Turkish Sufi Music has come up to now with the important issues of the culture, such as history, belief and it continues to live with out any loss. It was born in Central Asia about 3000 years ago and has the characteristic of pentatonic.
Turks who went to China long before the time of Christ brought their culture along with their music and dances. Musicologists agree that Turkish Music has had a strong influence on both musical struct ure and musical instruments over most parts of Asia, some regions of Europe, South Africa, Mesopotamia and portions of Central and South America as well as influencing the old English and Eskimo civilizations. In these early days it was commonly used for the cure of some illnesses, relaxing and doing maditation, foretelling, praying and making soldiers much more courageous.
In Asian Turk clans, music and dance were very important;for example, the clan would not accept a son in law who could not dance the Karacorga or sing.
Over the years the Islamic influence resulted in the origin of Tasavvufi Turkish Music.Poems of the great Turkish philosopher Ahmet Yesevi were read in harmony with this spiritual music and later formed BEKTASI hyms. Studying Bektasi hyms, Yunus Emre and other philosophers added precious portions to this music as well as to the sprit of the Anotolian people.
Eventually, Mevlevi Music became the source of Turkish Classical Music,while Bektasi music originated Turkish Folk Music.Both Bektasi and Mevlevi Musics can be shown as a sample to the tasavvufi music.The use of instruments in this type of music is to strengthen the feelings of love, friendship, solidarity and humanity.
Kopuz, kil kopuz, sangobuz, gubuz, dombra, dutar, cetigen, rebab, santur, tar, ney, nay, nakkare, daire, mazhar, kudum, kemence, kabak kemane, rubab, koray are the names of some of the enstruments which have been played in Cent ral Asia.
The most famous person in this music and in playing those enstru ments was Dede Korkut who lived about 2000 years ago.Especially dombra is known Dede Korkut's enstrument. Still some of his songs are song in his country Central Asia.
Asian Turkish Music, Tasavvufi Turkish Music, Turkish Folk Music, Classical Turkish Music then reflect the main characteristics and the history of Turkish Music.