Sunday, April 13, 2008

Kultur vd Sanat

Current mood: rushed
Category: Life

Today I went to a Turkish music concert, specifically that of a master kanun player. It's kinda like a zither - plucked with many strings, probably like 20some sets of 3 strings each. It makes a beautiful and watery sound that my ear finds atractive, in a somewhat similar way to the harpsichord.

This concert is part of the Turkish Film & Music Festival taking place in Boston over the past month. I saw a few of the films, and I wanted to support some more, so I took in this concert.

My father just arrived in town today, and was supposed to go with me. He was too tired when he got in, though, so I ended up going *alone*. Sigh.

I went to see melancholy, heavy Turkish music on a gray shitty cold day by myself. I was bummed, but once I got there, and the concert began - I was fine.

I am determined not to lose the connection with this half of my heritage, from my mother's womb. I went for her and me, I guess. And I think it is a blessing my dad didn't go, as it may have been too painful a reminder of her passing for him.

Here are some thoughts I jotted down, while the music played:

"The Turks in the audience began to rock gently in their seats, like their mothers lulled them to sleep as infants. That is what the music does for them now. It is a sound of the soul that is so ancient and comfortable, putting me in touch with my tribe. It's hard for me to be here and hear this music, for it so obviously reminds me of my mother. Yet, something compels me to stay close to her and the soft strong heritage that put me on this earth...this music is so melancholy, it is only for those with a high threshold for sorrow, grief, and pain. But it is not all so heavy; they did a cover of 'Take Five'."

True. They also played a lot of lively upbeat music, more for dancing (for bellydancing esp.).

But the somber passages reminded me of my experiences there in Türkiye - riding busses all over the countryside, while soulful folk music played quietly through the bus PA. Not to mention, the music often used in Turkish films, particularly at the end, when a tragic twist of fate is revealed.

I imagine it is the ancient sound of a caravanserai traversing the wheat fields and black roads, or karayollari.