Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism

Folk Music

Folk Music

1-Folk Music Tools

All different types of Bağlama ( a stringed Turkish musical instrument ) is used. Twelve, nine, eight and big stringed Bağlama, cura (a plucked string instrument, the smallest variety of the bağlama) is used single or they are used together.

Zurna (a reed instrument somewhat resembling an oboe) accompanies drum in folk dances. Shepherd pipe or shepherd whistles are also used.

Drum is commonly used in the region. Jingles, wooden spoons are used , as well.

Kemane ( a kind of violin) is played in Alaca and Mecitözü.

2-Turkish Folk Song

Many folk song types such as requiems, poems, epics, praise songs, lullabies, love songs, satires and cursing songs are available in Çorum region. The most famous one is a requiem about the cry of a mother who lost his son. It is called : “ Hem okudum hemi de yazdım.”

HEM OKUDUM HEMİ DE YAZDIM

Hem okudum hemi de yazdım

Yalan dünya senden bezdim, of

Dağlar koyağını gezdim

Yiten yavru bulunur mu?

El yazıya el yazıya

Duman çökmüş Gölyazı’ ya

Kurban olam kurban olam

Beşikte yatan kuzuya.

Elveriyor elveriyor

Orta direk bel veriyor of

Açtım baktım al yorganı

Mehemmedim (Mehmet) can veriyor

• Ân example for Epic Song

Gazi Paşa Hazredi tek bir kişi

Ne kadar cesaret duttu bu işi

Her taraftan sarmış düşman ateşi

Esirgedi bizi düşmanımızdan

• An example for poem

Bayır bağın üzümü

Diyemedim sözümü

Eğil bir yol öpeyim

Sarhoş bakan gözünü

The folk song “İlvanlım” is also a good example of Çorum  Praise Folk Songs.

In this region, melodies begin with high pitch and becomes louder. And there are stops in fifth, fourth and
third levels. And it is finalized with a musical line.

The unmetered folk song in Çorum Region is a type of  “Bozlak” . It is not much different from Kırşehir Bozlak but it has its own style. Some examples are : “ Ya beni de götür ya sen de gitme “ , “ Malum olsun da sana bak ne haldeyin”.

Tatyan folk songs which are common in Erzurum Region can also be seen in Çorum Region due to the immigration. “Şu uzun gecenin gecesi olsam” is an example of Tatyan folk song. Unmetered folk songs are also sung in Divanı Garip and Kerem Rhymes. In Alaca and Mecitözü, ballads, linked ballads , dervish poems and sayings are also common.

Belly dance music, bells, wooden castanets, curses, javelin-wrestling folk songs, henna-wedding folk songs are the parts of the most important parts of this region’s melody.

The first folk music compilation of Çorum was made in 1939. The team which includes Nurullah Taşkıran, Mahmut Ragıp Gazimihal, Mithat Fennen, Muzaffer Sarısözen ve Rıza Yetişen recorded folk melodies into plaque.

 

3-Turkish Classic Music  

The first Turkish Classic Music work in Çorum was initiated in 1980 under the heel of Dr.Sedat Terlemez in Cultural Directorate and concerts started to be performed.  These works were performed by Public Education Center Directorate in 1999 and by the Chamber of Trade and Industry in 2001 with two Turkish Art Music Chorus. Turkish Classical Music course was opened by Osmancık Public Education Center in 2000. It was named as Turkish Art Music Association and it goes on its activites. These three chorus still special in important days and nights.