Tango first came to Turkey through 78 rpm stone records. In addition to the recordings in Istanbul by Gramophone, and stone record market, which was quite dynamic then, the availability had been increased by the imports from Europe. That was why Turkish public knew the European Tango at the beginning.

The young Turkish Republic from the 1920's was prone to the new European life styles, the time when the distinction between the man and woman faded out. And tango was the symbol of the era.

Some reformist composers had started to produce polyphonic music, operetta, duet. The first Turkish Tango," Mazi (The Past)", was composed by Necip Celal Andel in 1928, and recorded in 1932. Its' singer was Seyyan Hanim (*) (Oskay).

Although "Mazi" is accepted to be the first Turkish tango we should clarify some points; The song "Tango Turk" that was composed by Muhlis Sabahattin Bey (*) was released from "His Master's Voice", and it is registered in their catalogue of 1928 with the key AX 467. Tango Turk was an instrumental composition.

In addition, "Gul Tango (Tango Rose)", "Sivekar (Coquettish)", "Sevda (Passion)", were sung by Afife Hanim, one of the solists from Operetta Sureyya, and recorded around 1930. These songs were originally from European composers but performed in Turkish.

Stone recordings witness that "Tango Turk" is the first instrumental tango, and "Mazi" is the first Turkish tango.

After Necip Celal, there came Fehmi Ege, Mustafa Sükrü, Kadri Cerrahoglu, Necdet Koyuturk, and the other composers. The themes covered love, passion, disappointment, nostalgia, separation, etc. and the music was also inspired by the wide traditional effects.

Celal Ince, Secaattin Tanyerli, Birsen Alsan, Ibrahim Ozgur, Mefharet Atalay, Birsen Hanim, Afife Hanim, Saime Sengul, Nezahat Onaner, Zehra Eren are some of the Turkish tango solists.

Orhan Avsar, the first bandoneonist from Turkey, has a very distinct role in the Turkish Tango History stemming from his outstanding efforts in Turkey on behalf of Argentine Tango.

(*) Hanim and Bey are very popular Turkish words to address women and men, respectively, in a warm, and respectful manner.

Ataturk, dancing with Afet Hanim on Ship Izmir at the 10th anniversary ceremony of Turkish Is Bank.

The resource of the photography is;
Ozgun Belge ve Fotograflarla Ataturk,
(Ataturk by Original Documents and Photograpy), S. Eris Ulger,
TBMM (Grand National Assembly of Turkey), 1996

Eduardo Bianco and his Orchestra - who had concerts in Istanbul between 1938 / 1951 -  and the "Istanbul Park Otel Orchestra" and its' Argentinean bandoneonist Tapia Colman have an important role in athe daptation of Argentine Tango in Turkey.

As a bandoneonist, conductor, arranger, and composer Orhan Avsar has the privilege of being the symbol of Argentine Tango in Turkey. At his earlier age he moved to Argentine with his family, and there attended to private lessons on music, and bandoneon. Upon his return to Turkey he established his first orchestra, the  "Orchestra Tipica".

He will always be remembered in Turkey, with the word Tango. After he died, Istanbul Radio Management broadcasted his recordings for a long time. His orchestra continued to play under the conduction of first Zekai Apaydin, and then Alex Keleci. The name of the orchestra was changed to Radio Istanbul Orhan Avsar Tango Orchestra.

One of his best friends, Dr. Sami Ucar composed an instrumental tango on the name of his memory; "For Orhan Avsar". This, pretty common gesture among the Argentinean musicians, is an indication of warm friendship as well as the adaptation of the Argentine Tango culture among the Turkish composers.