play this delightful instrument.

 

This will help in finding and understanding the music from Turkkey and how it has evoleved to today.