Abstract:
Playing an instrument (saz) is vitally important in the tradition of minstrelsy. Besides ‘playing a saz’ as an individual tradition, the functions of the saz are highly significant at some practices, such as saying extempore / exchanging remarks (=atışma), drinking wine / the motif of dream, relationship between master and apprentice, minstrel-type folk story-telling, riddle and get somebody or something talk, all of which form the traditions of minstrelsy, and in each of these traditions the saz carries out similar and different functions. In the minstrel-type poetry, the connection and harmony between melody and lyrics are quite noteworthy. Those researchers such as Hikmet Dizdaroglu, Ahmet Talat Onay, M.Öcal Oguz have stressed the importance of melodies called ‘saz styles’ and ‘melodies of the minstrels’ in determining the types and forms of the poetry. The functions and place of saz in minstrelsy traditions require newer and further researches.
The saz has been determined to have some functions, such as treating / keeping the bad souls away, communicating with sacred people, strengthening the inspiration, making the words more efficient, allowing the minstrels think while saying extempore, preparing the listeners, deciding the meter and type of the poetry, waking the minstrel candidate from dreaming who had drank wine and enable him to recite poetry. Besides all, the saz has been regarded as a ‘symbol’ of minstrelsy, sainthood and sacredness; therefore it is considered to be “blessed” and “companion” of the minstrel.
This paper aims to reveal the function and place of the saz in the traditions of minstrelsy.
