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‘Turkish’ Concerto, K. 219 (2008) for ney, kemençe, kanun, ud, bendir, cello and orchestra

The ‘Turkish’ Concerto, K.219, for ney, kemençe, kanun, ud, bendir, cello and orchestra, was commissioned by the BBC Symphony Orchestra and premièred by BBCSO with the Ali Tüfekçi Ensemble and cellist Gemma Rosefield in November, 2008 in London. It was broadcast worldwide by BBC Radio 3 and NTV Radio (Istanbul) for several months after its première.

Noted as ‘the first work ever written for these forces,’ (BBC Radio 3) and conceptualized as a kind of cross-cultural Concerto Grosso, its main research question was how to combine instruments from two entirely different instrumental traditions into a meaningful, unified whole. In an orchestral context, this meant overcoming differences of temperament, instrumental volume and capability, and most importantly, the integration of musicians from what is essentially a monophonic, heterophonic, oral Turkish tradition with a modern orchestra reading complex, detailed notation. The solutions presented are several: First, thematic material presented by the solo cello in its dramatic opening statement is ‘reinterpreted’ using makam-based modes by the solo instruments in turn (the cello acting as a kind of mediator). Secondly, vertical harmonic structures played by the orchestra involving stacked triads are ‘horizontalised’, by the solo instrumentalists in Turkish modes. Also crucial is the use of aleatoric notation, influenced by Lutoslawski, which enables Turkish instrumentalists freedom of interpretation and at times limited improvisation, while providing strict control over the larger harmonic and rhythmic structure. Finally, the orchestra’s Western tuning is sometimes ‘deconstructed,’ bringing it closer to Turkish tuning through use of harmonic glissandi in horns (as though they were valveless), and trombones, the use of harmonics in the strings, and the production of breath-like ‘extended techniques’. In addition to a documentary made on the piece by BBC Turkey and Radio 3 coverage, numerous research talks have been given on the work throughout the UK and Turkey.