Saygun, Ahmed Adnan

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Saygun, Ahmed Adnan (b Izmir, 1907; d Istanbul, 1991). Turkish composer. In Paris, 1928–31. Returned to Turkey 1931 to hold various teaching posts: Istanbul Cons. 1936–9, Ankara State Cons. from 1964, Istanbul State Cons. from 1972. Works incl. 4 operas, 4 syms., pf. conc., vn. conc., 3 str. qts., wind quintet, vn. sonata, vc. sonata, etc. Accompanied Bartók in 1936 on folk-song collecting journey in Anatolia; in 1976 his Bartók's Folk Music was pubd. in Budapest. His oratorio Yunus Emre (1946) was cond. by Stokowski in NY 1958.