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Donald 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 1923 the Turkish Republic came into being. On the agenda for the founding father and first president, Mustafa Kemal AtatÈ—rk, was the aim to develop a new Turkish musical language, and to disassociate culturally with the Ottoman past. This new musical culture would be a blend of traditional Turkish music, in combination with Western classical music. The Republic funded musicians to study in Europe, who were then expected to return to Turkey and develop what they had learned. Through this cultural exchange, Western music began to be experienced more widely by audiences across Turkey, whilst Turkish music was also introduced to listeners around the world, including Europe and the USA.

A group of composers known as the Turkish Five were pioneers in this movement to form a synthesis between East and West. They included Cemal Reşit Rey (1904-1985), Ulvi Cemal Erkin (1906-1972), Hasan Ferit Alnar (1906-1978), Ahmet Adnan Saygun (1907-1991) and Necil Kâzim Akses (1908-1999). The Turkish Five became hugely influential in their home country as composers, teachers, conductors and artistic directors, and also became well known abroad, receiving many honours.

In this final episode, Donald Macleod is once again joined by Prof. Mine DoÄŸantan-Dack, and Dr. Emre 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?

Ahmet Adnan Saygun
Köröğlu, Op 41 (Ten Turkish Folk Songs)
Ayhan Baran, bass
Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra
Hikmet ÅžimÅŸek, conductor

Hasan Ferit Alnar
Piano Trio (excerpt)
Cihat Aşkın, violin
Gülgȗn Akagün Sarisözen, cello
Mehru Ensari, piano

Ulvi Cemal Erkin
Seven Folk Songs (excerpt)
Mustafa Ä°ktu, bass-baritone
Budapest Symphony Orchestra
Hikmet ÅžimÅŸek, conductor

Cemal ReÅŸit Rey
Andante and Allegro
Suna Kan, violin
Northern Sinfonia
Howard Griffiths, conductor

Necil Kâzim Akses
Five Pieces for Piano (excerpt)
Beyza Yazgan, piano

Ahmet Adnan Saygun
Piano Concerto No 2, Op 71 (excerpt)
Gülsin Onay, piano
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Howard Griffiths, conductor

Produced by Luke Whitlock