Fazıl Say set for premiere of symphony in Germany

The seven-hilled city of Istanbul will be honored in a seven-part symphony by renowned Turkish pianist and composer Fazıl Say during a series of March concerts in Germany.

The symphony, accompanied by the Cologne Westdeutscher Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Howard Griffiths, will make its world premiere between March 10 and 13 at Dortmund’s Konzerthaus as part of events for the Ruhr 2010 European Capital of Culture, which holds the title along with Istanbul and Pécs.

Each of the seven parts of Say’s symphony reflects a different aspect of Istanbul, including “Nostalgia,” “Religious Order,” “the Blue Mosque,” “Merrily-Clad Young Ladies aboard the Ferry to the Princes Islands,” “Travelers to Anatolia Departing from the Haydarpaşa Train Station,” “Carousal Night” and “Finale.”

The opus will be performed with traditional Turkish instruments such as the reed flute, small double drum, kanun, bandır and darbouka.

During the “Fazıl Say Days” the Turkish composer will perform four special concerts, “1001 Nights in the Harem,” “Fazıl Say Chamber Music Night,” “Fazıl Say and Friends” and “Istanbul Symphony.” In addition to his own works, Say also plans to perform pieces by contemporary artists.

Say in the German press

Noting the musical versatility of the Turkish composer in a recent article, German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung said, “Just like in jazz music, Say is a person who is also very comfortable in the classical music world.”

The article said Say’s jazz talents, which are often overshadowed by his contributions to classical music, would be evident during the event. “A man of many parts, Say’s jazz music talent will be seen in ‘Fazıl Say and Friends,’ performed with percussionist Burhan Öcal. Those who see Say improvising once will show a great respect for his talent, just like they do for his classical music concerts.”

The article predicted Say would perform masterfully during his German concerts. “‘Istanbul Symphony’ will especially hit the top … Although the composer defines himself as timid and humble, he admires his own symphony and never minces his words about an issue that is very important to him.”

Touching on his popularity, the newspaper said: “This is why he not only gained friends but also entertained fans of his music with his concerts and albums. He is an unchallengeable artist in Turkey in the field of classical music.”

Süddeutsche Zeitung quoted Say as saying: “The symphony should be imagined as a painting appealing to the ear. Istanbul is made up of seven different paintings thanks to its thousands of years of history and its current situation. All these paintings will leave an extraordinary impression through music.”

The article said, “[Say] is not like European intellectuals, because he is so sharp, social and clever and loves life.”

Because of this, he will approach the Dortmund concerts in a completely different fashion, Süddeutsche Zeitung said.