Program Notes

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J. S. Bach – Allemande from Partita No. 2 for Solo Violin The Allemande, the opening movement of Bach's Second Partita for solo violin, is a dance form of slow tempo and serious character. Bach was one of the leading figures of the Baroque era, and his music — spanning from dance forms to sacred works — brings together melodic simplicity and mathematical order in a unified whole.

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Kantemir – Peşrev in Buselik Makam The Ottoman-era composer Kantemir, a contemporary of Bach, was a pioneer of East-West musical synthesis. His treatise known as the Kantemiroğlu Edvarı contains both a theoretical account of Ottoman music and the notation of 350 works from the 16th and 17th centuries, recorded in a system he himself developed. During his years in Istanbul (1687–1710), he authored numerous books not only on music but also on history, politics, philosophy, and religion. The Peşrev is the instrumental opening form in Ottoman classical music. In this work in Buselik makam, one can sense the multicultural musical environment of the imperial court of the period.

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Telemann – Six Canonic Sonatas Telemann's Six Canonic Sonatas are among the finest examples of Baroque contrapuntal mastery. A canon involves two instruments performing the same melody in succession, one following the other. These works are considered masterpieces of musical dialogue.

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Beethoven – Duo for Two Instruments This duo from Beethoven's early period carries the aesthetic of the Classical era while conveying the composer's characteristic energy. The interplay between the instruments, the development of motifs, and the dynamic transitions bear the traces of the dramatic language Beethoven would later fully realize.

Tanburi İsak Efendi – Yegah Saz Semaisi The Yegah Saz Semaisi is one of the lesser-known works of Tanburi İsak Efendi. Transcribed from Hamparsum notation into modern staff notation, it has been rescued from the dusty pages of history and restored to the repertoire. Born in Istanbul in 1745, Tanburi İsak Efendi — whose original name was Fresco Romano — was of Jewish origin. An accomplished tanbur player as well as a composer, he is known to have given tanbur lessons to Sultan Selim III.

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Sainte-Colombe – Gavotte Sainte-Colombe, a significant figure in French Baroque music, is known above all for his works for viola da gamba. The Gavotte is an elegant French dance. In this performance on the rebab, the Baroque aesthetic of Western music and the sonic world of an instrument of Eastern origin are brought together side by side.

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Boismortier – Flute and Violin Sonata Boismortier was a French Baroque composer who produced works across chamber music, opera, ballet, and vocal music. Based in Paris, he reached a wide audience by working independently and publishing his own compositions. His flute and violin sonatas reflect the chamber music tradition of the period through the elegant melodic lines and dance-like movements characteristic of the French Baroque style.

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Bacewicz – Krakowiak Bacewicz, one of the leading Polish composers and violinists of the 20th century, reinterprets traditional Polish folk music in these duets. The Krakowiak is a lively Polish dance. Originally written for two violins, the work will be performed here for flute and violin.

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İlhan Baran – Pieces for Two Flutes İlhan Baran was a composer and educator who played a significant role in shaping the language of contemporary music in Turkey. He studied under Ahmed Adnan Saygun at the Ankara State Conservatory and continued his training in Paris with Henri Dutilleux. By abstracting Anatolian folk music motifs through contemporary compositional techniques, he developed a distinctive musical voice and secured a lasting place in the repertoire. A dedicated teacher for many years, Baran also pioneered the founding of the Musicology Department at Hacettepe University and made important contributions to the development of a national musicological tradition in Turkey. Originally written for two flutes, these short pieces are marked by an abstract, color-focused writing style of great expressive intensity.