Concerto Anatolia
David Hahn
About this work:
Because the music of Turkey is so rich and varied, Western composers throughout history—including Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and even Dave Brubeck—have paid homage to it in their own music. Concerto Anatolia certainly follows in this tradition, but being written at the request and active involvement of my friend, guitarist Cem Duruöz (a native Turk), it is also intended to be a work which opens the doors of artistic communication. Leading up to the composition of the piece, I spent a length of time studying Turkish music and have become a devotee of its power, invention, and excellence.
Concerto Anatolia has 4 movements rather than the more traditional 3. The first, KÖÇEKÇE (allegro) is based on a fiery theme in 7/8 time. TAKSIM (adagio—andante--vivace) begins outside of a specific meter and subsequently moves through various meter and tempo changes. It is in the style of an improvisation, where the soloist shows off his/her musicianship by utilizing different maqamat (scales), as well as the mastery of the instrument. The third movement is called BASHRAF (moderato) and has 3 sections, each featuring the guitar followed by a short orchestral refrain. The name comes from the Persian word peshrev which means "that which precedes." Therefore this form is often played as an opening composition in a larger multi-movement piece, although here it only precedes the final movement, BIZIM ELLER (andante-allegro-moderato-allegro) a medley of 4 different Turkish melodies. The end of the concerto features a virtuosic cadenza by Cem Duruöz.
Year composed: 2006
Duration: 00:25:00
Ensemble type: Orchestra:Orchestra with Soloist(s)
Instrumentation: ,1 Guitar (Classical/Acoustic) soloist(s)