SAZ IN THE MUSICAL TRADITION OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

The oldest proofs of the existence of stringed instruments can be found in the archeological materials of Sumerian civilization. There are several opinions of the origins of saz on the Balkan peninsula. The widest spread assumption is that saz was brought by the Ottomans in the 15th century. On the other hand, some historical writings claim that Slavs were familiar with tambouras long before the arrival of Ottomans in our regions, as early as in the 6th century. A similar opinion is shared by Turkish musicologist Mahmut Ragıp Gazimihal (1900-1961), who claims that the precursor of saz, kopuz, was used in the folk music of Balkan peoples as early as in the 9th century. In his study Introductory views of the Asian origin of some Turkish musical instruments, he claims as follows: The main instrument which served as the accompaniment to folk songs was kopuz, with plucked strings; it is traditional among Asian Turks, and was the national instruments of the Ottomans until the 17th century. At present, few people know its name, but its offspring can be found everywhere; it is the forefathers of sazes with metal strings, which are presently used. It should be noted that this instrument spread across the Balkans in the 9th century, apparently before the arrival of Turks in whole Anatolia (Asia Minor). At present, its diverse kinds are in use, which differ only by the number of strings, although differences in the order, timbre and construction can be observed in different places. Sazes are objects of particular respect. (Gazimihal, 1955) 

Saz draws its origin from Persia. The term has a multiple meaning. It can refer to: voice (söz); a stringed or wind instrument; music and playing in general; and to the song (saz şarkı). It is certain that saz has been developing for centuries, traveling to the Middle Asia to Anatolia, and then to the Balkans. Today, varieties of saz can be found in traditions of many nations, from Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, all the way to the Muslim community Uyghur in China. Each ethnic community adjusted the instrument to its own folklore, and it is the reason for many varieties of saz and its names. The variety of the saz in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the most similar to Iranian dutar and Turkish bağlama and aşık saz. Some of these varieties have served for performing lyric songs, which is certainly a feature of our musical tradition as well.

It is a fact that in Bosnia and Herzegovina, saz has become a unique and particular variety of the instrument. Since sevdalinka is the widest spread form of urban musical tradition, saz has established itself as an appropriate instrument for its accompaniment. Unlike shargia and other tambouras used in folk (original) music characteristics of Northeast Bosnia, which serve as the accompaniment to vocal forms of rural musical tradition, saz used to be related exclusively to the urban musical tradition. It was used as a solo instrument which most often accompanied one's own singing, and later on another singer's singing. Interest in saz was mostly expressed by the Muslim population of the Balkans, who openly accepted it so that saz has become the primary musical instrument of Muslim aristocracy, and a status symbol of bey families.

Saz is a stringed (chordophone) instrument which belongs to the family of long-necked lutes. It is the longest chordophone instrument in our musical tradition, and consequently has the widest sound range. Saz strings are made of metal, and their number varies from six to sixteen, though the most often found sazes have eight, ten or twelve strings. In our regions, saz is typically tuned in three different pitches (c-g-f). Older saz players used the term ugađanje for tuning the strings, and other terms for to tune were uduzeniti or oduzeniti. Tone on saz is produced by plucking a string with a plectrum with the right hand, and the term for plucking is terzijan (Pers. tâziyâne – whip). The technique of producing sound by plucking strings resulted in the term knocking, rather than playing, for music-making on saz. Saz players also use the term prebiranje for this technique of music making. The sound of saz is unique in many respects and completely different from any other stringed instrument in our traditional music, and it is the most similar to quivering of the reed. The saz player always sits when playing and the vocal section of the song is preceded by the instrumental prelude.

Saz is made of wood. It consists of two parts, the soundboard, the name of which kutla (ladle) indicates curvature, and the neck, which is also called the handle or the hilt. Different parts of saz are made of different kinds of wood; kutla is typically made of poplar, walnut, (wild) cherry or mulberry wood; the plank (which is fastened to the kutla) is made of fir-wood, while the neck is made of plum, walnut or cherry wood.  The plank (tahta, glasnjača) on the kutla has openings, called zvučnicas, which serve for better spreading of the sound. Frets on the neck are called perdas or perdes. One end of the strings is fastened to the kutla, while the other end (on the neck) is wound on the pegs, which allows tightening the strings and determining the necessary pitch. On top of the neck there is usually a tassel (a bundle of threads), which has an aesthetic function. 

Particular attention was attached to decorating the saz. It was decorated with pieces of mother-of-pearl (the inner layer of some shells) or by engraving floral motifs. The perdas were ornated with silver threads. Sazes decorated in this way are very rare today. The present sazes are mostly decorated by engraving or by pyrography. 

In the past, saz was used almost exclusively by men, while today there are also female performers, although they are fairly rare. Besides the soloist use of saz, one could also find the simultaneous music-making by a group of saz players, which was calledtakum(Tur. takım – together). The lasttakumof saz players consisted of Sarajevo saz players Asimaga Jasika, Edhemaga Sulejmanbašić, Salih Hodžić “Tabačeˮ, Hamdija Hadžihalilović and Ćamilaga Čadro in 1930, who played within the Muslim cultural-artistic society “Gajretˮ. Seventy-three years later, this form of music making in Bosnia and Herzegovina was revived by Omer Pobrić in 2003, within the project “Saz in Bosnia”.The arrival of Austro-Hungarian Empire in Bosnia and Herzegovina brought about a new lifestyle, and therefore saz began to gradually lose its popularity. Still, due to the love for this instrument and enthusiasm of individuals, the performing practice has survived until this day. The tradition of performingsevdalinkawith saz accompaniment is still alive, and the number of excelling saz players in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not negligible. Today's sazes differ considerably from old ones; the differences can be seen in all the segments, and there have been visible improvements in many respects. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, interest in saz has recently been particularly great among young generations. Many events and concert of saz music are taking place. There are also associations of saz players in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The most representative example is atakumof saz players within the Saz Players' Association “Sevdahˮ from Živinice. This association and their playing is a unique example in the Balkans.

Sources

• Milošević, Vlado (1962), Saz, Banja Luka: Zbornik krajiških muzeja I

• Ovčina, Mirsad, emisija „U đul-bašti“, intervju sa sazlijom Šukrijom Trakom, Radio BIR, 2020.

• Pandurević, Tatjana (1986), Saz u Bosni (Obrazloženje terminologije, tehnologije izrade, ergologije i tonskih osobenosti; diplomski rad), Sarajevo: Muzička akademija u Sarajevu