Journal of the Music Research Association
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An Investigation of Fine Arts High School Students’ Self-Efficacy Perceptions Towards Traditional Turkish Music Courses
The aim of this study is to examine the self-efficacy perceptions of Fine Arts High School music students towards Traditional Turkish Music courses in relation to various variables. The research was conducted within the framework of the following question: “Is there a significant relationship between students’ self-efficacy perceptions towards Traditional Turkish Music courses and variables such as grade level, age, and gender?” A quantitative research method, specifically the survey model, was employed. The study group consisted of 203 students in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades studying at Fine Arts High Schools in different regions of Türkiye. The data were collected using the “Self-Efficacy Perception Scale for Traditional Turkish Music Courses” developed by Çelenk and Şen (2016). Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the data. The findings indicated that students’ self-efficacy perceptions were at a moderate level and differed significantly by gender, with male students reporting higher levels of self-efficacy. In addition, grade level showed a significant difference only in the Traditional Turkish Folk Music dimension, and self-efficacy perceptions varied according to the main instrument. As a result, it was concluded that students’ self-efficacy perceptions towards Traditional Turkish Music courses differ depending on various variables, and this should be taken into consideration in music education processes.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dilara Yıldırım- Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Mehmet Erhan Yiğiter (Yazar) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
An Interactive Software Model For Turkish Music Maqam Education: The Makamlab Prototype
The purpose of this study is to design a web-based educational software that enables learners to visually and aurally experience how tetrachords and pentachords — the fundamental building blocks of maqams — are transposed on different pitches and how they combine to form maqam scales. The research focuses on the question of how the difficulties encountered by students new to maqam music theory in perceiving and transposing basic jins (melodic cells) across different pitches can be addressed through an interactive digital tool. Conducted within a Design-Based Research (DBR) framework, this study identifies the educational shortcomings of existing maqam music and notation software, and accordingly develops a visually and aurally oriented software prototype called “MakamLab.” The most prevalent jins in the Arel-Ezgi-Uzdilek system — Rast, Uşşak/Hüseyni, Çargâh, Buselik, Kürdi, and Hicaz — were selected as the sample. Theoretical music data collected through document analysis, including comma intervals and positional values, were transformed into mathematical algorithms using HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript technologies. The findings reveal that the 53-comma structure of the Arel-Ezgi-Uzdilek system is mathematically modeled, the SVG-based visualization algorithm generates consistent notation for any combination of maqam tetrachords and pentachords on any given finalis, and microtonal frequencies can be directly transmitted as audio via the Web Audio API. Thanks to its unique block architecture, students can decompose maqam scales into their constituent components and experience them aurally and visually on different pitches. In conclusion, by transforming abstract maqam theory into an interactive experience, MakamLab offers an original and applicable model for the use of technology in Turkish music education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Melih Can Atasoy- Doç. Dr. Burcu Kalkanoğlu (Yazar) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Examination of Artificial Intelligence Language Models Developed for Piano in Terms of Their Technical and Educational Aspects
With the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence tools in our daily lives in recent years, we have seen the development of sub-language models specialized in various fields. It is also evident that these specialized language models have been developed for music and music education. In this regard, this study aims to examine piano-focused AI models found in the current literature under eight main categories—developer/platform, year, primary purpose, target audience, pedagogical approach, interaction status, output quality, and accessibility—and to generate insights regarding their applicability in education. The research is a descriptive analysis study designed using the document review model from qualitative research methods. It is possible to create different specialized language models tailored to specific purposes using the infrastructure of large language models. These language models can be created either through professional coding or via a prompt-based approach. Domain experts can also develop sub-language models based on prompts according to the professional requirements of their field without the need for a software developer’s support. In this regard, OpenAI’s ChatGPT model, with its prompt-based structure, possesses a large number of sub-language models tailored for piano education. For this reason, the scope of this research is limited to the use of ChatGPT’s sub-language models for piano education. These sub-language models will be analyzed using evaluation criteria developed with input from experts. These criteria include items addressing both the technical characteristics of these language models and their applicability in education. The findings obtained from the analysis will be evaluated in light of these criteria. Recommendations will be provided regarding the requirements of piano education and how these models can be utilized in piano education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Piraye Polat Köksal- Doç. Dr. Gülşah Sever (Yazar) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Madame Herzmainska de Slupno: Rewriting Makam on the Piano
This article examines the Ottoman makam music collection of the Polish-born pianist and arranger Madame Herzmainska de Slupno in nineteenth-century Istanbul through three analytical concepts: musical translation, microtonal erosion (the systematic loss of makam-based pitch characteristics on a fixed-pitch instrument), and tonal restructuring. Herzmainska’s arrangements, published by Ferdinand Adam in Pera, constitute a concrete record of how makam music was reproduced on an equal-tempered, fixed-pitch instrument, and of which musical properties were retained in that process, which were eliminated, and which were structurally transformed. Comparative score analysis demonstrates that melodic orientation is largely preserved, while microtonality is systematically smoothed out, the understanding of seyir is confined within rigid barlines, and a polyphonic harmonic texture entirely absent from the source works is introduced. These interventions do not arise from technical necessity but from deliberate aesthetic choice. Herzmainska’s output should therefore be situated not as transcription but as selective rewriting, one that repositions Ottoman music within a Western aesthetic frame. The simultaneous presentation of one copy of the collection to Franz Liszt and another to the Ottoman Sultan constitutes the historical evidence that consolidates this argument. Ottoman music was directed toward two distinct centers of authority at once and reframed in ways calculated to be legible within each context. Encounters between musical systems are never merely questions of technical transfer but are always cultural processes in which asymmetrical relations of power leave their mark.
Copyright (c) 2026 Tara Saiyah (Yazar) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Our Culture in Flute Education: Turkish Methods, Arrangements of Turkish Folk Songs, and the Use of Turkish Compositions in Flute Education
This study aims to highlight the cultural dimensions of professional flute education; to examine the relationship between flute education and different cultural contexts, its role in cultural transmission processes, and its contributions to individuals’ musical and cultural development. In this context, the use of Turkish flute methods, works by Turkish composers, and arrangements of Turkish folk songs has been examined. The study aimed to demonstrate the contributions of these materials to the educational process. A literature review, one of the qualitative research methods, was employed in the study. The research examined existing studies and data in the literature regarding the use of Turkish methods, folk song arrangements, and works by Turkish composers in flute education. According to the findings of the research, it is observed that the teaching materials used in the instrumental education process are largely based on the Western music repertoire, a situation that may limit students’ interaction with their own cultural musical heritage. In this context, the integration of content related to Turkish music into flute education is significant from both pedagogical and cultural perspectives. The results of the study indicate that Turkish music resources are finding a limited yet growing place in flute education. The use of Turkish music resources in flute education supports not only students’ musical development but also their sense of cultural identity and belonging. The scope of this study is limited to existing research on this topic in the literature and the four most widely used Turkish flute methods. It focuses on the cultural content of these methods and the extent to which Turkish compositions and folk song arrangements are utilized in flute education, as reflected in the literature.
Copyright (c) 2026 Burak Berke Özer- Arş. Gör. Yaren Körpe (Yazar) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
An Examination of the Relationship Between Academic Self-Confidence and Academic Success of Music Department Students Receiving Piano Education
This study examines the relationship between academic self-confidence and academic success among music students receiving piano instruction. Using a quantitative, correlational survey design, data were collected from 71 students at Kırıkkale University Faculty of Fine Arts. The 25-item Academic Self-Confidence Scale, which measures five sub-dimensions, was used alongside students’ grade point averages and piano lesson grades as indicators of academic success. Analyses included descriptive statistics, reliability testing, normality assessment, correlation analyses, and multiple regression. The mean academic self-confidence score was 88.66, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.88. Due to non-normality in some variables, Spearman’s rank correlation was used as the primary analysis. Results showed no significant relationship between total academic self-confidence and either grade point average or piano score. While grade point average was significantly associated with academic self-efficacy belief and academic motivation, the low reliability of the academic motivation sub-dimension suggests caution in interpretation. Piano scores were not significantly related to self-confidence or its sub-dimensions. Although the regression model was significant, grade point average and piano score did not independently predict academic self-confidence. These findings suggest that academic self-confidence is not strongly explained by achievement grades in this sample. Future research should consider performance-specific self-efficacy, practice strategies, and performance anxiety when examining piano achievement.
Copyright (c) 2026 Zeynep Verda Alyakut- Emre Soylu (Yazar) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
An Analysis of Postgraduate Theses in the Field of Music Theory in Turkey
The aim of this study is to reveal current academic trends in music theory in Türkiye by evaluating postgraduate theses created in this field between 2022 and 2026 (inclusive of April) in terms of various variables. The research employed a document analysis method, and data were obtained from the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) National Thesis Center database. Based on searches using predetermined keywords, a total of 143 publicly accessible and diverse theses were included in the research. The collected data were analyzed in terms of factors such as thesis type, year, university, institute, department, advisor title, and subject headings, and frequency (n) and percentage (%) values ​​were used in the analysis phase. According to the research results, the majority of theses are master’s theses (62.94%), followed by doctoral theses (34.26%); the proportion of theses for artistic proficiency remains quite low (2.80%). When the distribution by year is examined, it is seen that thesis production is particularly concentrated in the 2022-2024 period. In university-based evaluations, Istanbul Technical University stands out significantly; while institute-based evaluations, Graduate Education Institutes have been found to play a central role in academic production. In terms of departments, it has been determined that theses are largely concentrated in the fields of “Musicology and Music Theory” and “Music Theories”. The distribution of advisor titles shows a more balanced structure in master’s theses, while in doctoral theses, advisory roles are largely undertaken by professors. An examination of the subject distribution reveals that the majority of theses focus on music theory education, teaching processes, and student-centered variables, while interdisciplinary and theoretical studies remain more limited. It has been shown that postgraduate theses in the field of music theory in Türkiye are concentrated around specific institutional centers and education-focused topics; there is a need to increase doctoral and especially proficiency in arts level studies, develop interdisciplinary approaches, and enhance theoretical depth. This study is expected to serve as a resource guiding future research by demonstrating the current state of the field.
Copyright (c) 2026 Burcu Kalkanoğlu- Ayten Cansız (Yazar) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Johannes Brahms and Richard Mühlfeld: The Rebirth of a Composer and Contributions to the Clarinet Repertoire
This study examines in a comprehensive manner the artistic relationship between Johannes Brahms and Richard Mühlfeld, which played a decisive role in the development of the clarinet repertoire in the 19th-century Romantic period. Positioned within the historical continuity of creative interaction between composer and performer, this relationship is considered a continuation of the Mozart–Stadler and Weber–Baermann collaborations and is analyzed as a turning point at which the aesthetic and technical possibilities of the clarinet in chamber music reached their most mature stage. The article analyzes Brahms’s musical approach prior to his encounter with Mühlfeld, the impact of this meeting on the composer’s late-period output, and the place of the resulting works within the clarinet literature. It also addresses Mühlfeld not only as a performer but as a musical partner who directly contributed to the composer’s creative process, and evaluates the reflections of this collaboration both on individual works and on the broader repertoire. In this context, the study examines the musical, historical, and aesthetic dimensions of Brahms’s works for clarinet, primarily the Clarinet Trio Op. 114, Clarinet Quintet Op. 115, and Clarinet Sonatas Op. 120, while also revealing Mühlfeld’s influence on composers such as Gustav Jenner. Accordingly, the research aims to evaluate the transformation of the clarinet at the end of the 19th century not only through repertoire but also within a holistic framework that includes performance practice and the composer–performer relationship.
Copyright (c) 2026 Yağızcan Keskin (Yazar) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
An Analysis of the Meşk Tradition In Turkish Music In The Context of Performance Theory
In this study, the educational method used in the transmission of oral culture during the period in which it took shape and the meşk tradition, a traditional form of cultural performance, have been evaluated within the framework of cultural performance theories, which form the starting point of the ethnomusicological approach. In this study, the concept of the meşk tradition in the field of musical performance is examined in two different contexts. The first is the meşk tradition within the master-apprentice relationship. The fundamental elements defining this context are the master (the teacher), the apprentice (the learner), and the environment in which the meşk takes place. The other is meşk in the context of participatory performance, which consists of elements such as the participant, the listener and the performance environment. In this regard, within the tradition of meşk in Turkish music, the master’s spiritual and cultural teachings are passed on to the apprentice through performance, while the apprentice demonstrates imitation and repetition in order to learn what has been passed on. Performances in musical gatherings or rituals, which take place with participation, are considered within the scope of cultural performance. The aim of this study is to reinterpret the tradition of meşk within the framework of performance theory and cultural performance, taking into account its different contexts. The data in this study were obtained through literature reviews and archival research using qualitative research methods. Based on the findings of this study, an attempt has been made to provide a perspective on how different aspects of cultural transmission can be evaluated as a form of performance within the context of performance theory, drawing on the theoretical dimensions of ethnomusicology.
Copyright (c) 2025 Neşe Üstünkaya (Yazar)
Analysis of Barış Manço’s Songs Within the Scope of Values Education
In music lesson, songs are educational materials that not only make the teaching process enjoyable but also help convey many of the learning outcomes in music teaching programs to students, stimulating their affective, cognitive, and psychomotor domains. In addition, the value themes within the scope of “values education” that are intended to be instilled in students are also an integral part of the educational process. In instilling value themes in students, it is important to carefully select classroom activities and educational materials (songs) that are appropriate for the students’ levels and stages of development. Based on this, songs by our state artist Barış Manço, who is sensitive to universal and national values, emerge as materials that can potentially be used in the music education process due to their popularity and didactic elements. In this study, the “Elementary School (Grades 1-4), Middle School, and Imam Hatip Middle School (Grades 5-8) Music Lesson Curriculum“ and the ”Secondary Education Music Lesson (Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12) Curriculum“ aim to demonstrate the functionality and supportive nature of songs with lyrics by Barış Manço in instilling ”core values” (justice, friendship, honesty, self-control, patience, respect, love, responsibility, patriotism, and helpfulness) in students. The songs analyzed in the study consist of 91 Turkish-language works with lyrics by Barış Manço, which he performed in album recordings (records, cassettes, CDs). The study was designed as descriptive and survey-based. Using the document review method, a descriptive analysis was performed of the core value themes contained in the song lyrics. The meanings of the core value themes, which constitute the unit of analysis, were based on the definitions provided in the Turkish Language Association’s online dictionary. According to the analysis results, it was determined that the lyrics of Barış Manço’s songs directly or indirectly support at least one of the core values in terms of the value themes they contain, and that the most frequently addressed core value theme is “love” (76.9%). In addition, it was determined that the lyrics of 13 songs (14.2%) are not suitable for use in educational activities due to the expressions they contain.
Copyright (c) 2025 Tolga Güler- Aynur Elhan Nayir (Yazar)
Analysis of the Maqam Structures of The Verbal Works in the Nikriz Maqam Found in the Trt Repertoire According to The Regions in Turkey
When the history of Turkish music is examined, it is understood that the Arel system was shaped with the emergence of positivist approaches in music science. Thus, the traditionalist perspective was replaced by systematic approaches and the makams began to be defined through mathematical values. However, the fact that traditionalist theorists defined makams only through their progression features makes modal classification possible in Turkish folk music as well. The aim of this study is to examine the vocal works in nikriz makam in the TRT repertoire according to different theorists and to make a comparative analysis of the makam structures of the works according to the regions in Turkey. The universe of the study, which was conducted with the screening and content analysis methods of the qualitative research method, consists of twenty-four works determined to be in nikriz makam in the TRT repertoire. The sample consists of two works selected from each region using the purposive sampling method. As a result of the obtained data, it was determined that buselik sounds on the neva fret were generally used in folk songs, and that although according to many theorists, the folk songs did not meet the nikriz makam in terms of progression features, they met the theorists’ definition in terms of scale
Copyright (c) 2025 İNANÇ ARAS ORUÇ- MELİKE KASILAN (Yazar)
Voice Mutation and the Role of Voice Training in Children
Voice training is the process of gaining the skills necessary for the correct, effective and healthy use of the voice. Healthy use of the voice in terms of both speaking and singing requires individuals to use their vocal organs correctly. For this reason, in addition to being considered as an art, vocal education aims to protect the vocal health of individuals in the long term by using their vocal organs correctly. Therefore, this issue is important in the field of human health and music education. Voice mutation refers to the process of voice change, especially during adolescence. This period is a period of great changes in terms of the physics of the voice and is usually more pronounced in males. It is important to protect and educate the adolescent’s voice during this period. Proper voice training during adolescence prevents the development of wrong voice habits and allows individuals to use their voices in a healthier way. The study is a qualitative research and literature review method was used. The literature review included a systematic review and evaluation of existing research on voice training and voice mutation in children. The literature review aims to analyze different aspects of voice training and voice mutation by bringing together existing knowledge in the field. During the research process, the information obtained was brought together and organized around various themes. Previous studies on voice training and voice mutation in children were analyzed. The findings reflected the important points in the literature about the situations children face in the voice education process, the onset, process and aftereffects of voice mutation. In this study, the necessity of vocal education for children and its provision in accordance with their age and developmental level were evaluated. As a result of the research, the current understanding of how voice education for children and voice mutation processes interact was revealed, gaps and gaps in the literature were identified, suggestions were made for new research in this field, suggestions were made for more efficient voice education methods by examining how voice education processes shape the biological and psychological effects of voice mutation.
Copyright (c) 2025 Burak Berke Özer (Yazar)
The Relationship Between Women and Music in the Context of Westernization Movements During the Tanzimat Period
This article explores the impact of the Westernization movements, which accelerated during the Tanzimat Era of the Ottoman Empire, on the relationship between women in the imperial court and music, within the framework of gender roles. The artistic, cultural and social transformations that took place in Ottoman society during this period provide an opportunity to assess women's positions in the field of music from both historical and sociological perspectives. The study demonstrates that women in the court environment gained social visibility through music; the music education provided within the palace supported this process, and under the influence of Western music, female musicians began to assume more active roles not only as performers but also as composers. In this context, the relationship between music and gender is analyzed through prominent female figures of the period such as Esma Sultan, Adile Sultan, Leyla Saz and İhsan Raif Hanım. These women's artistic activities laid the groundwork for their cultural visibility. Furthermore, the formation of female music ensembles within the palace and the introduction of Western-style music education granted women new roles, emerging as one of the significant innovations of Ottoman modernization during the Tanzimat Era. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of cultural transformation processes from a gender perspective by evaluating the effects of Ottoman modernization on women through their visibility in the musical sphere. Adopting a qualitative approach, the resecarch employs historical analysis and interpretative methodology. The intersections between gender roles and music are examined within the context of Westernization, revealing the multifaceted nature of women's cultural representations in Ottoman society. The widespread adoption of Western music education, especially within the court, facilitated women's access to music and opened up new avenues for self-expression. In this way, women gained a more visible position in Ottoman cultural life through artistic produciton, both on individual and societal levels.
Copyright (c) 2025 SAADET ABUZAR- Erhan Özdemir (Yazar)
Investigation of Conservatory Students’ Perceptions of Success, Motivation and Self-Efficiency in the Field of Voice Training in Terms of Psychosocial Development Levels
Conservatory education encompasses an intensive and disciplined process that holistically addresses the artistic, technical and psychosocial development of individuals. Vocal education, an important component of this process, is a multidimensional educational field that shapes not only vocal and interpretative skills but also students’ motivation levels, perceptions of self-efficacy and attitudes towards success. This study aimed to determine findings regarding the changes that occur in their psychosocial development by conducting a comparative examination of the success, self-efficacy perceptions and motivations of students receiving vocal education in conservatory education. The reasons for choosing this field, the levels of success, self-efficacy perceptions and motivations of students receiving vocal education in Western music at conservatories were comparatively examined; at the same time, the effects of these variables on the students’ psychosocial development were evaluated. Within the scope of the research, the relationship between the students’ individual motivation levels, their success orientations and individual study habits was analyzed. The quantitative data obtained in the research were evaluated using statistical analysis techniques and the relationships between the variables were interpreted. According to the data of the study; It was determined that female students had higher course motivation levels than male students, while second- and third-year students’ course success was significantly higher than first-year students. It was also determined that students who graduated from fine arts high schools had higher success in voice training than graduates of other types of high schools. Students who attributed their success to the teacher’s influence were observed to have higher achievement, motivation, and self-efficacy scores compared to other groups. It was understood that not only individual talents but also study discipline, methods, and motivation levels play important roles in students’ success. In this respect, it was concluded that the perception of self-efficacy and motivation levels developed during the vocal training process make a significant difference in the overall success of the education.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Baran Doğuş Daloğlu- Prof.Dr.Sema Sevinç Çetin (Yazar)
Constructing National Identity Through Music: The Yu-Mex Case Study
Identity theories examine the self-perceptions of individuals and communities, as well as their global political and cultural relations through the concept of national identity, which was forged by the modern state since the 19th century. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1945–1992) serves as a remarkable example of the state-led construction of a national identity. This study aims to investigate how national identity is built through music, focusing on the case of Yugoslavia and the syncretic musical genre of Yu-Mex. Employing a qualitative research design, I have approached the Yu-Mex phenomenon as a historical and cultural case study. The dataset for this research comprises primary sources—notably the seminal film that led the emergence of Yu-Mex, followed by popular records released in Serbo-Croatian by artists of the 1950s and 60s—and secondary sources, such as Miha Mazzini’s 2013 documentary. I have interpreted the emergence, diffusion, and socio-cultural role of this syncretic music genre in the construction of a multi-ethnic Yugoslav national identity by analyzing these cultural products from the perspective of content and discourse analysis. The findings indicate that Yu-Mex music had a positive, albeit indirect, influence on the construction of the Yugoslavian national identity, rather than being a direct product of state engineering.
Copyright (c) 2025 Alper ZENGINTAŞ (Yazar)
Echoes of Unity: The Shared Musical Memory of Safavid Tabriz and Ottoman Konya
Throughout history, Tabriz and Konya have stood as two of the most significant centers of cultural and mystical life in the Islamic world. However, the musical interactions between Safavid-era Tabriz and Ottoman Konya, particularly within the Mevlevi tradition, have rarely been examined through a systematic academic framework. This study aims to illuminate these connections by analyzing the modal, instrumental, and mystical correspondences between the two traditions through a multidisciplinary approach combining historical musicology, comparative modal analysis, and archival research. Drawing on Ottoman and Safavid sources such as theoretical treatises, court manuscripts, and Sufi ritual documents, the research reconstructs the potential transmission of musicians and musical knowledge following the Ottoman conquest of Tabriz in 1514 during the Battle of Chaldiran. It explores whether musicians trained in the Safavid court of Tabriz migrated to the Ottoman Empire and how their musical practices might have shaped the Mevlevi repertoire in Konya. The study suggests that the Safavid modal system, deeply rooted in the theoretical legacy of Abd al-Qadir al-Maraghi, contributed to the evolution of Ottoman makam structures and to the spiritual aesthetics of Mevlevi music. The research addresses three central questions: How did the modal system developed in Safavid Tabriz influence the formation of Mevlevi ceremonial music? Did musicians trained in the Safavid court migrate to the Ottoman Empire, and if so, in what ways did they contribute to Mevlevi practice? What common modal and instrumental features existed between the mystical music of Tabriz and the Mevlevi tradition of Konya? By answering these questions, this work uncovers a previously neglected cultural transmission linking the Safavid and Ottoman musical worlds. It argues that this interaction not only enriched the Ottoman makam tradition but also shaped the spiritual and aesthetic layers of Sufi music within Mevlevi lodges. Ultimately, the research reconsiders Ottoman–Safavid relations through the prism of shared musical memory, offering an original contribution to the field of historical musicology.
Philosophical and Cultural Factors in the Birth of Opera in 17th Century Europe
Artistic activities have continuously demonstrated change and differentiation throughout history, largely influenced by cultural and philosophical movements. This study examines the projection of the cultural and philosophical factors that shaped the genesis of Opera in 17th-century Europe, a significant form of this artistic transformation. The research is based on the method of historical content analysis, utilizing primary and secondary sources pertaining to 16th and 17th-century European art, political, and cultural history, which were collected through a literature review. The gathered data are thematically analyzed within the context of Renaissance humanism’s interest in Ancient Greek drama and the Baroque era’s Affetti (affection/emotion) centered aesthetic understanding, which enabled the emergence of Opera. The analyses show that the inspiration from classical drama, revitalized by the Renaissance, combined with the centralization of emotional expression in art during the Baroque period, triggering the birth of Opera. The main finding of the study is that Opera functioned not only as an art form but also as a new public expressive and propaganda tool, reflecting the political power and social atmosphere of the time. Consequently, the philosophical and cultural interactions during this period permanently shaped Opera’s place in European art history and its subsequent influence on later periods.
An Overview of Solo Piano Works Composed in the First Decade of the Republic
With the proclamation of the Republic, the modernization efforts in the field of music led to a significant transformation in the solo piano repertoire, particularly through the contributions of the “Turkish Five,” who received their education in Europe and returned to Turkey. This study examines solo piano works composed between 1923 and 1933 in terms of form, melody, rhythm, harmony, national elements, and their contributions to the Turkish piano school, aiming to reveal the characteristic musical identity of this period. Through archival research, eleven works were identified, and the scores of nine accessible pieces were subjected to qualitative descriptive analysis, demonstrating that early Republican piano music was based on the synthesis of Western polyphonic traditions with elements of Turkish folk and makam music. From Cemal Reşit Rey’s suites, characterized by modal harmony and rhythmic diversity, to Akses’s contrapuntal approach and irregular rhythms; from Erkin’s lyrically dramatic structures to Saygun’s integration of suite and contrapuntal forms with folk music elements; and from Alnar’s works directly inspired by folk dances to Fenmen’s pedagogically oriented pieces, this repertoire encompasses a wide range that merges national and universal musical values, laying the foundations of the contemporary Turkish piano school. In this context, early Republican piano works created an aesthetic bridge between local and universal elements, leaving an original legacy that guided subsequent generations of composers.
Copyright (c) 2025 Erkan Nuri Türkmen- Prof. Z. Seçkin Gökbudak (Yazar)