CATEGORIZING THE MUSIC OF ORHAN GENCEBAY

[tarantini8]

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CATEGORİZİNG THE MUSIC OF ORHAN GENCEBAY


We cannot set his music into other genres which are known as arabesque or fantasy in Turkish music. Firstly it should be said that listening to him is very tough. A listener who some extent has no ability of music and interest, has actually at the same time no chance to understand him. Although not all his receptive audiences can understand his music totally, he had gained his current position in Turkish music industry. If his music could be understood completely and if some conditions were suitable, without any doubt, he would become a very distinctive compositor all over the world.

However, some other performers such as Ferdi Tayfur, İbrahim Tatlıses, and Müslüm Gürses are pretty luckier than him as their works generally relatively simple and easily espoused by the people.

Some Gencebay admirers can only listen to his compositions, but can never fully perform them. If they are somehow instrumentalists, they cannot completely play them either.

You cannot even repeat the melody of some works of classical music. This is the case for most of Gencebay compositions as well. Talent and rehearsing a lot are crucial, so that his works can be performed.

Nevertheless almost everybody can sing “gülüm benim”- the very famous song of İbrahim Tatlıses who is one of the protagonists in fantasy music area in Turkey and play it only after a few rehearsals. On the other hand, when trying to sing “bugün senin doğum günün” which is one of the recent songs of Orhan Gencebay, or to play its melody if you use any instrument,  you might probably encounter some problems.

Therefore I simply allege that comprehending his music is conducive to being adept at music generally. You cannot sing some of his songs, unless you are academically educated in music.

Many people might be one of his admirers without being able to sing his songs properly. These friends might get similar pleasure from other musical works. Nonetheless, those people who may feel the differences between tonal relations, starting tones, and melodic creations might genuinely perceive the music of Orhan Gencebay.

Not only should we have a look at domestic compositors, but also we should care some counterparts in the world. I categorize his music into Paul Anka’s from the 50s and 60s, Roy Orbison’s from the 60s and 70s, and Pink Floyd’s from the 70s and 80s. Domestically, Dedeefendi and Sadeddin Kaynak who both were one of the greatest pioneers of classical Turkish music might be counted as similar compositors to him.