Rast Müzikoloji Dergisi, 2018, 6 (1): 1769-1787 Original research https://doi.org/10.12975/pp1769-1787 Özgün araştırma How was the traditional makam theory westernized for the sake of modernization? Okan Murat Öztürk Ankara Music and Fine Arts University, Department of Musicology, Ankara, Turkey [email protected] Abstract In this article, the transformative interventions of those who want to modernize the tradition- al makam theory in Westernization process experienced in Turkey are discussed in historical and critical context. The makam is among the most basic concepts of Turkish music as well as the Eastern music. In order to analyze the issue correctly in conceptual framework, here, two basic ‘music theory approaches' have been distinguished in terms of the musical elements they are based on: (i.) ‘scale-oriented’ and, (ii.) ‘melody-oriented’. The first typically represents the conception of Western harmonic tonality, while the second also represents the traditional Turkish makam conception before the Westernization period. This period is dealt with in three phases: (i.) the traditional makam concept before the ‘modernization’, (ii.) transformative interventions in the modernization phase, (iii.) recent new and critical approaches. As makam theory was used once in the history of Turkey, to convey a traditional heritage, it had a peculi- ar way of practice and education in its own cultural frame. It is determined that three different theoretical models based on mathematics, philosophy or composition had been used to explain the makams. In the 19th century, Turkish modernization was resulted in a stage in which a desire to ‘resemble to the West’ began to emerge. Starting from the last decade of that century, the makam conception was also exposed to some transformative interventions for the sake of modernization. First, it was compared with the concepts of Western musical theory such as scale and tonality. At this stage, the scale-oriented theory of harmonic tonality was seen as a complete and excellent model for the 'new/modern' theory desired to be built for the makam. Leading modernizers, Yekta, Ezgi, and Arel did not see any drawback in interpreting tradition- al makam frets/tones as the European tonal scale degrees with harmonic functions. Moreover, they also regarded those transformative interventions as necessary progress in order to mod- ernize the makam theory. In particular, the model put out by Arel has been accepted and used for many years by researchers, educators and musicians either domestic or foreign as the only modern theory of Turkish music. However, the flawed and incomplete aspects of this theory, which has been constantly contradictory with actual musical performances, have caused ‘cri- sis’, and have been subjected to multidimensional criticisms, at least for the last fifty years. Demonstrating the arguments of new discussions on the subject, here, it has been revealed that the concept of makam should be understood as a melody-oriented approach, particularly considering the historical course of the concept in the Ottoman world. As a conclusion, it is suggested that the former reputation and validity of the melodic motion-oriented makam theo- ry, which has been developed since the 15th century in the Ottoman world, should be re- turned. This step should also be taken as a starting point for new theoretical studies. Keywords makam, music theory, melody-oriented approach, Turkish modernization, shifting paradigms www.rastmd.net Rast Müzikoloji Dergisi, 2018: 6(1) | 1770 Geleneksel makam teorisi modernleş(tir)me uğruna nasıl ba- tılılaştırıldı? Özet Bu makalede, Türkiye’de ya anan Bat l la ma sürecinde, geleneksel makam teorisini modern- le tirmek isteyenlerce yap lan dönü türücü müdahaleler, söylem analizi temelinde ve ele tirel ba lamda tart lmaktad r. Makam,ş Tüırkı mş üzi inin oldu u kadar Do u müzi inin de en temel kavramlarş aras nda yer al ır. Meseleyiş kavramsal çerçevede do ru bir ekilde incelemek maksa-ş d ylağ burada, ışıdayand kları müzik unsurlar açğs ndan ikiğ temel müzikğ teorisiğ yakla m ay rt edilmi tir:ı (i.) diziı -merkezliı ve (ii.) melodi-merkezli. Bunlardanğ ilki, ştipik olarak Bat armonik tonalitesineı özgü kavrayı ı temsil ederken, ıikincisiı ı de Bat l la ma dönemi öncesindekişı gelenek-ı ı sel Tüşrk makam kavray n simgeler. Bu dönem üç ba l k alt nda ele al nm t r: (i.)ı ‘modern- le (tir)meden önceki gelenekselışı Türk makam kavray , (ii.)ı ı şmodernle (tir)me evresindeki dö- nü türücü müdahaleler, ışı(iii.)ı son dönemlerdeki yeni veş eleı tirelı yakla mlar.ı ış Makamı teorisi, Tüşrkiye tarihinde bir zamanlar geleneksel bir miras ışıiletmek amac ylaş kullan ld ndan, kendi kültürelş çerçevesi içinde, kendine özgü bir uygulama ve e itimş tarz na şısahipti. Modernle me- den önce makamlar aç klamak için matematik, felsefeı veya kompozisyonaı ı dayalığı üç farkl teorik modelin kullan ld belirlenmi tir. 19. yüzy lda, Türkğ modernleı mesi, ‘Bat ’ya benzemeş ’ arzusunun tezahür etmeyeı ı ba lad bir a amaya ula t . Bu yüzy l n sonlar ndan baı layarak,ı makam kavray da bazı ığı dönü türücüş müdahalelereı maruz kald . Önce,ş Bat müızik teorisine özgü dizi ve tonalite gibi kavramlarlaş ığı mukayeseş edildi.ş ıBu a amada,ı ı armonikı tonaliteyeş özgü dizi-merkezli teori,ışı makamı içinş in a edilmek istenen ‘yeni/modernı ’ teori içinı tam ve mükem- mel bir model olarak görüldü. Yekta, Ezgi ve Arel gibi önde gelenş modernle tiriciler, geleneksel makam perdelerini, armonik i levlereş sahip Avrupa tonal dizileri olarak yorumlamakta herhan- gi bir mahsur görmediler. Dahas , bu dönü türücü müdahaleleri, makam teorisiniş modernle tirmek ad na zorunlu bir ilerlemeş olarak da kabul ettiler. Özellikle Arel taraf ndan ortaya konu- lan model, uzun y llar boyunca, yerliı veya yabancş ara t rmac , e itimci ve müzisyenler taraf n-ş- dan, Türkı müzi inin yegâne modern teorisi olarak kabul görmü ve kullan lmı t r. Ancak, ger- çek müzik icralar ıyla devaml surette çeli en bu teorininı ş ı kusurluı ğ ve eksik yönleri, onun ‘kriz’ı içine girmesine ğve en az ndan son elli y ld r, çok yönlü ele tirilereş tabi tutulması ış ı na neden ol- mu tur. Konuya dairı yeni tartı malardakiş ba l ca görü ler ortaya konulmak suretiyle burada, makam kavram n n, özellikleı Osmanl düı nyası ndaki tarihselş seyri de göz önünde ıbulundurula- rak,ş melodi-merkezli bir yaklaışmla anla lmasş ı gerektiş i aç kça ortaya ç km t r. Sonuçta, Os- manl dünyas ndaı ı 15. yüzy ldan itibarenı geli tirilenı melodik harekete dayal makam teorisine, eski itibar ve geçerlili inin iadeşı edilmesişı ve buı ad m n,ğ yeniı teorik çalı malarış ı için ba lang ç al nması gerektiı i öne sürülmı ü tür. ş ı ğ ı ı ış ş ı Anahtar kelimeler ı ı ğ ş makam, müzik teorisi, melodi-merkezli yaklaşım, Türk modernleşmesi, paradigma değişimleri Introduction: "Turkish moderniza- of all, it is necessary to take into account tion" as the basis for cultural trans- the process defined as the ‘Turkish mod- fomation ernization’. Turkish modernization, which started in the late 18th century in In order to understand why those who the Ottoman Empire, has basically de- want to modernize the traditional veloped depending on two reformative makam theory by taking Europe as mod- conceptions. The historian Stanford el have entered such an orientation, first Shaw, bases these conceptions on the www.rastmd.net Öztürk | 1771 preference of two opposite reforms as ‘Westernization’ are often used and un- ‘traditionalistic’ and ‘modern’ (1977 1, derstood synonymously with ‘moderni- 55). In traditionalistic reform process, the zation’ in Turkey. The makam concept methods such encountered as the ‘ame- within traditional Turkish music has lioration of the tradition’, ‘elimination of been one of the most affected issues by defects of the tradition’ and ‘revival of these processes. In this context, Turkish the past’ had been tried to solve the vari- modernization defines a process that has ous problems. The typical and the last developed with the efforts of adoption representative of this conception was and dissemination of Western music and Sultan Selim III who came to the sultan- the modernization of traditional Turkish ate in 1789. By realizing a series of re- music by transformative interventions. forms, Selim III wanted to modernize the Ottoman system, which lost power Makam: Conceptual frame against Europe. However his efforts of reformation have failed and he lost his Makam that is derived from Arabic maqam, means ‘place’, ‘location’, ‘posi- life as a result of the assassination during tion’, ‘situation/state’, ‘station/stop’ or a major uprising at 1808. At the same time, this rebellion was the end of ‘the ‘gradation’ in Turkish. The conception of traditional reform’ conception. makam, in which context it is taken into account, in the end, it cannot be consid- The efforts of the Europeanization of the ered separately from the concepts of Ottoman military and administrative space and motion. This conception is a systems took place in the period of Sul- way of knowing which is focused on tan Mahmut II (1808-1839) who repre- some definite referential points such as sents ‘modern reform’ conception. The beginning, progressing, and ending of any concept of ‘tradition’ was seen as a fac- motion within a certain space. It is tor, which should be abandoned by this noteworthy that the word makam has a understanding. The process continued widespread use not only in music, but in until the establishment of modern Turk- Sufism as well. In Sufi terminology, ish Republic through the some stages of makams are understood as definite ‘sta- administrative and political reformations tions’ of the ‘mystical path to reach to such as Tanzimat, Islahat and Meşrutiyet God’ (Knysh 1999, 303-306). In this re- in the Ottoman Empire. Mardin (1999, gard, the makam means primarily 'the 15) draws attention that Sultan place being resided / rested / reached / Abdülhamid II (1876-1909) took the West stopped'.