Examination of Local and Musical Elements Forming the Characteristic Structure of Uzun Havas of Barak Region

Abstract

Barak Havas are long melodies belonging to traditional folk music that, when evaluated from a historical perspective, embody the most ancient musical elements of Anatolia. It would be an appropriate expression to call Barak's weather "the story of a centuries-old migration". Because Barak tunes have a unique structure based on verbal content. And this verbal content is, to a very important extent, a product of thousands of years of migration experience. Verbal content has been the most important element in determining the musical structure of Barak melodies. When we look at this verbal content, we see that the pain, migrations, heroism, love and tribal fights of the Nomadic Turkmen life throughout its thousands of years of history are discussed. Unlike the Uzun Hava styles of other regions, we see that the musical structure of Barak Havas is directly influenced by the stories that have been experienced and the lifestyle of the tribal culture of the region. When we look at the folk music works of Bozlaks, Hoyrats, Mayas and other free characters, we see that their verbal content is not about heroism and wars as in Barak's moods, but rather the theme of pain and love. For this reason, in the performances of these free sounds, a screaming and warlike singing style and hard and sharp daggers are not seen as in the Barak sounds. This dagger shape and reading style caused the Barak moods to emerge as a unique attitude. The aim of this study is to contribute to a better evaluation and understanding of the current form of the Barak region's long havas by examining the local elements and structural features of the melodies that have directly affected the performance style and melodic structure of Barak Havas.