A Magical Evening with Evgeny Grinko and Turkish Melodies

Hello, I want to tell you about an unforgettable moment my wife and I had at Evgeny Grinko's concert on July 3rd.

You probably know Evgeny; he's known as the silent genius of music. He was born in the cold lands of Russia in 1984. His interest in music from a young age drew him into the magical world of notes and rhythms. This interest grew stronger with his piano and classical music compositions during his youth.

Listen while you read:

My wife, Nare Buse, bought tickets for Evgeny Grinko’s concert, but I didn’t know much about him; I only thought of him as a pianist who played sad music. I usually avoid sad music because I believe in being happy when reading or listening to music, as life is already full of drama.

Since I play the bağlama (a Turkish musical instrument), I’m not a stranger to art. But I play it less because of the sad stories in our folk songs. Every folk singer wrote their songs from pain and shared their sorrow through their instrument. Each song has a story, and learning these stories makes me sad.

Nare asked if she should buy tickets for our “crybaby” pianist. I briefly said, “No.” Guess what she did? She bought them anyway! She might have even bought them before asking. I don’t know, and I don’t want to know. 😂

Like a fool, I said, “Why did you spend money on that? Why don’t you listen to me?” I was rude and prejudiced until the first song of the concert. I thought we would only listen to sad piano pieces and fall asleep. This negative thought showed on my face as we went to the concert.

When we arrived at Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theater and found our seats, I saw more than just a big piano. There were three violins, an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, a synthesizer, an accordion, a cello, and drums. My feelings changed at that moment.

Evgeny Grinko came on stage and shyly said "Good evening" in Turkish before starting his first piece. I realized again how harmful prejudice can be. The concert lasted about two hours, and he played "Valse," "Epilogue," "Carousel," "Faulkner's Sleep," "Field," "Once Upon A Time," "Prologue," "Noir," "Winter Sunshine," and "Serenade."

His music is more than just a performance; it's an emotional journey. While listening to his pieces, you might feel like you're in a Russian village on a quiet winter morning or in the melancholic atmosphere of an autumn evening. His minimalist style and elegant piano sounds draw listeners into a poetic dream. Blending classical music elements with a modern approach, Grinko offers a balanced mix of sadness and peace in each piece. His performances give listeners both melancholic and hopeful moments.

When I listen to his notes, I imagine Russian novel characters: people selling their coats for vodka, wandering penniless in the streets, constantly questioning the meaning of life, living deep sorrows and existential crises. His music raises so many questions that it's impossible not to reflect on one's own life.

Throughout his career, Grinko has composed countless pieces and performed concerts worldwide. Each performance speaks the universal language of music and touches hearts. He finds meaning even in the spaces between notes. With his piano, he expresses the purest emotions of life and gives listeners a chance to find themselves. His works are timeless and universal; each listening brings a new story and a new feeling. Grinko, as a silent hero of music, will always leave his listeners in deep peace and melancholy.

During one part of this unique concert, he played the Turkish folk song "Uzun İnce Bir Yoldayım" by Aşık Veysel with two half notes (Do and Re), a full note (Re), and descending quarter notes (Do Si La). We all realized what he was playing and applauded (I didn't clap because I believe clapping before the piece is finished is disrespectful to the artist. Whistling is even worse. It annoys me when people do that). I didn't even know he had learned and played this piece. Just a month ago, he recorded a video of it on top of a truck and shared it on YouTube.

After performing “Uzun İnce Bir Yoldayım” emotionally with piano, violins, and cello, Grinko explained how he discovered this piece. From his broken English, I understood that he wanted to play a famous Turkish song during his visit to Turkey. His friends suggested he play a song by Barış Manço, a beloved Turkish artist. While listening to Barış’s songs, he came across “Uzun İnce Bir Yoldayım” and loved it. Later, he found out it was by Aşık Veysel. After researching Veysel’s story, he connected even more with the song and immediately recorded it in the studio.

Love is universal. Pain is universal. Everyone has feelings, and they are the same for everyone. We all feel sadness and joy. A sad opera or a slow emotional song touches our hearts. Similarly, our folk songs can touch the hearts of people who don’t even know our language. There are many people who love and perform our works without knowing Turkish:

Jordi Savall: A Catalan composer and violist with albums including Ottoman-era works and Turkish music.

Café Aman Istanbul: This group brings together musicians from different countries to play Ottoman and Turkish classical music pieces.

The Turbans: An international music group with members from various countries, interpreting Turkish folk music and Ottoman-era pieces with a modern approach.

And many more…

After Grinko and his team took their final bows, the applause didn’t stop. As they were about to leave the stage, the audience chanted, “One more, one more!” They returned to the stage and played “Valse” again. Grinko then took the microphone and said in Turkish, “Thank you very much,” and in English, he said he had one more piece if we would join him. We all shouted, “Yes!”

They started playing "Uzun İnce Bir Yoldayım" again. After the first verse, we all began to sing along. My wife Nare's hand in mine, we swayed in harmony with Grinko's melodies, singing along to the folk song. With each note, our hearts grew closer, and our spirits united in the same rhythm. At that moment, it was just us and the magic of the music; we were lost in pure happiness, looking into each other's eyes. This unique moment reminded us once again of the power of love and music, making us feel whole.

Thank you very much, Grinko. You've embarked on an endless journey with our folk songs, starting with Veysel. Take good care of yourself.

This article originally published on Medium