EMIN YAGCI
Tulum - A Sound From The Black Sea

Fy 8173

885016817329
Felmay Records
Turchia

 

Tulum is the combination of an animal skin used as a continuous air supply with a double-reed made of wood: a bagpipe.
Emin YAGCI, from the Black Sea (Northern Turkey) is one of the master of this populat instrument.
This recording, Tulum – A Sound from the Black Sea – is the first or one of the first available Cd dedicate to this instrument and his repertoire outside of Turkey.

The first documented and visual example of such instruments in Anatolia is observed during the XVI. century in ?stanbul. One of the reeds supply the drawn tone, whereas the other one gives the melody with its capacity of only 5 notes. With its very powerful volume tulum is the most preferred instrument for accompanying dances for huge open air festivals and wedding parties.

The Black Sea Region of Turkey covers the lands between the north-eastern the north western Anatolia. The general music character of the region had been developed in interaction with the poetry and the dance traditions of the regions. Especially the rhythmic characteristics of the melodies are being shaped largely depending on the rhythmic characteristics of the poems or the dances. The typical group dance, Horon especially lies in the center of this variety. Musicologist Gazimihal (1900-1961), connects the roots of this dance to Genovese or France origin.

Just like the rhythmic structures follows the general characteristics of usul in Anatolia, the melodic lines follow the general line of the makam structures. The makam families like rast, hüseyni and hicaz are widespread through out the region.

Kemençe and tulum are the characteristic instruments of the region. Kemençe, a kind of bowed instrument with three strings is popular especially in the western part (Trabzon, Rize), but also can be observed in the eastern part (Giresun, Ordu). Kemençe is very useful in both melodic and rhythmic accompany and widely used by regional musicians performing for folk dance shows, public concerts or regional music meetings.

The CD presents a series of typical dance tunes and songs of the region arranged in versions that respects the original purpose of each tune but at the same time make possible to listen it for a pure aesthetic pleasure.
Hope you enjoy it as we did producing it!