Genel

The Melodies of This Land

Dedicated to the sacred memory of the ancient peoples of these lands and to hearts now free of space and time…

Çimen Yalçın has come to be known as “the voice that made Turkey shed tears”: She is an Artist of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in singing and her voice that lends expression to the many unique tones of Anatolia has become well-known especially for her singing featured in television series. Now, her first solo album “The Melodies of This Land” is being released by Kalan Music.

“The Melodies of This Land” is the product of a long process. Çimen Yalçın first had the idea for a solo album in 2014, however, actual work on the album began in 2016, with the arrangement of a song titled “Solduktan Geri [If My Rose Has Faded]” with words by Karacaoğlan, a 17th century poet, and music by the artist herself. The repertoire for the album changed many times over the five years it took until completion. The list initially featured mainly folk songs, however, Hasan Saltık, the album’s producer, suggested that “We must try something different”, triggering a great change in approach.

New lyrics were written for the carefully selected folk songs in different languages by literary masters Barış Pirhasan, İbrahim Karaca and Sibel Algan. Encouraged by Hasan Saltık in her musical compositions, the works of Çimen Yalçın were also included in the album. Finally, compositions by esteemed musicians Hüsnü Arkan, Murat İşbilen and Ümit Sayın were added to the repertoire, rendering the album a colourful bouquet of folk melodies, resonating the sounds of the lands of Anatolia and the voices of the peoples that inhabited it.

Meticulous care was taken during the selection of the list of songs and in accordance with the character of the distinct melodies, upon Hasan Saltık’s suggestion, each song was matched with a different arranger, an unconventional approach for a solo album. The distinguished music arrangers of the album are Cumhur Bakışkan, Erol Mutlu, Engin Arslan, Mayki Murat Başaran, Kemal Sahir Gürel, Ender Akay, Sunay Özgür, Barış Güney, Volkan Kaplan and Ari Hergel.

“The Melodies of This Land” comprises 15 works, with songs and traditional songs performed in Turkish, Azerbaijani, Kurdish and the Laz language, and also Iranian, Armenian and Balkan melodies performed with new lyrics. The richness of Anatolia in all its breadth is thus reflected in the artist’s voice. The album was completed with the contributions of ten different music arrangers and more than a hundred musicians, a collective work of great commitment. Esteemed musician Cengiz Özkan makes a guest appearance, and this album is the last album produced from start to finish by the late Hasan Saltık.