Ulvi Cemal Erkin (Turkish pronunciation:[ulˈvidʒeˈmalæɾˈcin]) (March 14, 1906 – September 15, 1972) was a member of the pioneer group of
symphoniccomposers in
Turkey, born in the period 1904–1910, who later came to be called The
Turkish Five. These composers set out the direction of music in the newly established Turkish Republic. These composers distinguished themselves with their use of
Turkish folk music and modal elements in an entirely
Western symphonic style.
Biography
Ulvi Cemal Erkin's aptitude for music was noticed at an early age by his mother, herself a pianist. His father was a senior civil servant in the
Ottoman administration, contracted
sepsis and died when the Erkin was seven. The widowed mother and her three sons took refuge at the mansion of the maternal grandfather also a high-ranking official of the declining Ottoman Empire and an intellectual.
Erkin took his first
piano lessons from Mercenier, a
Frenchman, and later from Adinolfi; then, a renowned professor of music in
Istanbul. He graduated from
Galatasaray High School. Concurrent with his studies at the Galatasaray High School dispensing education in the
French language, he pursued his efforts in the path of becoming a musician and availed himself of every opportunity which could contribute to his aspirations.
The newly founded republic was aiming to expand modernisation and westernisation to every aspect of life, including music.
Atatürk had long pondered a renovation also in this domain and was very keen on seeing it in progress. To this end,
scholarships were being given to gifted young students in European academic institutions. Ulvi Cemal Erkin was 19 years old when he won the contest of the
Ministry of Education and was awarded a scholarship to study music in
Paris, together with two other students,
Cezmi Rifki Erinc and
Ekrem Zeki Un in 1925. He studied in the
Paris Conservatory and the
Ecole Normale de Musique. He studied piano with
Isidor Philipp, and composition with
Jean and
Noël Gallon and
Nadia Boulanger at the Paris Conservatoire and the École Normale de Musique.
Upon his return to
Turkey in 1930, he began teaching at the
Musiki Muallim Mektebi (School of Musical Education). He met his wife
Ferhunde Erkin (née Remzi) there. On September 29, 1932, he married her, herself a pianist, graduate of the
Leipzig Conservatory, and his colleague at the school in
Ankara. She became his
muse and best interpreter and they shared a lifetime of dedicated endeavours to encourage and train young musicians with the scanty means afforded to institutions and to build up audiences of
polyphonic music throughout
Anatolia.
The Piano Concerto and the Köçekçe suite were premiered by the
Presidential Symphony Orchestra on March 11, 1943. The orchestra was conducted by Dr.
Ernst Praetorius, and Ferhunde Erkin was the soloist. On the request of German Ambassador
Franz von Papen, the piano concerto was performed in
Berlin,
Germany, on October 8, 1943. The
Berlin Philharmonic was conducted by
Fritz Zaun and the soloist was again Ferhunde Erkin.
Erkin, who composed his first works while a student in Paris, was productive as a composer throughout his career as a professor of music which he embarked in 1930 at the age of 24, or occasion appearing as a pianist to perform a concerto, on others as an
accompanist or as an
orchestra conductor to interpret his own works or
operas. He also conducted the Conservatoire Student Orchestra at its periodic concerts and composed the "Sinfonietta", a work composed expressly to help instrumentalists overcome certain rhythmic and modal difficulties, peculiar to
Turkish music.
Erkin's heart had been failing since his late forties and he succumbed to a last
stroke on September 15, 1972, at the age of 66. He was laid to rest at the
Karşıyaka Cemetery in Ankara.[1]
In July 2010, The
Municipality of Çankaya (Ankara) organised a national architectural competition for a concert hall with 2000 seats which shall be named after his name; Ulvi Cemal Erkin Concert Hall. The competition won by architects
Ramazan Avcı,
Seden Cinasal Avcı and
Evren Başbuğ; a design team formed by the partners of
SCRA Architects and
Dist Architects. The site for the concert hall is in Çankaya, the central metropolitan district of the city of
Ankara, the capital of
Turkey.
Works
Two Dances, for orchestra, 1930. Premiered in 1931 by the Presidential Music Ensemble, Ankara.
Concertino, for piano and orchestra, 1932. First rendition on two pianos, by Ferhunde Erkin and the composer. Premiered in 1934 by Presidential Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by the composer.
Five Drops, for solo piano. Animato, Lento, Tranquillo, Energico, Moderato. First played by the composer himself, 7 November 1931, Sivas Military Social Center.
"Full Moon" and "Nightingale", for soprano and small orchestra, 1932.
"Lullaby, Improvisation and Zeybek Air", for violin and piano, 1929–1932.
Bayram, for orchestra, 1934. Premiered by Presidential Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of the conductor, 1934.
String Quartet, 1935–1936. Movements: Allegro ma non troppo, Allegro scherzando, Andante, Allegro quasi improvisatione. Premiered 22–23 April 1938.
"Sensations", 11 piano pieces, 1937. Titles: The Game (Allegro Vivo), 2. The Little Shepherd (Andante), 3. The Brook (Allegro Vivo), 4. The Ox-Cart (Largo), 5. The Game (Allegro Vivo), 6. Marching Song (Tempo di Marcia), 7. The Joke (Vivace), Flights (Agitato), 9. The Game (Allegro), 10. Don't Weep Beloved (Lento), 11. Zeybek Air (Allegro Moderato). First performance by Ferhunde Erkin, April 17, 1947.
Six Folk Songs, for voice and piano. "The Reunion", "Oh Hanife", "Mastic dribbles along the pine trunk", "Full moon", "Ferment", "Turkmeni", for voice and piano, 1936. (First composed for voice and piano, these works were later developed by the composer for orchestral accompaniment.)
Twelve Folk Songs arranged in two parts, 1936. "Oh, do not weep", "Istanbul is such a fine red coral land", "Zühre: In deep seas twine", "I roam from land to land", "Efe Song -Yörük Ali: Of all the cool and clear brooks", "Sille square", "Katurjolu zeybek", "A zeybek blond and burly", "I was born in Bergama (Bergama 1)", "Let me reach this cloudy mountain peak", "I was born in Bergama (Bergama 2)", "In green meadows". Composed upon the suggestion of
Paul Hindemith
Seven Folk Songs, for voice and orchestra. "The Reunion", "Oh, Hanife", "Mastic dribbles along the pine trunk", "Full moon", "Ferment", "Turkmeni", "The Nightingale", 1939. Originally arranged for piano accompaniment, these folk songs were later developed by the composer into an orchestral series. "The Nightingale" was introduced in this series in its 1939 version.
Piano Concerto, 1942. Movements: Allegro, Andante, Scherzo, Andante – Allegro. The first performance was by the Presidential Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor: Dr. Ernst Praetorius, Piano: Ferhunde Erkin, Ankara Radio, March 11, 1943. The concerto was performed abroad Berlin by the Stadtischen Orchesters Berlin, Conductor: Fritz Zaun, Piano: Ferhunde Erkin, on October 18, 1943. Publication: Universal Edition, Vienna, 1951. Dedicated to Ferhunde Erkin.
Köçekçe, dance rhapsody for orchestra, 1943. Premièred by the presidential Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor: Ernst Praetorius, Ankara Radio, February 1, 1943. The work was dedicated to Vedat Nedim Tör, with the inscription: "To Dr. Vedat Nedim Tör, whose interest in art has made a great contribution to the composition of these pages (October 28, 1942)."
Six Folk Songs for mixed chorus, "Myrtle grows on their front yard", "Ferai", "Whose beloved are you", "Water awakens the trench", "Song of the partridge", "Superb is your daughter ma’am", 1945. First performance was under the direction of Mesut Cemil Tel in Ankara Radio.
Quintet with Piano, for piano, two violins, viola and cello, 1946. Movements: Moderato, Adagio mesto, Ritmico Energico, Allegro vivo. The first performance was by Ferhunde Erkin (piano), Gilbert Back (violin), Sedat Ediz (violin), İzzet Nezih Albayrak (alto), Mesut Cemil Tel (cello), Ankara Radio, January 23, 1946.
Sonata, for piano. 1946. Movements: Allegro, Adagio molto sostenuto, Allegro. First performance by Ferhunde Erkin, January 15, 1948. Publication: Ankara State Conservatoire Publications, No: 11, 1958.
Symphony No. 1, for orchestra April 20, 1946. Movements: Allegro aperto, Adagio, Allegro scherzando, Moderato-Allegro non troppo. The work was premièred by the Presidential Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor: Ulvi Cemal Erkin, Auditorium of the Ankara State Conservatoire, April 20, 1946.
Violin concerto. 1946–1947. Movements: Allegro giusto, Adagio, Allegro con fuoco. Premièred in the inauguration ceremony of the Ankara Opera House (State Opera and Theatre Building ). Presidential Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor: Ulvi Cemal Erkin, Violin: Lico Amar. Ankara, April 2, 1948. Publication: State Conservatoire Publications, 1968.
Symphony No. 2. 1948–1951 (draft), 1958 (completion of the orchestration). Première: Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor: Karl Oehring, Germany, July 2, 1958.
Keloğlan ballet music. June 2, 1958. Choreography by
Ninette de Valois.
Karagöz, Music for a play for children, Music composed for the play "Karagöz in Ankara", written by İsmail Hakkı Baltacıoğlu for the Children's Theatre of the Society for the Protection of Children.
Sinfonietta, for string orchestra, 1951–1959. Movements: Allegro, Adagio, Allegro. First performance by the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, Conductor: Prof. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, Ankara Radio, 1967; first public performance: Presidential Symphony Orchestra, conductor: Prof. Lessing, February 17, 1967. Dedicated to Nazım Kamil Bayur.
Ten folk songs arranged for mixed chorus, 1. Madımak: Knotgrass (Sivas, halay dance for women), 2. Nutter girl (Erzurum folk dance), 3. Dirvana: Dove in laz language (Trabzon folk song), 4.The ice cream vendor, 5. Salına salına: Your swaying gait, 6. Advice, 7. The rose has my soul, 8. Herald, I'm undone, 9. Misty mountains (Erzincan folk song), 10. Fair-haired bride. 1963. The first performance was by the chorus of the Ankara State Opera at a concert organized within the framework of Yapı & Kredi Bank's cultural programme for 20. Anniversary celebrations. 28 choral arrangements by various composers were performed within this programme. Erkin was represented with "Fair-haired bride", "Madımak" and the "Ice cream vendor". These works were commissioned to Turkish composers by the Yapı & Kredi Bank.
Six preludes for piano. 1965–1967. Premiered by
Gülay Uğurata in Ankara Radio, November 20, 1969. 1. Lento misterioso, 2. Allegro, 3.Larghetto, 4. Allegro moderato, 5. Allegro, 6. Allegro vivo. (Subsequent to the publication of the score, Erkin revised the order as: 1–5–3–2–4–6.) Publication: Ankara State Conservatoire Publications, No: 43, 1968.
Symphony Concertante, for piano and orchestra, November 1965 – August 7, 1966. Movements: Andante con moto, Adagio, Allegro Moderato. The first performance is by the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, Conductor: Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, Piano:
Verda Erman. The concert took place within the framework of the Contemporary Turkish Music Week, November 10, 1967. The work was commissioned by Turkish Radio and Television (TRT). Publication: State Conservatoire Publications, 1967.
Symphonic movement (for large orchestra). 1968–1969 (Completion: August 18, 1969, Dragos – İstanbul) The work was first performed by the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, Conductor:
Jean Périsson, Ankara, October 8, 1976. This work was commissioned by Turkish Radio and Television (TRT) in 1967.
Aydin, Yilmaz (2002). Die Werke der 'Türkischen Fünf' im Lichte der Musikalischen Wechselbeziehungen zwischen der Türkei und Europa. Europäische Hochshculschriften, Peter Lang Publisher.