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Home , Isidor Philipp, Ulvi Cemal Erkin, Universal Edition

Symphony No. 2 Violin Concerto • Köçekçe – Dance Rhapsody James Buswell, Violin State Symphony Orchestra Theodore Kuchar Ulvi Cemal Erkin (1906-72) family moved to live with his grandfather. In those days, Returning to in 1930, Ulvi Cemal Erkin began Symphony No. 2 • Violin Concerto • Köçekçe Ulvi Cemal began to study with foreign tutors who taught work as a teacher of and harmony at the Musiki piano to the well-known families of Istanbul. His interest in Muallim Mektebi in , the capital city of the Turkish In the year 1906, in , a 19-year-old woman was civilisation, naturally the accumulated knowledge of and love of music continued throughout his secondary Republic. This school, which had been established a short awaiting the announcement of the Prix de Rome results with centuries was utilised and the way forward was sought in education. While studying at Galatasaray Lycée, one of while earlier with the purpose of training music teachers, great excitement. This prize, given to support young French their own past. the best schools in Istanbul, he made great advances in was to become the Ankara State Conservatoire a few years people in the fields of music and the fine arts, was the cause In the Istanbul into which Ulvi Cemal Erkin was born, learning the piano. later, in accordance with the recommendations of Paul of great competition, especially among students at the Paris the music scene was very different from that in Europe. All The was in decline during those years. Hindemith, and would play a very important rôle in Ulvi Conservatoire. The young woman, whose name was Nadia the music being performed in palace circles and in the A series of wars following World War I had culminated in the Cemal Erkin’s life. He was Director of the school during the Boulanger, had made a name in a short space of time for grand mansions of Istanbul was monophonic and modal. formation of a new state, the Republic of Turkey, in 1923. years 1949-51 and he would continue to work there without her exceptional ability. She had worked with Gabriel Fauré, Most of the instruments in use came from Eastern origins. The territory of the Empire that had been dispersed over a a break for about 42 years, training young Turkish one of the best known musicians of the day, and had Folk music was live and based on uneven (aksak) wide area, gave way to a nation state under the leadership musicians until his death in 1972. endeavoured to learn the fine details of hundreds of years of rhythms which are rather complex for Westerners. of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. This young country was in need Ulvi Cemal Erkin, together with four contemporary French music during her education at the Conservatoire. Successive rhythms such as 5/8, 7/8 and 9/8 gave the of development, renewal and the correction of deficiencies musicians born around the same time and receiving the Unfortunately, she did not reach the final of the Prix de works a different dynamism. in every sphere. In order for the revolution to be successful, same type of education, following the example of the Rome that year, but was awarded second prize two years In 1828, in the time of Sultan Mahmut II, in addition to the young generation needed to be well educated and then “Russian Five”, are known as the “”. Cemal later. In subsequent years, her name would be renowned in traditional music, as a result of the Westernisation to apply their learning for their country. For this reason, it Reşit Rey (1904-85), Hasan Ferdi Alnar (1906-78), Ulvi the history of music as an exceptional teacher, her students undertaken by the Ottoman Empire, a military band was was decided to send able young people abroad on Cemal Erkin (1906-72), Ahmed Adnan Saygun (1907-91) coming from many different regions of the world, including formed in the palace, called “Muzıka-i Hümayun” and scholarships. One of those sent to Paris in the field of music and Necil Kazım Akses (1908-99) took care to combine , Astor Piazzolla, Daniel Barenboim, Philip Giuseppe Donizetti (1788-1856), older brother of Gaetano was Ulvi Cemal Erkin, then 19 years old. Thus an local elements with the contemporary music of the Glass and Dino Lipatti. Donizetti, was brought in as its director. In this way, educational period of five years began for the young man . European countries in which they had been educated. They One of those who was a student of Turkish music, and the percussion instruments of the Ulvi Cemal Erkin spent the years 1925-30 in Paris. successfully established the foundations for contemporary at the end of the 1920s was Ulvi Cemal Erkin. He was Janissary bands, which had been the origin of “Alla Turca” The city was suffering from negative economic effects Turkish music, providing an example for future generations born on 14th March 1906 in Istanbul, the last stop on the works by European in the 1700s, came under following the war with Germany and , but in one of composers. If one compares the development of Orient Express, which departed from Paris. Those were the influence of change coming from the West. sense it resembled a cultural capital of Europe. Many centuries-old Western art in new directions at different times confused times in his country, in Europe and even Polyphonic music, under the auspices of the palace, artists coming from different geographical regions with the emergence of the Turkish Five, one can better throughout the world; the empires of the 19th century began to be developed on Ottoman land, especially in participated in the lively Paris scene, and a more simple appreciate the significance of their achievement. were living out their last days. At the end of World War I, Istanbul. During the 19th century, performances by and everyday artistic consensus emerged in opposition Elements of traditional and folk music are frequently in 1918, not only the Ottoman Empire but also the Austro- visiting groups from Italy and concerts by soloists to romanticism and to Wagner. Ulvi Cemal Erkin was not heard in Ulvi Cemal Erkin’s works. Especially in slow Hungarian Empire and Tsarist Russia were to undergo such as and Henri Vieuxtemps, showed the slow to adapt to this world, which was quite foreign to movements, he uses a modal structure; in his early works radical change. city’s continuing interest in Western-style music. In the him. In addition to improving his knowledge of French to naturally one can hear reflections of the late Romantic and In fact, change in the fields of fine arts and music had palace, there was a rapid increase in members of the the level necessary for his studies, he needed to prepare Impressionist movements that were current in the Paris of begun long before this. Since Wagner, composers had imperial house receiving instruction in Western music and for acceptance into the Paris Conservatoire with many the 1920s. He succeeded in creating his own individual been determined to strain the limits of chromaticism, to there were even some composers among them. However, private lessons. At the Conservatoire he studied piano language in his concertos and symphonic works, with his discover a new language for music and to dispense with considering the absence of any institution giving with and Camille Decreus, harmony with expert use of aksak tones and his sections featuring the tonality. Works such as Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande in instruction to a wide section of the population, even in the , counterpoint with Noel Gallon, and took improvisational aspects of Turkish music. He composed all 1902, and Strauss’ Salome, first performed in 1905, were field of traditional music, until 1917, the very slow growth composition lessons from Nadia Boulanger after types of music with expertise, ranging from pieces for forerunners of this quest. Le Sacré du Printemps, staged in of polyphonic music in Turkey was understandable. entering the École Normale de Musique at the end of the instruments to works for large-scale symphonic orchestras. Paris in 1913, and Schoenberg’s atonal works of the same Ulvi Cemal Erkin opened his eyes in such a musical 1920s. Shortly thereafter Nadia Boulanger, who would The piece by Ulvi Cemal Erkin which is most frequently period were to be striking examples of the point reached by environment; from childhood he grew up in a world full of soon be considered one of the legendary teachers of the heard today both at home and abroad is Köçekçe, first the changes. However, while attempting to demolish the sound, since his mother played the piano and his brother 20th century, became foremost among those who performed on 1st February 1943 by the Presidential forms that had been long established in Western the violin. When he lost his father at the age of seven, the influenced the young Erkin during his Paris years. Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ernst Praetorius. The work takes its inspiration from the traditional köçek (male Ulvi Cemal Erkin James Buswell dancer in women’s clothing), an important component of Turkish recreational life, and was composed for a Photo: Stuart Murtland While still attending Harvard University the American violinist competition in 1942. Köçeks were essential elements of James Buswell became well known as a chamber musician every gathering at which male performers danced to vocal and recitalist. He performed at the opening of the Alice Tully and instrumental , in the days when Hall in New York with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln entertainment was separated for male and female groups. Center, which he later joined as a regular artist-member. He Köçekçe is a dance suite in which traditional percussion has given world premières and made recordings of works by instruments enrich a large symphony orchestra and it is many contemporary composers including Ned Rorem, Yehudi virtually a musical map of Turkey, incorporating Wyner, Gunther Schuller, John Harbison, Gian Carlo Menotti interconnected dance tunes from throughout the country. and Ellen Taafe Zwilich. As a soloist he has performed more Following his Piano Concerto, Köçekçe, and his than one hundred concerts with orchestras on five continents. Symphony No. 1, Ulvi Cemal Erkin’s next major work was He was a GRAMMY® nominee for his recording of the Barber his Violin Concerto, composed during 1946-47. Consisting Violin Concerto with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra of three movements in the Western tradition of Sonata, [Naxos 8.559044]. He has collaborated with distinguished Allegro and Rondo, it is a very modal work with its tonal conductors and has himself conducted opera, ballet, and harmony and a dominant tone in each movement. The symphonic repertoire on five continents. As a teacher he has served on the faculties of both Indiana University and the concerto allows the soloist to display his/her musical and New England Conservatory. technical ability, while the taksim section of the last movement gives the feeling of improvisation that is so often encountered in traditional Turkish violin music. Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra The première of Ulvi Cemal Erkin’s Violin Concerto was to have taken place in 1947 at the Festival, Photo: Cem Göksoy Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra has its roots in the Muzıka-i but for various reasons that concert did not materialise Hümayun orchestra founded in 1827 by Giuseppe Donizetti and it was eventually performed on 2nd April 1949 at the (Donizetti Pasha) and the Istanbul City Orchestra established in opening of the Ankara Opera House, by the Presidental 1945 by the distinguished Turkish Cemal Reşit Rey; Symphony Orchestra conducted by the composer, with in 1972 it achieved its present status under the name Istanbul Lico Amar as soloist. State Symphony Orchestra. In addition to Turkish conductors, Ulvi Cemal Erkin completed his Symphony No. 1 in international conductors such as G.E. Lessing, Anatole 1946 and it was performed in the same year; he began sound in the middle of the movement, gradually decreasing Fistoulari, Aaron Copland, Mircea Basarab, Ilarion Ionescu- work on his Symphony No. 2 in 1948. He completed it three just as it had built up, until silence remains. The beginning Galati, Tadeusz Strugala, Alexander Schwinck, Vladimir years later, in 1951; however, the orchestration was only of the third movement is titled Allegro – Alla Köçekçe. In Fedoseyev, Erich Bergel, Jean Perrisson and Alexander finished in 1958. If one considers that he did not compose this movement, as in his dance suite Köçekçe, Erkin Rahbari have appeared with the orchestra. World-famous another symphony, Erkin’s Symphony No. 2 is the peak of includes dance melodies that he had collected from all four soloists who have performed with the orchestra include André his output in this sphere. As in his other works, the corners of Anatolia. In answer to the assertion that he had Navarra, Leonid Kogan, Heinrich Schiff, Yehudi Menuhin, melodies emerging in modal style are expertly combined taken the themes he used in Köcekçe from folk tunes, the Luciano Pavarotti, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Sabine Meyer, Gidon with Western forms. The second movement of the final movement of Erkin’s Symphony No. 2 consists entirely Kremer, Lazar Berman, Natalia Gutman, Güher-Süher Pekinel, Fazıl Say, İdil Biret, , Leyla Gencer, José symphony consists of a theme and eight variations, of folk tunes he had discovered for himself. The work was Carreras, Ilya Gringolts, Antonio Meneses and Radu Lupu. As well as its regular weekly concerts in Istanbul, the orchestra resembling a passacaglia. On hearing the theme given by first performed on 2nd July 1958 in Munich, by the Munich has toured in various regions of Turkey; it has performed the premières of many works by Turkish composers and has taken the bass instruments, the listener is immediately reminded Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Karl Öhring. part in many international events. The most important of its activities outside Turkey have been concerts in Memphis, USA, of a prayer from a Mevlevi dervish ceremony. The during the exhibition “Suleyman the Magnificent” in 1992; a concert in Munich as part of the Europa Musicale festival in orchestra gradually joins in until there is an explosion of Aydın Büke 1993; a concert at the Athens Festival of 2000; and the opening concert of the Asian Orchestras Week in Tokyo in 2003. Theodore Kuchar

The multiple award-winning conductor Theodore Kuchar appears on over one hundred recordings for the Naxos, Brilliant Classics, Ondine and Marco Polo labels. He has served as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of two of Europe’s leading orchestras, the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra (formerly the Czech Radio Orchestra) (2005-2014) and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine (1994-2004). In the 2011-12 season he began his tenure as the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Venezuela. From 2002 he has served as Music Director and Conductor of the Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra, and of the Reno Chamber Orchestra in the United States from 2003. An avid chamber musician, he served as the Artistic Director of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music from 1990 to 2006. Since 2005 he has been the Artistic Director of the Nevada Chamber Music Festival. Highlights of recent seasons have included a four-week, twenty-concert tour of the United States with the Czech Symphony Orchestra and guest conducting engagements including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Symphony Orchestra of Wales, English Chamber Orchestra, Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel Symphony Orchestra, Prague Symphony Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic and the National Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. He has collaborated with major artists including James Galway, Shlomo Mintz, Jessye Norman, Lynn Harrell, Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Sarah Chang, Mstislav Rostropovich, Joshua Bell and Frederica von Stade. Ulvi Cemal Erkin was one of the ‘Turkish Five’, contemporaries who established the foundations of twentieth-century Turkish music by combining Western forms with their own folk traditions. His most performed work is Köçekçe, a dance suite inspired by the traditional köçek dancers of his native country. The Violin Concerto employs a classical Western structure but also includes a taksim section in its final movement, typical of improvisatory Turkish violin music. The evocative Symphony No. 2 is the apex of Erkin’s symphonic works, its last movement consisting entirely of folk tunes he himself discovered. Ulvi Cemal ERKİN (1906-72) 1 Köçekçe – Dance Rhapsody for Orchestra (1943) 9:20 Violin Concerto (1946-47)* 30:50 2 I. Allegro giusto 14:59 3 II. Adagio 9:18 4 III. Allegro con fuoco 6:33 Symphony No. 2 (1948-58) 27:49 5 I. Allegro non troppo 10:03 6 II. Adagio 8:33 7 III. Allegro – Alla Köçekçe 9:13 James Buswell, Violin* Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra Theodore Kuchar

Recorded at Fulya Cultural Centre, Istanbul, Turkey, on 29th and 30th November, 2014 Produced, engineered and edited by Jaroslav Stráňavský, Music Master Slovakia, (www.musicmaster.sk) This recording was made possible thanks to generous sponsorship from DenizBank, Turkey Publishers: Universal Edition, Vienna (track 1); GmbH & Co. (tracks 2-7) Booklet notes: Aydın Büke • Cover painting: Istanbul Shore by Ivan604 (Fotolia.com)