Alnar, Hasan Ferid

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Alnar, Hasan Ferid

Alnar, Hasan Ferid, Turkish conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Constantinople, March 11, 1906; d. Ankara, July 27, 1978. He received training in traditional Turkish music, and then studied harmony with Hüseyin Sadettin Arel and counterpoint with Edgar Manas. He completed his studies in Vienna with J. Marx (composition) and Kabasta (conducting). In 1932 he settled in Ankara, where he taught piano (until 1937) and composition (1937–46) at the State Cons. From 1946 to 1952 he was chief conductor of the State President’s Sym. Orch. Alnar’s music reflects his interest in both traditional Turkish music and Western art music.

Works

DRAMATIC: Sari Zeybek (1932–33). ORCH.: Turkish Suite (1930); Prelude and 2 Dances (1935); Istanbul Suite (1937–38); Cello Concerto (1943); Kanun (Turkish psaltery)Concerto (1944). CHAMBER: String Quartet (1933); Piano Trio (1967).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire