Turkish Arabesk

[iarasamra]

Hi,

A while ago, I read a post by someone who is interested in Turkish Arabesk music. I was unable to post at the time because I was not a member.

I would love to correspond with anyone interested in this music genre, as I have only recently discovered it and I am totally in love with it.

Samra

 

[Kiraze]

There was some discussion about Arabesk music on Turkish style thread where I wondered why this music is not really used for belly dance. Later Esmeralda (from Turkey) replied that dancing classical Turkish music feels wrong at least for her...

Well, I listen and dance to arabesk music. Musical arrangements of arabesk music can be very complex and that style in all could be seen to be quite similar with Egypt´s "golden oldies". There is definately influences from Arab music as well as from classical Turkish music, Turkish folk music and lots of western music. This means that it is fusion music same time as it is very typical Turkish. In fact to define what music is "Arabesk" is quite difficult: I myself cannot easily draw the line between arabesk and sanat ("art" or "classical") music although arabesk is thought to be lighter and more like a music of "common people".

Most popular arabesk singers have traditionally been male: Orhan Gencebay is often credited as the father of this style even though he himselfs says that there is not a style like this... anyway his influence is huge as a masterful musician (he plays baglama and several other instruments) and composer and has a lovely voice... everyone loves "Orhan Baba" and his songs are fantastic also as instrumentals. Other great singers of this style are Ferdi Tayfur, Müslüm Gurses, Ibrahim Tatlises and of younger generation singers like Özcan Deniz, Emrah and Alisan. Of female singers maybe the most famous are Ebru Gündes and Sibel Can but naturally there are many more and sometimes it is hard to tell whether some music or singer belongs to category arabesk, sanat or pop... and does it matter?

My own current biggest favourite besides "Orhan Baba" is Bülent Ersoy who needs a category of her/his own... she is an interesting character and masterful singer so definately worth knowing

For dancing arabesk music it is of course important to understand the lyrics: most of the songs are love songs and often quite sad stories which is typical for Turks... but I think that if this music is danced for instrumental versions then even the Turkish audience is not offended of too much smiling etc as mostly they just enjoy the flow of the music and beautiful dance done to it. It is not very common in Turkey to dance to this kind of music but I think it is mostly because no-one has thought about it... for faster songs there has appeared some dancers on TV and Tanyeli has danced with Ebru Gündes so it can be done (and IMO should be done as this music is fantastic)

 

[iarasamra]

Thank you, Kirase for your thorough reply. I had never heard Arabesk music here in the States, but while in Turkey, just a few days before I left I heard it in a gift shop. It was like angels or other divine beings were floating around and going into my very soul. I asked the shop owner to write what it was and It was one of Orhan's songs. I have since my arrival collected quite a few CDs in that genre. I choreographed a double veil dance to one. It did have vocals, but I asked a friend who is Turkish to translate for me and it was sad..about a lover calling to his love who will not return to him...So, I approached the 2 veils as a love story. Yes, I understand that they are all sad and some were banned for its social and political content, true?

But to me, I finally found in Turkish music the equivalent of the Egyptian "oldies" and Oum Khoulsum's music. Of course, everyone has different taste, but I am equally moved and I feel like dancing from my soul when I listen to Turkish Arabesk and Classical Egyptian Music. I would appreciate suggestions in intrumental Arabesk since I have only heard with vocals. I would like to have some available for when I don't have someone to translate it for me. I would also love to be able to see how Turkish people dance to it, like in clubs or at home. I know it is not belly dance, but it would enrich my interpretation of it. I wonder if there are like music videos where we can see people dance. And I will try to check if there is a video of the dancer with
Ebru Gundes. I already have one CD from this singer too.

Again, thanks for sharing,

Samra (VA, USA)

 

[Salome]

Does anyone know of a sample of this kind of music on the internet? I'd love to hear it.

 

[iarasamra]

Turkish Arabesk Sample

Go to Turkish Music, Turkish Food, Turkish Movies, Turkish Grocery, Turkish Books, Turkish Magazines, Turkish Sports, Evil Eye - Tulumba.com. This is a website for all kinds of Turkish stuff, including tons of music. Search for Turkish Arabesk and you should see a huge list of Turkish Arabesk music (CDs for sale). Lots of the CDs have sound clips. As I understand it flourished in the 60s and 70s but it still has a big following and modern singers in this genre.
The "father" of this genre is considered to be Orhan Gecebay (?) I hope the spelling is correct. The first song I heard was one of his.

Turkish Arabesk is described as the "Blues of Istanbul" according to some sources. I also read that it was banned for many years because so many of the lyrics were about poor social conditions and hopelessness and considered controversial. But a lot of the songs are about unrequitted love. So, I only use the ones about love.

Enjoy it.

Samra

 

[Salome]

Thanks Samra, I'm on my over to check it out.

 

[iarasamra]

ARabesk

Hi,

I just found that you need to just type "Arabesk" or the name of an artist.

I can go look in my collection later if you don't have luck finding it.

samra

 

[Kiraze]

That Tulumba is a great place to find Turkish music (including arabesk style) in the US. In Europe e.g. Canzone in Germany carries also a good selection as well as many Turkish musicshops. One problem with Tulumba is however that music samples are usually so short that it is difficult to get any idea about the song as e.g. with arabesks that clip includes only the introduction part in the beginning of the song.

Here are couple of examples of "classical arabesk" music - naturally there are lots of different nuances and current singers tend to have more pop-music influences and some other singers have stronger influence from folkmusic (e.g. Mahsun Kirmizigül is quite typical example of mix between arabesk and türkü):
Ferdi Tayfur
Orhan Gencebay

 

[Kiraze]

But to me, I finally found in Turkish music the equivalent of the Egyptian "oldies" and Oum Khoulsum's music. Of course, everyone has different taste, but I am equally moved and I feel like dancing from my soul when I listen to Turkish Arabesk and Classical Egyptian Music. I would appreciate suggestions in intrumental Arabesk since I have only heard with vocals. I would like to have some available for when I don't have someone to translate it for me. I would also love to be able to see how Turkish people dance to it, like in clubs or at home. I know it is not belly dance, but it would enrich my interpretation of it. I wonder if there are like music videos where we can see people dance.

Hi Samra,
I tried to find some good examples of records with instrumental arabesks but they do not seem to be very easy to find... some nice pieces including one by Orhan Baba can be found from CD "Turkish Bellydance: Secret of my heart" but that is probably not exactly you (or even I) are looking for. I had some CD:s but unfortunately left all those in Finland and cannot remember any names: mostly they are just some mixed instrumental CD:s with weird titles and no credits so in fact they are almost impossible to spot unless having a chance to listen for a wide selection of CD:s

About dancing I think that dancing to arabesk music can be considered belly dance: if you see especially Turkish girls dancing to it at parties or concerts etc they always use very typical bellydance movements like shimmies, circles, hip drops etc and when in Turkey lots of upper body movements are used too (and graceful hands )

Here is that clip of Tanyeli with Ebru Gündes - although Ebru does not belong to my favourite singers I think this clip is great: