If you're already a conoisseur of Turkish music, I feel sure you'll like this CD. The recording is very unique: it is actually taken from old records made in the 1920s. The music is performed by recognized early-twentieth-century "masters of Turkish music" (hence the title.) Thus, I personally find the recording appealing from an historical point-of-view. Anyone interested in that particular period in Middle Eastern history (like myself) will find it a valuable addition to his music collection. He might even wax nostalgic.
Nevertheless, it did require a certain amount of time before I got used to listening to this CD and could fully appreciate it. The sounds are so radically different from the European music I'm used to listening to that I had to immerse myself in it for a while and actually force myself to enjoy it. Thankfully, I eventually did. At times, the primitive recording impedes the enjoyment of the music: it is fascinating from an historical and anthropological standpoint (indeed, I bought the CD at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History), but it's not necessarily something you can just sit back and relax to.
So here's a word of advice: if you're considering buying this CD and have not yet ventured into Middle Eastern music, I recommend you hold off until you've "acclimatized" yourself, so to speak, to the rich musical tradition of the region. This is probably not the best CD to begin with, unless you're a real adventurer, though for more rugged listeners, I heartily recommend it.
