Episodes

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202501Formation Of The Turkish Republic20250224Donald Macleod explores what impact the newly formed Turkish Republic made on music.

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 Doğantan-Dack, and Dr. Emri Araci.

Camdan sakiz akiyor (Seven Folk Songs)

Mustafa İktu, bass-baritone

Budapest Symphony Orchestra

Hikmet Şimşek, conductor

Meseli, Op 25 (Anadolu'dan)

Zeynep Üçbaşaran, piano

Concerto for Orchestra (excerpt)

Hungarian State Orchestra

Rengim Gökmen, conductor

Three Turkish Folks Songs (Twelve Anatolish Folk Songs)

Suna Korat, soprano

Piano Trio (excerpt)

Bosphorus Trio

Ahmed Adnan Saygun

Piano Concerto No 1, Op 34 (excerpt)

Gülsin Onay, piano

Bilkent Symphony Orchestra

Howard Griffiths, conductor

Donald Macleod delves into musical life prior to the Turkish Republic.

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Donald Macleod explores what impact the newly formed Turkish Republic made on music.

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 Doğantan-Dack, and Dr. Emre Araci.

Camdan sakiz akiyor (Seven Folk Songs)

Mustafa İktu, bass-baritone

Budapest Symphony Orchestra

Hikmet Şimşek, conductor

Meseli, Op 25 (Anadolu'dan)

Zeynep Üçbaşaran, piano

Concerto for Orchestra (excerpt)

Hungarian State Orchestra

Rengim Gökmen, conductor

Three Turkish Folks Songs (Twelve Anatolish Folk Songs)

Suna Korat, soprano

Piano Trio (excerpt)

Bosphorus Trio

Ahmed Adnan Saygun

Piano Concerto No 1, Op 34 (excerpt)

Gülsin Onay, piano

Bilkent Symphony Orchestra

Howard Griffiths, conductor

Donald Macleod delves into musical life prior to the Turkish Republic.

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202502Studying In Europe20250225Donald Macleod explores what impact studying in Europe had on the Turkish Five.

Four members of the Turkish Five competed for, and were awarded state funded scholarships to study in Europe. The eldest of the group, Cemal Reşit Rey, had already moved to Europe prior to the formation of the Turkish Republic. Western teachers who influenced the Turkish Five included Gabriel Fauré, Joseph Marx, Nadia Boulanger, Alois Hába, and Vincent d'Indy. Prof. Mine Doğantan-Dack. Dr. Emri Araci joins Donald Macleod to discuss the impact these studies in Europe had on the Turkish Five, and the development of their music.

Şu Yamaçta (8 Piano Pieces)

Beyza Yazgan, piano

Nomad Zeybek Air (Turkish Scenes)

Budapest Symphony Orchestra

Hikmet Şimşek, conductor

Five Turkish Piano Pieces (excerpt)

Burak Çebi, piano

Theme and Variations, Op 2

Kathryn Woodard, piano

String Quartet No 1, Op 27 (excerpt)

Quatuor Danel

Piano Concerto (excerpt)

Gülsin Onay, piano

Bilkent Symphony Orchestra

José Serebrier, conductor

Donald Macleod follows the Turkish Five to Europe.

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202503Return To Turkey20250226Donald Macleod explores the opportunities the Turkish Five found after travelling home from their time abroad.

During the 1930s all members of the Turkish Five returned home, and started to develop their careers as conductors and teachers. They also began to compose new music, fusing their native styles with what they had learned in Europe. Joining Donald Macleod is Prof. Mine Doğantan-Dack, and Dr. Emri Araci, who explore what music tuition was like in Turkey, during this period. They also discuss how the rise of Nazism in the West led to a stream of European musicians heading to Turkey.

Uyuşuk Dans (8 Piano Pieces)

Beyza Yazgan, piano

Feast (Instantanés)

Hungarian State Orchestra

Cem Mansur, conductor

Duyuşlar (excerpt)

Yunus Emre, Op 26 (excerpt)

Ibolya Verebics, soprano

Éva Pánczél, soprano

György Korondy, tenor

Sándor Blazsó, bass

Hungarian Radio and Television Chorus

Budapest Symphony Orchestra

Hikmet Şimşek, conductor

Violin Concerto (Adagio – Allegro)

Cihat Aşkın, violin

NDR Radiophilharmonie

Rengim Gökmen, conductor

Donald Macleod follows the Turkish Five as they return home after their studies.

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202504Continued Ties With The West20250227Donald Macleod explores the Turkish Five's continued links with the West including Ahmet Adnan Saygun's visit to the UK and his meeting with British composer Michael Tippett.

After World War Two, the Turkish Five continued to develop their ties with the West. It was in during a visit to Madrid in 1953 that Cemal Reşit Rey composed his symphonic poem Fatih Sultan Mehmet “Le Conquerant ?. Hasan Ferit Alnar developed his career as a conductor not only in Turkey, but also in Austria and Germany. Ahmet Adnan Saygun was invited to Britain as part of a cultural exchange. Prof. Mine Doğantan-Dack, and Dr. Emri Araci join Donald Macleod once again, to explore this period and the music composed.

Piano Quintet (Ritmico e enérgico)

Deniz Arman Gelenbe, piano

Budapest Haydn Quartet

Andante (Ten Piano Pieces)

Beyza Yazgan, piano

Halay, Op 25 (Anadolu'dan)

Zeynep Üçbaşaran, piano

String Quartet No 2, Op 35 (Grave)

Quatuor Danel

Hungarian State Orchestra

Cem Mansur, conductor

Concerto for QĀ?nūn and String Orchestra (Allegro poco moderato)

Tahir Aydoğdu, QĀ?nūn

Anadolu Yaylı Çalgılar Dörtlüsü

Donald Macleod explores the Turkish Five's continued links with the West.

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202505 LASTLegacy Of The Turkish Five20250228Donald Macleod examines the ongoing legacy of the Turkish Five and asks if the cultural agenda of the early Turkish Republic damaged or even destroyed authentic Turkish music.

In this final episode, Donald Macleod is once again joined by Prof. Mine Doğantan-Dack, and Dr. Emri Araci who explore the final decades of these five Turkish composers. What exactly has been the lasting impact and legacy of the Turkish Five? Did the early Turkish Republic with its turn to the West, destroy authentic Turkish music? Why did composers such as Saygun feel ignored in their final years?

Köröğlu Op 41 (Ten Turkish Folk Songs)

Ayhan Baran, bass

Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra

Hikmet Şimşek, conductor

Piano Trio Suite (Türk Aksağı)

Cihat Aşkın, violin

Gülgȗn Akagün Sarisözen, cello

Mehru Ensari, piano

Seven Folk Songs (excerpt)

Mustafa İktu, bass-baritone

Budapest Symphony Orchestra

Andante and Allegro

Suna Kan, violin

Northern Sinfonia

Howard Griffiths, conductor

Five Pieces for Piano (excerpt)

Beyza Yazgan, piano

Piano Concerto No 2, Op 71 (excerpt)

Gülsin Onay, piano

Bilkent Symphony Orchestra

Donald Macleod explores the ongoing legacy of the Turkish Five.

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