The “Forgotten Songs on Stone Records” concert, organized by the Music Education Foundation, was held at Zorlu Performing Arts Center on the evening of January 10.
The soloist of the concert at the night, where participation was free, was Burcu Göktürk. Göktürk was accompanied by tamburi Ahmet Yağmur Kucur in part of the concert. Göktürk also gave a concert throughout the night with Volkan Ertem (cello), Serkan Halili (qanun), İremnur Yaşar (kemenche), Ahmet Yağmur Kucur (tanbur) and Baturay Yarkın (piano).
AGAIN AFTER YEARS
The repertoire of the concert included songs recorded on stone records in the 1920s and 1930s but forgotten over time. These works were notated and brought to light with the long-term work of Burcu Göktürk and Ahmet Yağmur Kucur, artists of the Music Education Foundation. The night featured songs from Faide Yıldız’s “Tahir Kanto” to “Nihavend Waltz”, whose composition and lyrics belong to Muhlis Sabahattin Ezgi, and from Fahri Kopuz’s “Isfahan Saz Semaisi” to the records taken from Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s collection and the records he listened to during his White Train travels. Many works such as Hasan Fehmi Ege’s “Tango” were revived after many years.
When we went to the concert, we expected a simple stage with a microphone in front of the soloist and instrumentalists behind him. However, as soon as the curtain opened, we encountered an elaborate stage design. A decor reminiscent of the casinos of the period, guests and dancers accompanying that decor. The night, choreographed by Ertuğrul Akkök, gave Istanbulites a slice of the first days of the Republic.
It was an important detail that the lyrics and information of the works were included in the catalog left at the participants’ seats. At the same time, stone record recordings and notes can be accessed with two different barcodes in the catalogue. It is also admirable that the past is integrated with the present age and kept alive.
NÂZIM HIKMET WILL BE REMEMBERED WITH POEMS AND SONGS IN ŞİŞLİ ON HIS BIRTHDAY
A program will be organized for Nâzım Hikmet, one of the greatest poets of Turkish and world literature, on January 15, the 123rd anniversary of his birth, in cooperation with Şişli Municipality and Nâzım Hikmet Culture and Art Foundation. Before the event at Şişli Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall, the book “A Poet in Şişli”, prepared by Şişli Municipality specially for the 123rd anniversary of the master poet, will be presented to the readers.
Altan Gördüm will host the program. The program will start at 20.00 with the opening speech of Zeynep Oral, Board Member of Nâzım Hikmet Culture and Art Foundation and writer of our newspaper.
At the commemoration event, firstly, Nâzım Hikmet’s poem “Autobiography” will be listened to in the voice of Genco Erkal, whom we lost last year. Then, Halil Ergün, Tilbe Saran and Selçuk Method will perform various poems of the poet. Levent Ülgen will stage the episode “Kâzım with the Eagle” from “Human Landscapes from My Homeland”.
Mercan Selçuk Dance Group will interpret Nâzım Hikmet’s poems with dance and music. At the opening and closing of the night, Tarık Akan’s children, Private Taş College Choir, will take the stage. The program will end with the songs of Erdal Erzincan and Zuhal Olcay.
Source: www.cumhuriyet.com.tr
