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Ahmet Adnan Saygun (1907-1991) |
 Prof. A.Adnan Saygun, one of the most prominent composers of Turkey,
also an ethomusicologist and a very distinguished teacher of music,
particularly composition, was born in Izmir. He started his musical
studies there, under private tuition, while studying also harmony and
counterpoint on his own.
In 1928, he was sent to Paris under a goverment scholarship and during his three years stay, he had the chance of studying with Eugene Borell, Madame Borell, Paul le flem, E.Souberbilee and Vincent d’Indy. After returning back to Turkey in 1931, he was first appointed to teach counterpoint at the Music Instructors School in Ankara, then as the conductor of the Presidential Philarmonic Orchestra.
In 1936, while he was teaching at the Conservatory of Istanbul Municipality, Béla Bartόk visited Turkey to study the folk music of Anatolia. Saygun travelled with him as his research companion and advisor. Their close collaboration culminated into a rich anthology of Turkish folk music and became a rich source for further studies.
Adnan Saygun spent rest of his life as a conductor, musicologist, and teacher besides being one of Turkey’s greatest composers.He received numerous local and international awards.
Saygun’s legacy includes 5 operas, 5 symphonies, concertos for piano(2), violin, viola and cello, various chamber, orchestra, choir and vocal works.
His oratorio “Yunus Emre” (Op.26) which is regarded as his most important work was completed in 1946. Its first performance was realised the same year in Ankara, the following year –with Lamoureux Orchestra-in paris, under the composer.
Its premiere in the United States took place in 1958, at the United Nations in New York under Leopold Stokowski with the accompaniment of Orchestra of Symphony of Air and Crane Choir of New York University in Potsdam. It has so far been in many countries including Germany, France, Italy, Hungry and Russia.
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