Eski Ordu Marşı - 20th Century Turkish Military Music
Eski Ordu Marşı (Old Army March) is a Mehter march composed by Muallim İsmail Hakkı Bey (1865-1927) after the reestablishment of the Mehter band in 1914.
İsmail Hakkı Bey, also known as İsmail Hakkı Aksoy and with the title Muallim (teacher), (b. 1865, Istanbul - d. December 30, 1927, Istanbul) was a Turkish composer and music educator. İsmail Hakkı Bey was born in 1865 in the Balat district of Istanbul, as the son of Reşid Efendi, an official of the "İdare-i Hususiye" (Special Administration). After completing elementary school, İsmail Hakkı started working as an apprentice in a weaving workshop. His recitation of the call to prayer in the mosques near his neighbourhood and workplace drew the attention of a palace muezzin. With the help of this person, İsmail Hakkı entered Muzikayı Hümayun at a young age and received music lessons from Suyolcuzade Latif Ağa and the orchestra conductor Zati Bey. Between 1902 and 1905, while teaching music at Darülirfan School on Belediye Street in Kadıköy, he also served as the chief cashier at the Ministry of Finance. After the Second Constitutional Era, he was among the founders of the Ottoman Music Society (Dârülmûsikî-i Osmanî). He became the second director of this society after Hafız Aşir Efendi. Due to differences of opinion, he parted ways with the Ottoman Music Society. In March 1909, he established the Ottoman Music Society on Fevziye Kıraathanesi in Şehzadebaşı. İsmail Hakkı Bey (1865-1927) is known for writing many of today's popular mehter marches, including "Ceddin Deden." He passed away on December 30, 1927, and was buried in the Eğrikapı Cemetery in Istanbul.
Turkish Lyrics
Ey şanlı ordu, ey şanlı asker
Haydi gazanfer umman-ı safter
Bir elde kalkan, bir elde hançer
Serhadde doğru ey şanlı asker.
Deryada olsa herşey muzaffer
Dillerde tekbir, Allahu ekber
Allahu ekber, Allahu ekber
Ordumuz olsun daim muzaffer.
English Lyrics
O glorious army! O great soldier,
Come on the glorious sea of bastion smashers,
A shield in one hand and the dagger in the other,
Let's advance to the border O gallant soldier.
May everything be victorious in this sea.
Chanting the Takbir, Allah is the greatest
Allah is greatest, Allah is greatest,
May our army be eternally victorious.