Formation of the Turkish Republic
Donald Macleod explores what impact the newly formed Turkish Republic made on music.
Donald Macleod explores what impact the newly formed Turkish Republic made on music.
In 1923 the Turkish Republic came into being. On the agenda for the founding father and first president, Mustafa Kemal Atat葪rk, was the aim to develop a new Turkish musical language, and to disassociate culturally with the Ottoman past. This new musical culture would be a blend of traditional Turkish music, in combination with Western classical music. The Republic funded musicians to study in Europe, who were then expected to return to Turkey and develop what they had learned. Through this cultural exchange, Western music began to be experienced more widely by audiences across Turkey, whilst Turkish music was also introduced to listeners around the world, including Europe and the USA.
A group of composers known as the Turkish Five were pioneers in this movement to form a synthesis between East and West. They included Cemal Re艧it Rey (1904-1985), Ulvi Cemal Erkin (1906-1972), Hasan Ferit Alnar (1906-1978), Ahmet Adnan Saygun (1907-1991) and Necil K芒zim Akses (1908-1999). The Turkish Five became hugely influential in their home country as composers, teachers, conductors and artistic directors, and also became well known abroad, receiving many honours.
Some European music was known in Turkey, prior to the formation of the Turkish Republic. Giuseppe Donizetti, elder brother of the famed opera composer Gaetano Donizetti, was employed by the Sultan as General Instructor of Imperial Ottoman Music. By 1923 a greater influence of Western classical music in Turkey was seen as advantageous by the new hierarchy. Joining Donald Macleod to discuss this turning point in Turkish music is Prof. Mine Do臒antan-Dack, and Dr. Emri Araci.
Ulvi Cemal Erkin
Camdan sakiz akiyor (Seven Folk Songs)
Mustafa 陌ktu, bass-baritone
Budapest Symphony Orchestra
Hikmet 艦im艧ek, conductor
Ahmet Adnan Saygun
Meseli, Op 25 (Anadolu鈥檇an)
Zeynep 脺莽ba艧aran, piano
Necil K芒zim Akses
Concerto for Orchestra (excerpt)
Hungarian State Orchestra
Rengim G枚kmen, conductor
Cemal Re艧it Rey
Three Turkish Folks Songs (Twelve Anatolish Folk Songs)
Suna Korat, soprano
Budapest Symphony Orchestra
Hikmet 艦im艧ek, conductor
Hasan Ferit Alnar
Piano Trio (excerpt)
Bosphorus Trio
Ahmed Adnan Saygun
Piano Concerto No 1, Op 34 (excerpt)
G眉lsin Onay, piano
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Howard Griffiths, conductor
Produced by Luke Whitlock
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- Mon 24 Feb 2025 16:00大象传媒 Radio 3
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