Almost a month ago, a discussion erupted after pianist Fazıl Say?s these statements:
?Arabesque music is the picture of arabesque lifestyle. This music weighs upon enlightenment and modernity. It?s against labor and it?s nor creative neither sensitivity. I am ashamed of arabesque music?
Many Turkish arabesque artists like Orhan Gencebay, Hakkı Bulut and many pop culture icons criticized Say seriously; even one of the TV personalities Hülya Avşar told Fazıl Say had some mental problems and claims that he emergently need treatment.
After the polemic started on Facebook, Fazıl Say has never explained about his ?shocking? words. But 2 days ago, he joined ?5 N 1 K? on Cnn Türk through telephone and the presenter of the program Cüneyt Özdemir had invited Say to his program.
Yesterday, he was the guest of ?5 N 1 K? and talked about his words.
Before I listened to Say, I was one of majority who claim that Say tried to attract attention but after I heard Say?s explanation, I noticed the magazine reporting was based on manipulation.
First, the discussion started on his personnel Facebook page so he didn?t have any obligation to act like a public image. Because social media roughs up the supra identity and sub identity of famous people, people expect %100 consistency of distance and objectivity.
Secondly, Say has criticized arabesque as social formation and he criticized this music genre as manipulative, regressive and despite popular view it?s against freedom.
When I heard his words, even his words perceived as rude, I agree with Say about the regressive impact of arabesque on the people?s life, demoralize, leave people alone and it?s the product of 80?s ? the anti-thesis era-. *
Even music is the part of our daily life; music can?t be separated from the interactive relation between music and its effect on construction of culture.
So before tagging Fazıl Say as elitist, fascist and impolite; we need to learn to criticize concept without percept it too personnel.
You can watch whole program from here!
* You can read ?Thesis Era and Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu? from here
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but Elif your translation is a benign one. Fazıl’s actual words are offensive/insulting and that’s the reason why many people were upset. Your translation of his statements do not give his way of presenting his ideas, I believe… Otherwise, I would not object many of his arguments at all…