Fazıl Say


Fazıl Say is a Turkish classical concert pianist and composer. He is known to often play his own compositions in his concerts, on top of a repertoire that consists of Beethoven, Chopin, and Bach.

Life and career

Say was born in Ankara in 1970. His father, Ahmet Say, was an author and musicologist. His mother, Gürgün Say, was a pharmacist. His grandfather Fazıl Say, whose name he shares, was a member of the Spartakusbund. Say was a child prodigy, who was able to do basic arithmetic with 4-digit numbers at the age of two. His father, having found out that he was playing the melody of "Daha Dün Annemizin" on a makeshift flute with no prior training, enlisted the help of Ali Kemal Kaya, an oboist and family friend. At the age of three, Say started his piano lessons under the tutelage of pianist Mithat Fenmen.
Say wrote his first piece, a piano sonata, in 1984, at the age of fourteen, when he was a student at the Ankara State Conservatory. It was followed, in this early phase of his development, by several chamber works without an opus number, including Schwarze Hymnen for violin and piano and a guitar concerto. He subsequently designated as his opus 1 one of the works that he had played in the concert that won him the Young Concert Artists Auditions in New York: Four Dances of Nasreddin Hodja. This work already displays in essence the significant features of his personal style: a rhapsodic, fantasia-like basic structure; a variable rhythm, often dance-like, though formed through syncopation; a continuous, vital driving pulse; and a wealth of melodic ideas often based on themes from the folk music of Turkey and its neighbours. He drew from local traditional tradition like Béla Bartók, George Enescu and György Ligeti. He attracted international attention with the piano piece Black Earth, Op. 8, in which he employs techniques made popular by John Cage's works for prepared piano.
Say increasingly turned to the large orchestral forms. Taking his inspiration from the poetry of the writers Nâzım Hikmet and Metin Altıok, he composed works for soloists, chorus and orchestra which, especially in the case of the oratorio Nâzim, Op. 9, take up the tradition of composers such as Carl Orff. Say also made frequent use in these works of traditional instruments from Turkey, including kudüm and darbuka drums and the ney reed flute. In 2007 his 1001 Nights in the Harem violin concerto was premiered by Patricia Kopatchinskaja and received further performances in international concert halls.
His first symphony, the Istanbul Symphony was premiered in 2010 at the conclusion of his five-year residency at the Konzerthaus Dortmund. Jointly commissioned by the WDR and the Konzerthaus in the framework of Ruhr in 2010, the work is a vibrant and poetic tribute to the city and its inhabitants. The same year saw the composition of his Divorce String Quartet, based on atonal principles, and commissioned works such as the Nirvana Burning piano concerto for the Salzburg Festival and a trumpet concerto for the, premiered by Gábor Boldoczki.
Say wrote a clarinet concerto for Sabine Meyer in 2011 that refers to the life and work of the Persian poet Omar Khayyam in response to a commission from the 2011 Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, and also a clarinet sonata for the Kissinger Sommer of 2012. His works have been published by Schott.

In his three works Gezi Park from 2013/14 he reflected the suppression of the Gezi Park protests.
The lyrics for his song "Insan Insan" were taken from a centuries-old poem written by Alevi poet Muhyiddin Abdal. The track was orchestrated by Say with vocals from Selva Erdener, Burcu Uyar, Güvenç Dağüstün and Cem Adrian.
Fazıl Say is also known for being a passionate supporter of Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü.
In October 2023, Fazıl Say said that his planned performances with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in Switzerland were cancelled after he called for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "stand trial for war crimes, genocide and massacres."

Blasphemy charge

In April 2012, Say came under investigation by the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office over statements made on Twitter, after declaring himself an atheist and retweeting a famous poem of 11th century muslim polymath Omar Khayyam which criticises twisted conception of paradise of some fundamentalist schools and movements. Say then announced that he was considering leaving Turkey to live in Japan because of the rise of conservative Islam and growing intolerance in his home country.
On 1 June 2012, an Istanbul court indicted Say with the crime of "publicly insulting religious values that are adopted by a part of the nation", a crime that carries a penalty of up to 18 months in prison. According to Anatolia news agency, Say told the Istanbul court he did not seek to insult anybody, but was merely expressing his uneasiness. The court adjourned the case to 18 February after rejecting his lawyers’ request for an immediate acquittal. “When I read them, I was heart-broken, I felt disgraced.” Turan Gümüş, one of the three plaintiffs, told the court. On 15 April 2013, Say was sentenced to 10 months in jail, reduced from 12 months for good behavior in court. The sentence was suspended, meaning he was allowed to move freely provided he did not repeat the offense in the next five years.
On appeal, Turkey's Supreme Court of Appeals reversed the conviction on 26 October 2015, ruling that Say's Twitter posts fell within the bounds of freedom of thought and freedom of expression.
Although he declared himself an atheist, in 2018, after photos of him praying at his mother's funeral surfaced, he denied those who called him an atheist, saying, "Later we heard that those who accused me of disbelief turned out to be women traders and were imprisoned."

Honors and awards

  • Winner of the Young Concert Artists International Auditions
  • Paul A. Fish Foundation Awards
  • Le Monde Awards
  • Echo Klassik
  • German Music Critics’ Best Recording of the Year Award
  • Ambassador of Intercultural Dialogue
  • "Echo" German Record Award
  • "ECHO Klassik 2013 Special Jury Award with Istanbul Symphony Album
  • Prix International de la Laïcité 2015
  • Beethoven Prize 2016
  • Duisburger Musikpreis

    Artist / Composer in residence

  • Staatskapelle Weimar, 2022/23
  • Alte Oper Frankfurt, 2015/2016
  • Laeiszhalle Hamburg, 2014/2015
  • Bodenseefestival, 2014
  • Wiener Konzerthaus, 2013/2014
  • Hessischer Rundfunk Frankfurt, 2012/2013
  • Konzerthaus Berlin, 2010/2011
  • Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival 2011
  • Merano Festival, 2010
  • Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, 2010
  • Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris 2010
  • Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 2010
  • Sumida Triphony Hall, Tokyo 2008
  • Konzerthaus Dortmund, 2005–2010
  • Musikfest Bremen 2005
  • Radio France 2003 & 2005

    Recordings

  1. 1993 CD /
  2. 1996 CD / Troppenote Records
  3. 1998 CD / Warner Music
  4. 1999 CD / Teldec
  5. 2000 CD / Teldec
  6. 2000 CD / Teldec
  7. 2001 CD / Teldec
  8. 2002 CD / İmaj
  9. 2003 CD / Naive
  10. 2003 CD / İmaj
  11. 2003 CD / Bilkent
  12. 2004 CD / Naive
  13. 2005 CD / Naive
  14. 2006 CD / Naive
  15. 2006 CD / Avex
  16. 2007 CD / Naive
  17. 2008 CD / Naive
  18. 2011 Fazil Say: Pictures
  19. 2012 Istanbul Symphony & Hezarfen Ney Concerto
  20. 2019 CD / Warner Bros.
  21. 2019 CD / Winter & Winter
  22. 2019 CD / Sony
  23. 2022 CD / Warner Classics
  24. 2023 CD / Alpha Classics
  25. 2024 CD / Warner Classics / Oiseaux tristes

    Chronological list of compositions

Source:
OpusCompositionFormYearCity
Phrigian for PianoEarly Works1984Ankara
Sonata for PianoEarly Works1984Ankara
Ballade for Cello and PianoEarly Works1985Ankara
Preludes for PianoEarly Works1985Ankara
Preludes for Flute and PianoEarly Works1985Ankara
Guitar ConcertoEarly Works1986Ankara
Suite for PianoEarly Works1986Ankara
Schwarze Hymnen for Violin and PianoEarly Works1987Ankara
4 Stücke for PianoEarly Works1987Düsseldorf
Paganini Jazz 1. Version for PianoPiano1988Düsseldorf
Seidenstrasse for Piano soloEarly Works1989Düsseldorf
Debussy Preludes OrchestrationEarly Works1990Düsseldorf
1Nasreddin Hoca’nın dansları for PianoEarly Works1990Düsseldorf
Reflections for Piano Violin and OrchestraEarly Works1990Düsseldorf
Paganini Jazz 2. Version for PianoPiano1990Düsseldorf
3 Maerchen for Piano and Chamber OrchestraOrchestral1991Düsseldorf
Alt Anatolisches Tagebuch for PianoEarly Works1991Düsseldorf
Melodien for PianoEarly Works1992Berlin
Liszt Sonata OrchestrationOrchestration1992Berlin
3Symphonia Concertante for Piano and OrchestraOrchestral1993Berlin
5aAllaTurca Jazz Piano1993Berlin
2Fantasiestücke for PianoPiano1993Berlin
4Silk Road for Piano and Chamber OrchestraChamber1994Berlin
5bPaganini Jazz 3. VersionPiano1995Berlin
5cCadenza Mozart K 467Orchestral1995Berlin
5d25 SongsSong1995Berlin
5eConcerto for Guitar in dConcerto1996New York
6Chamber SymphonyChamber1997New York
8Black Earth for PianoPiano1997New York
7Sonata for Violin and PianoChamber1997New York
5fYeni bir Gülnihal Jazz Variations for PianoPiano1997New York
Sonata for Piano Silence of SoutheastPiano1998New York
Gershwin arrangements for sixtettPiano1999New York
UÇAK NOTLARIBook1999New York
Pieces for world jazz quartettChamber2000New York
11Silence of Anatolia Piano ConcertoConcerto2001New York
10Cadenza Beethoven No 3Piano2001New York
9Nazım OratorioOratorio2001New York
123 Ballades for PianoPiano2002Istanbul
13Metin Altıok AğıtıOratorio2003Istanbul
14Rhapsodia Uzun ince YoldayımChamber2004Istanbul
15Cadenza Mozart KV 537Piano2004Istanbul
16Thinking Einstein for Piano and OrchestraConcerto2005Istanbul
17Patara Ballet for Ney–Flute, Soprano, Percussions and PianoDance2005Istanbul
18Ultimathule Film MusicCinema2005Istanbul
DVD / İmaj Recording2002Istanbul
19Bach-Say Passacaglia Piano2005Istanbul
20Summertime Phantasy GershwinPiano2005Istanbul
21Pianist the WolfyCinema2006Istanbul
22İnsan insanCinema2006Istanbul
23Fenerbahçe ProjectOrchestral2007Istanbul
24Bach-Say Fantasia in g Piano2007Istanbul
251001 Nights in the Harem Violin ConcertoConcerto2007Istanbul
Yalnızlık kederiBook2009Istanbul
26Princess of Lykia for 2 GuitarsChamber2009Istanbul
27WatercolorCinema2009Istanbul
28Istanbul SymphonyOrchestral2009Istanbul
İmaj DVD2010Istanbul
29String QuartettChamber2010Istanbul
30Nirvana BurningConcerto2010Istanbul
31Concerto for TrompetConcerto2010Istanbul
32Variations for 2 Pianos and PercussionChamber2010Istanbul
337000 yıllık uçan halı Theatre2010Istanbul
34Cleopatra for solo ViolinChamber2010Istanbul
35Woodwinds Quintett “Alevi dedeler rakı masasında” Chamber2010Istanbul
Nazım Oratorio 2010 VersionReduction2010Istanbul
Yeni bir Gülnihal – Jazz VariationsReduction2010Istanbul
Nirvana BurningPiano Excerpt2010Istanbul
Trompeten KonzertPiano Excerpt2010Istanbul
36Concerto for Clarinet “Khayyam”Concerto2011Istanbul
Fazıl Say: Pianist – Komponist – Weltbürger by Jürgen OttenBook2011Istanbul
37“4 Lieder” – “4 Songs”Songs2011Istanbul
38Symphony No. 2 “Mezopotamya” for large orchestraOrchestral2011Istanbul
39Hezarfen Concerto for Ney and OrchestraConcerto2011Istanbul
40SESSong2012Istanbul
41Sonata for Cello and Piano – “4 Cities” Chamber2012Istanbul
42Sonata for Clarinet and PianoChamber2012Istanbul
43Symphony No. 3 “Universe”Orchestral2012Istanbul
446 SongsSong2012Istanbul
45“Water” for Piano and OrchestraConcerto2012Istanbul
46Space Jump for Trio Chamber2013Istanbul
55Suite for Alto Saxophone & PianoChamber2014Istanbul
Concerto for Percussion and OrchestraConcerto2018-