Yozgat Tezene Style Application in Baglama Teaching

Abstract

Turkish folk music and its leading instrument, the bağlama, which was formed by observing the cultural products produced before it and the established styles, is one of the most important transmitters of our culture. It is therefore of great importance that the academicians and the art community who have devoted themselves to this field understand the bağlama correctly, keep it alive and transfer it to future generations correctly. It is the responsibility of those engaged in the sciences and the arts to understand tradition correctly, to ensure its continued existence, and to make positive contributions to it.

For over four decades, bağlama instruction has been conducted in a systematic and structured manner within conservatories and music education departments that provide vocational music education. While notable advancements have been made, challenges persist, particularly in areas such as performance, posture, local chord strokes, and terminology. In the context of music education institutions, the teaching of bağlama as an instrument has been approached in accordance with a set of rules and a systematic methodology. Additionally, solutions to address the challenges encountered in this process have been proposed.

This research examines the "Yozgat Tezene Style," a local tezene style for which detailed information is scarce. This style, also known as the Sürmeli tezene style, is observed to be applied in certain parts of similar works in Central and Western Anatolia, particularly in the Yozgat region.  In the context of this research, an evaluation was conducted to assess the manner in which the style is applied in the notes of works related to the Sürmeli tezene style, as well as the differences in the application. Thus, an attempt was made to establish a certain standard by taking into account the traditional performance of the Sürmeli tezene style, which is often performed differently than it is written, and the weighing possibilities that are not included in the folk songs.