İran'ın Batı ve Doğu Azerbaycan bölgelerindeki Aşık Sazı ve Aşık Müziği'nin karşılaştırmalı incelemesi

The aim of this thesis is to investigate Ashik (minstrel) Saz as well as Ashik music in west and east Azerbaijan provinces in Iran. It has been mentioned in the introductory section that this region may be regarded as an unstudied and dark point regarding the Ashik Saz and Ashik music academical research among the countries which have been located in silk road route from China to Egypt sharing almost the same minstrel culture.In the introduction of this thesis, there will be a comprehensive approach to Ashik Saz and Ashik music besides the definition of traditional music and related different approaches to research strategies of the folklore studies. One of the important historical approaches is the investigation of the roots and events regarding the existence and historical factors and different disputes of the origin of Turk population in Iran and Azerbaijan. Researches reveal the fact of cultural and musical similarities but at the same time the differences between Azerbaijani Turks in Iran and their homogeneous and cognate north Azerbaıjan community located in the recent borderlines of Azerbaijan country. The peace treaty and an agreement of "Gulistan" in 1813 and the treaty of "Turkmenchay" in 1828 between Iran and the Russian Empire have separated Azerbaijani people politically, socially and even physically from each other. According to these agreements the the Azerbaijani populated cities above the borderline of "Araz" / "Aras" river would belong to Russia and the below cities of the same river belonged to Iran. These unexpected treatments have caused the great social, economical and physical suffer and mutual hurt, pain, sorrow and depression, being in distress, upset and miserable conditions between two separated Azerbaijani people falling apart in north and south cities so that no one could come back to their previous home lands ever since. Even those who were in different cities because of trade or wedding or any other purposes, got stock in north or south cities and fell apart for a dark 70 years separation period. The people inhabiting those areas call it as the well known phrase "no insect could fly between two separated parts for 70 years". From 75 million population of Iran almost 35 million is considered as having Turk ethnicity and among them the most majorities are Azerbaijan Turks. This fact statistically play an important political, social and cultural role in Iran as being known as a multicultural country. Ashik music is regarded as the oldest traditional music of Azerbaijan having roots in the lives and woven with warp and woof, basis and foundation of Azerbaijani people which has made it a unique and special music known as the core of Azerbaijani and music and culture both among the Azerbaijani people live in Iran and Azerbaijan. Most of music Makams and Mugam music ranks in Azerbaijan have roots in Ashik music. "Ashik Saz" / "Kopuz" is the fundamental instrument of Ashik music which is common to be called as merely "Saz" among the people. "Saz" in Azerbaijani and Farsi languages means the instrument in general reflecting the idea of historically being the mother and the root of all music instruments. The study consists of six chapters proceeding by an introductory chapter that outlines the the need for this study, the objective of the thesis, the general definitions about the main concepts in this thesis as "Ashik", "Ozan"and "Kopuz", the significance of the study, the aims and goals of the thesis and the methodology of this research. The second chapter of this paper consists of three parts which in the first part of this chapter, the history of the region "north west Iran" will be discussed coming up with the field work and methods of musical analysis later on. The historical investigation at this study which includes historical approach to north west Iran and the tribes of western Iran, clarifies the roots of the superficially seen melodic structure of the songs but deeply rooted in the history. These roots are being obvious in the melodic structure and lyrics analysis of the songs of Ashiks. Multicultural history of the area has its deep influence in the musical features of the melodies being analyzed in the musical analysis table of the songs in later chapters here.The second part of this chapter discusses geographical, historical and cultural approach of west Azerbaijan in Iran in which geographical aspects of the province, neighboring cities having cultural influence on them, the number of cities they include and even the ethnic groups and different religions in the area which play role in creation the structures of the melodies and lyrics. The third part of this chapter provides the geographical, historical and cultural approach of east Azerbaijan in Iran, all the above mentioned features have been described for east Azerbaijan as well. The third chapter of the thesis focuses on organological approach to the music of the mentioned regions in which.the writer will define and discuss Sachs Classification system before starting the music analysis in the later chapters.In this chapter for the classification of the Saz, Hornbostel – Sachs Classification System an international established system of classification was adopted. According to H-S system in categorization of Ashik Saz, we may refer the fact that it is a chordophone and then the first numerical number is created as 3. Finally it falls into "Necked Lute" category with the number identification of 321.32. Azerbaijani Ashik Saz and Turkish Baglama both fall into the same category regarding organology in which 321.32 stands for necked lutes i.e. the handle is attached to or carved from the resonator, like a neck. Physical aspects of the Saz with all characteristics like; parts of Saz, dimensional characteristics, tuning systems, and Saz making techniques and related workshop photos etc. has been explored in this chapter. The forth chapter explores Saz playing techniques and score notation strategies in which score transcription and techniques mentioned in the Saz notation books of Ilqar imamverdiyev have also been evaluated. Finally for Azerbaijani Ashik Saz some score notations techniques and transcription hints mentioned in "Qopuz Mektebi", by Changiz Mahdipour will be discussed in Ashik music scores transcription. In the fifth chapter of this study under the title of analysis of the music of the Ashik the musical analysis is one of the fundamental parts of this study. In order to analyze an individual Ashik music, the classification of the analysis is taken under consideration.I tried to design a chart into which as all Ashik music repertories can be located and the result would be a systematic analysis in which the following aspects as; melodic characteristics, scale or a specific set of pitches, independent meaningful texture of melody, hierarchy of pitches, Ağaz (beginning), reciting tone or Shahit (witness) or Kalish (inclined to stay and not move), static Shahit, dynamic Shahit, Tuning, drone pitch, cadence or "Forud" and cadential formula, rhythms and meters in Ashik music, form in Ashik music and genres of vocal music of the Azerbaijani Ashiks have been discussed for each Ashik music repertoire fallen into this analysis. Chapter six will be discussing about the comparison of Ashik Saz and Ashik music in west and east Azerbaijan provinces of Iran as firstly the west and later on the east Azerbaijan Ashik music environments in Iran.will be under scope. In this comparison the Ashik music environments will be explored from a performance practice perspective, such as; the characteristics of Ashik music performance (solo or group and the number of the instruments which are normally used) and the venues of performance (e.g. in traditional cafes "Qəhvəxana" or wedding ceremonies), proceeding by exploring popular Ashik music repertoire (ancient and contemporary), the reasons of publicity of Ashik music repertoires, the pioneer musicians of west and east Azerbaijan provinces Ashik music in Iran and their contribution to the community. In the last part of this chapter before conclusion, the differences of Ashik Saz and Ashik music in west and east Azerbaijan provinces of Iran based on the instruments and organological approach, the number of the anecdotes and Dastans, the Asik music repertoires, the Asik music poets and masters of Ashik music literature, the Asik music performance and stage strategies and finally the differences and similarities of traditional cafes "Qəhvəxana" among east and west Azerbaijan provinces and the rest of Iran will be explored.