Analyzing the characteristics of maqam, form and vocal performance in long air songs in the Harput region

In this study, the musical analysis of long air songs performed in the Harput region was conducted by identifying their characteristics in terms of maqam, form, and vocal performance. The lack of previous studies focusing on "vocal performance" in Harput music highlights the novelty of our research. The musical analysis of the pieces within the sample revealed the characteristic features of Harput vocal performance. The "Introduction" section details the study's purpose, method, scope, sample, limitations, assumptions, literature summary, problem, and hypothesis. It also explains the reasons for the chosen notation method. The next section, "Concise History of Harput and Literary Aspect of Music of Harput," is evaluated under two subsections. The first subsection, "The Origins of Cultural Memory in the Harput Region," discusses the reasons behind the cultural diversity and richness in this area. The historical processes of Harput and their effects on urban culture are explored, establishing connections with literature and music. The second subsection, "Divan Poetry, Aruz Prosody, and Sufism in Harput Music," addresses literary topics. The reflections of divan literature in Harput music and some of the notable poets from Harput are highlighted. The importance of Sufism and religious music in this region is also emphasized. Additionally, this prosodic form is explained since some works use Aruz prosody in vocal performance. Finally, the third subsection explains the meanings of the analyzed poems written in Aruz prosody. In the third section, "The Concept of Maqam and Local Maqams of Harput," the maqam structure in the region and local nomenclatures are examined from a general to a specific approach. Terms like "melodic kernel" and "melodic patterns" are also discussed. The melodic kernels and form tables of the analyzed musical pieces are created. The fourth section, "Long Air Form and Its Examples in the Harput Region," explores the concept of "long air." The definition of this term in the sources is explained. Subsections discuss "hoyrat," "maya," and "gazel" as performed in the Harput region. The fifth section, "Concepts Specific to Traditional Vocal Performance," explains the linguistic and musicological aspects of the mouth and larynx. These important concepts in vocal performance are detailed with examples from the Harput region. In the sixth section, "Analysis of Vocal Performance in Harput Long Airs," the selected and notated pieces are analyzed in terms of melodic patterns, motifs, ornamentation, and larynx techniques, supported by musical examples. The aim is to perform a detailed analysis of vocal performance and highlight significant performance characteristics within the pieces. The seventh section, "Observations on Harput Vocal Technique," discusses the subject within a more general technical framework. It explains how vocalists in the region use their voices, supported by international sources. The study concludes that Harput's ancient urban culture is a significant factor in the development of its music and literature. Urban life influenced the formation of maqamic music, and the local maqams in Harput are considered "compositions." The analyzed vocal performances exhibit characteristic motifs, melodic patterns, and ornaments such as mordent, quaver, and vibrato.