Dr. Ali Uygur Erol: Paul Hindemith’s Influence on Composition in Turkey

INVITATION to a LECTURE

In the Musicology Lecture Series (Fall/Winter 2024/25)

Dr. Ali Uygur Erol:

Paul Hindemith’s Influence on Composition in Turkey

Wednesday, 4th December 2024, 19:00 (Turkish time; GMT +3)

The Turkish Five wrote many choral pieces as part of their musical journey, and Paul Hindemith commissioned additional works for amateur musicians during his stay in Turkey. He spent two years working on music reform and wrote three highly influential reports on the subject. According to Hindemith, the rearrangement of collected folk melodies for different vocal ensembles was the best path towards creating national music. He specifically envisioned a simple and objective style that would also teach Western notation, harmony, and counterpoint to the people. Four members of the Turkish Five adopted his proposals and composed the first examples of this nowadays almost forgotten repertoire.

Not all of Hindemith’s contributions were positive, however, as he aided in the suppression of Ottoman music heritage and was unaware of certain characteristics of Turkish music. Furthermore, he disliked works composed before his arrival in 1935 and discouraged composers from searching for their own musical voices early on in their careers. Beginning in 1925, Kazım Akses, Ferid Alnar, Ulvi Cemal Erkin, Cemal Reşit Rey, and Ahmed Adnan Saygun developed their compositional styles by building a rich repertoire, incorporating also the influence of Ottoman music. Nonetheless, their works were not always considered reliable examples of national music, and Hindemith seems to have played a part in propagating such dismissive attitudes.

Ali Uygur Erol is a musicologist and musician born in 1988 in Istanbul. In his early musical training, he studied piano, and then drums. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as his PhD in musicology from Paul-Valéry University in France, specializing in both 20th-century music and the classical music of Turkey. Supervised by Yvan Nommick, his PhD thesis is titled “Relationships between Ottoman Music Heritage, Turkey’s Cultural Policies and the Turkish Five’s Compositions”. Alongside his studies, he played drums in rock and jazz bands, first in Istanbul, and then in France. Currently, he gives lectures on his main research field in musicology, produces radio broadcasts, and composes music for films and exhibitions.

This event is free of charge, the event language is English. You may attend in person or online. Registration only needed for attending in person.

Photos or videos will be taken during the event. By participating, you agree that these may be used on the OII website, newsletter and social media. The event will not be recorded.

VENUE

Orient-Institut Istanbul

Galip Dede Cad. 65, Şahkulu Mah., TR – 34421 Istanbul

Tel: +90 212 293 60 67 oiist@oiist.org   www.oiist.org

REGISTRATION

To join this invitation ONLINE please use the Zoom Link, NO registration necessary:

https://maxweberstiftung.zoom-x.de/j/63073561236?pwd=1HmyYoB570SHwJjQr6oOvrPqaSwS31.1

Meeting ID: 630 7356 1236

Passcode: 499353