ISTANBUL’S STORIES TOLD THROUGH SONGS IN NEW COMPILATION CD

Today’s Zaman
02 July 2009, Thursday

Many poems have been written and songs composed about Istanbul
throughout history. Of course having hosted so many different cultures,
religions and languages through the centuries, Istanbul and its
sheer beauty have been an ample and enduring source of inspiration
for foreign and Turkish musicians alike.

A selection of songs written by foreigners on their impressions of
Istanbul has been gathered on an album called "Songs for Istanbul."

Kultur A.Þ. head Nevzat Bayhan was the project’s artistic director
and the songs were arranged by musician Ahmet Koc.

The album, which took six months to put together, offers listeners a
reinterpretation of many foreign songs about Ýstanbul, using local
Turkish instruments, such as the baðlama, ud, kanun, ney, darbuka
and bendir.

The songs are sung by well-known Turkish artists, and their
reinterpretation using traditional Turkish instruments gives listeners
the opportunity to hear how foreigners have reacted to Ýstanbul,
as well attuning their ears to these instruments, not as well known
in the West.

The album starts off with the French song "Ýstanbul," composed
in Ýstanbul by ethnic Armenian French artist Marc Aryan. Other
notable highlights include another song called "Ýstanbul," composed
by French musicians Belle Du Berry and David Lewis; "Ýstanbul (Not
Constantinople)," originally recorded in 1953 by the Canadian group
The Four Lads; "Ýstanbul ist Weit," made famous by Freddy Quinn; and
"Venezia Ýstanbul," written and composed by Franco Battiato.

One particularly notable piece included on the album is world-renowned
Canadian musician Loreena McKennitt’s "The Gates of Ýstanbul." You can
also find "She Took My Soul in Ýstanbul," a piece written by British
artists Marc Almond (known as the "father of electronic music") and
Billy McGee, on the album. Other great songs included are "Telephone
Call from Ýstanbul," "Turkey Turkey" and "Heute fahrt die 18 bis
nach Ýstanbul."

Despite the fact that these songs were all written and composed by
foreign artists inspired by Ýstanbul in different ways, they are
sung by Turkish or Turkey-based artists in the songs’ original
languages. Some of the singers featured on the album are Hakan
Aysev, Þevket Uðurluer, Attila Demircioðlu, Zeliha Sunal, Tuba Onal,
Andy Clayburn, Paul Dwyer, Tanju Aþanel and Bulent Ay. There is
an additional treat awaiting listeners with this new album: a CD
featuring instrumental versions of the songs.

Support for 2010 European Capital of Culture The album’s artistic
director, Bayhan, says the primary goals of this album were to see
Ýstanbul promoted both nationally and internationally and to highlight
the city’s cultural wealth. "When we first set out to look at what
songs had been written and composed about Ýstanbul we were simply
amazed at the sheer number of songs. The work done by my colleagues
Zeliha Sunal and Ahmet Koc, as well as the ideas offered up by the
musicians who worked on this project were all very important," says
Bayhan. Bayhan also notes that this album, with its focus on Ýstanbul
and the inspiration it has provided to art and music over the years,
will also contribute in the upcoming Ýstanbul 2010 European Capital
of Culture venture.

The 12 songs on the album were chosen during a selection period
that lasted six months. Koc, who arranged the songs on the album,
points to the dual dimensions of having songs written and composed
by foreigners but with Turkish interpretations, featuring Turkish
performers and instruments, a combination able to capture all the
aspects of the cultural kaleidoscope presented by this city.