Comparative analysis of Turkish music polyphony approaches

This study aims to evaluate polyphony in Turkish music in terms of composition, performance, and education, to reveal the similarities and differences of the practices and approaches used when polyphoning Turkish music, to write maqam works based on the determined approaches and to polyphony the works for the piano. Within the scope of the study, melodies written in the "Hüseyni, Hicaz and Kürdi" modes, which are frequently preferred by contemporary Turkish music composers and especially educational music composers and are wanted to be taught in music education course curricula, were polyphonized in line with the determined Turkish music polyphony practices and approaches, and expert opinion was consulted. In the study, which was based on a qualitative research model and used descriptive methods, interviews were conducted with 8 contemporary Turkish music composers and 6 music educators working in music institutions providing vocational education at the undergraduate level. In this context, three different methods are generally used when polyphonic Turkish music, the traditional structure should not be damaged during the polyphony stage, Kemal İlerici's "Quadruple Harmony", Ahmet Samim Bilgen's "Tonal Harmony" and Veysel Arseven's "Canon/Counterpoint" approaches are the basic principles. It has been concluded that the melodies written by the researcher and performed for the piano can be used in piano education.