Saygun Ahmed Adnan Saygun

Ahmed Adnan Saygun (Turkish pronunciation: [ahˈmed adˈnan sajˈɡun]; 7 September 1907 – 6 January 1991) was a Turkish composer, musicologist and writer on music.

One of a group of composers known as the Turkish Five who pioneered western classical music in Turkey, his works show a mastery of Western musical practice, while also incorporating traditional Turkish folk songs and culture. When alluding to folk elements he tends to spotlight one note of the scale and weave a melody around it, based on a Turkish mode. His extensive output includes five symphonies, five operas, two piano concertos, concertos for violin, viola and cello, and a wide range of chamber and choral works.

The Times called him "the grand old man of Turkish music, who was to his country what Jean Sibelius is to Finland, what Manuel de Falla is to Spain, and what Béla Bartók is to Hungary". Saygun was growing up in Turkey he witnessed radical changes in his country’s politics and culture as the reforms of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk had replaced the Ottoman Empire—which had ruled for nearly 600 years—with a new secular republic based on Western models and traditions. As Atatürk had created a new cultural identity for his people and newly founded nation, Saygun found his role in developing what Atatürk had begun.

Works

Operas

• Op. 9 Özsoy (one act), 1934
• Op. 11 Taşbebek (one act), 1934
• Op. 28 Kerem (three acts), 1947–52
• Op. 52 Köroğlu (three acts, based on the Epic of Koroghlu), 1973
• Op. 65 Gılgameş, 1964–1983

Ballets

• Op.17 Bir Orman Masalı (A Forest Tale), 1939–43
• Op.75 Kumru Efsanesi (Legend of Kumru), 1986–89

Orchestral

• Op.1 Divertimento, (large orchestra wıth saxophone and darbuka), 1930
• Op.10/b İnci's Book (Symphonic arrangement), 1944
• Op.13 Magic Dance, 1934
• Op.14 Suite for Orchestra, 1936
• Op.24 Halay, 1943
• Op.29 Symphony No. 1, 1953
• Op.30 Symphony No. 2, 1958
• Op.39 Symphony No. 3, 1960
• Op.53 Symphony No. 4, 1974
• Op.57 Ritual Dance, 1975
• Op.70 Symphony No. 5, 1985
• Op.72 Variations for Orchestra, 1985

Vocal/choral-orchestral

• Op.3 Laments (tenor solo and male choir), 1932
• Op.6 Kızılırmak Türküsü (folk song for soprano), 1933
• Op.16 Masal Lied (baritone solo), 1940
• Op.19 Cantata in the Old Style (soloists and chorus), 1941
• Op.21 Geçen Dakikalarım (baritone solo), 1941
• Op.23 Four Folk Songs, 1945
• Op.26 'Yunus Emre' Oratorio, oratorio (soloists, choir, orchestra), 1942
• Op.41 Ten Folk Songs, 1968
• Op.54 Laments - Book II (tenor solo, male voices), 1974
• Op.60 Mediations on Men I, 1977
• Op.61 Mediations on Men II, 1977
• Op.63 Mediations on Men III, 1983
• Op.64 Mediations on Men IV, 1978
• Op.66 Mediations on Men V, 1978
• Op.67 Epics on Atatürk and Anatolia, 1981
• Op.69 Mediations on Men VI, 1984

Concertante

• Op.34 Piano Concerto No. 1, 1952–58
• Op.44 Violin Concerto, 1967
• Op.59 Viola Concerto, 1977
• Op.71 Piano Concerto No. 2, 1985
• Op.74 Cello Concerto, 1987

Chamber

• Op.4 Intuitions ( two clarinets), 1933
• Op.8 Percussion Quartet (clarinet, saxophone, piano, percussion), 1933
• Op.12 Sonata (piano-cello), 1935
• Op.20 Sonata (piano- violin), 1941
• Op.27 String Quartet No.1, 1947
• Op.33 Demet, Suite for violin and piano,1955
• Op.35 String Quartet No.2, 1957
• Op.37 Trio (oboe, clarinet, harp), 1966
• Op.43 String Quartet No.3, 1966
• Op.46 Wind Quintet, 1968
• Op.49 Deyiş "Dictum" (strings), 1970
• Op.50 Three Preludes (two harps), 1971
• Op.55 Trio (oboe, clarinet, piano), 1975
• Op.62 Concerto da Camera (strings), 1978
• Op.68 Three Folk Songs for Four Harps, 1983
• Op.78 String Quartet No.4-two movements, 1990

Instrumental

• Op.31 Partita for Cello,1954
• Op.36 Partita for Violin, 1961

Piano

• Op.2 Suite for Piano, 1931
• Op.10/a İnci's Book, 1934
• Op.15 Piano Sonatina, 1938
• Op.25 From Anatolia, 1945
• Op.38 Ten Etudes on "Aksak" Rhythms, 1964
• Op.45 Twelve Preludes on "Aksak" Rhythms,1967
• Op.47 Fifteen Pieces on "Aksak" Rhythms, 1967
• Op.58 Ten Sketches on "Aksak" Rhythms, 1976
• Op.51 Short Things, 1950–52
• Op.56 Ballade (two pianos), 1975
• Op.73 Poem for Three Pianos, 1986
• Op.76 Poem for Two Pianos, 1989?
• Op.77 Piano Sonata, 1990?

Choral

• Op.5 Folk Song, 1933
• Op.7 Çoban Armağanı, 1933
• Op.18 Dağlardan Ovalardan, 1939
• Op.22 Bir Tutam Kekik, 1943, last section variations on Kâtibim
• Op.42 Impressions (three female voices), 1935

Vocal

• Op.32 Three Ballades, 1955
• Op.48 Four Melodies, 1977