Ahmed Adnan Saygun's concerto for viola and orchestra, Op. 59 : performance history, manuscript analysis, and new editions

Abstract

During the transition of the deteriorating Ottoman Empire, to the newly-founded Turkish Republic, Ahmed Adnan Saygun (1907-1991) emerged as a formative composer in Turkey. This thesis places Saygun in context of the changing times in his homeland, and shows the effects that the surroundings had on his writing style. The central focus of the author's study is on Saygun's Concerto for Viola and Orchestra, Op. 59, and how the work serves as an example of the composer's synthesis of music from his native Turkey, and of the West. Prior to this document, there has been a limited amount of research and performances of Saygun's piece. By outlining the full story and performance history of the Viola Concerto, and examining the composer's manuscripts, the author produced two new editions of the solo viola part, contained within this thesis. The intention of this work is for Saygun's Viola Concerto to be studied and performed around the world.