Şarkılar Seni Söyler - Muzaffer İlkar - 20th Century Turkish Music

"Şarkılar Seni Söyler" (Songs sing about you) was composed by Muzaffer İlkar, and its lyrics were written by Fakih Özlem. The song is in the Nihavend makam (mode).

Muzaffer İlkar was born in Istanbul in 1910. His interest in music was noticed by his music teacher during his primary school years. While attending Kadıköy İdadi school, he joined the Şark Musiki Society. He started to learn his first music knowledge from Leon Hancıyan, Bogos Efendi, and Dr Hamit Bey, and started to participate in fasıls due to the interest of their close family friend, Fulya Hanım. Later, İlkar was recognized by the Radio Administration after being successful in a competition held by a newspaper, and he began taking lessons from the instructors Kemani Raşit Erer, Mesut Cemil Bey, and Kanuni Vecihe Derya. In 1929, he began his career as a composer with his first work, the song "Bu Aşkın Namesiyle Coşmuştu Gönül" in the Nihavent makam. In 1938, he married Zeynep Dizen. In the same year, he came to Ankara with the opening of Ankara Radio. He was trained by meticulous masters such as Nuri Halil Poyraz, Refik Fersan, and Mesut Cemil. After advancing his knowledge of makam, style, and theory, he started attending the Ankara State Conservatory. He took lessons in every aspect of Western music from Cevat Memduh Atlar, Nurullah Şevket Taşkıran, Ulvi Cemal Erkin, and Saadet İkesustan for three years. In 1955, he was appointed as the Turkish Music Director of Ankara Radio. Muzaffer İlkar, who retired from the Turkish Music Directorate of Ankara Radio in 1975, is still one of the most played composers with his works that will never be forgotten in people's memories and hearts, even after years have passed. Sibel Egemen, a light Western music singer, is the composer's granddaughter. Muzaffer İlkar passed away on February 23, 1987, in Istanbul.

Turkish Lyrics

Şarkılar seni söyler,
Dillerde nağme adın,
Aşk gibi, sevdâ gibi,
Huysuz ve tatlı kadın.

En güzel günlerini
Demek bensiz yaşadın,
Aşk gibi, sevdâ gibi,
Huysuz ve tatlı kadın.

English Translation

Songs sing about you
Your name echoes on tongues
Like love, like passion
Moody and sweet woman

You spent your best days,
They say, without me
Like love, like passion
Moody and sweet woman.