Çulpan ZARİPOVA ÇETİN

The earliest evidence concerning the traditional instruments of Tatar Turks derives from the litereature such as mythological narrative, story and legend which renders the excellent information about the life style, traditions and the musical instruments of a society. Besides, this literature contains not only the names of the instruments but also the means of their production and its circumstances (when the heroes had troubles and longed for their contries and beloveds).
It is because of the fact that most of the stories, myths and legends appeared during the nomadic life of Tatars, the instruments used by them represent the ones common for all the Turkic nomadic societies: kopuz, dombra, drum, saz, sornay, kuray (pipe). However, the musical instruments used by Tatar Turks modifies: ckripka (violin) and garmun (similar to accordion) becomes more popular than kopuz and ckripka (keman) and dombra. Both Dombra and kuray naturally do not lose their popularity.
Both kuray and garmun are known in present days, which are played in the national festivals and traditional banquets of Tatar Turks and recall their nomadic life style. Garmun is mentioned in ballads and in traditional Turkish quatrain forms more than in stories.
Key Words: Tatar, instrument, National Culture, Folk Literature.