Samim Bilgen

Samim Bilgen was a Turkish composer, born in Thessaloniki, on April 12, 1910, died in Ankara on September 9, 2005. His song Ilgaz (whose lyrics also belong to him) has become a household tune in Turkey -- and is popular even in China.

Has studied and practiced law professionally, but has also been an active musician, particularly in his youth.

After Haydarpasa German Primary School and Kabatas High School, has studied law in Istanbul University, Turkey and graduated in 1931. In 1961-62, Bilgen studied international law at Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, USA.

His musical life started in Istanbul during his high school years. He learned to play the piano from his mother, and trained himself in music theory as well as playing the violin. Attended Seyfeddin Asal's violin classes in Istanbul Municipal Conservatory. While he was a law student, he started playing the violin professionally, first with Istanbul City Orchestra directed by the well known Turkish composer Hasan Ferid Alnar [ [http://composers-classical-music.com/a/AlnarHasanFerit.htm ccm :: Alnar, Hasan Ferit Alnar, Hasan Ferid Alnar ] ] . Later, from 1930 to 1935, he played the first violin with Istanbul Conservatory Orchestra directed by Cemal Resit Rey, also one of the top Turkish composers of the republican era.

In 1933, the founder and President of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk attended a performance, in Ankara, of Bilgen's operetta "Othello", and expressed admiration for the work.

In 1935, two of his songs won prizes in a composition contest (organized by a daily newspaper "Cumhuriyet"), where the jury members included Dmitri Shostakovich and Paul Hindemith. Professor Eugene Borrel of the Paris Conservatory heaped praise on Bilgen's collection entitled 'Turkish Folk Songs'.

Throughout his life, he has endeavored to increase the popularity of polyphonic music in Turkey, and since 1973, has served on the consulting board of [http://www.andmuzikvakfi.com/english.html Sevda Cenap And Music Foundation] .

Works

Operettas and stage music

# "Kadinlar mi erkekler mi?" ("Women or men?") operetta for piano, flute, clarinet, two violins and cello, 1932.
# "Bu yaz böyle geçti" ("So passed this summer") operetta for orchestra, 1935.
# "Othello" Stage music for violin, cello, piano and strings, 1930.
# "Merihten gelen telsiz" ("The wireless from Mars") stage music for violin, piano and cello, 1930.
# "Ilgaz" stage music for strings, 1931.
# "Köye dönüs" ("Return to the village") stage music for strings, 1932.

Music for voice and piano

# "Turkish folk airs", 1935.
# "Five folk songs", 1939.
# "Ten folk songs", 1960-1980.
# "Souvenirs", 1930-1935.
# "Nocturne" for piano solo, 1980.
# "Ballade" for piano solo, 1980.

Published works

# "Souvenirs" - Three piano pieces, Ilgaz, Return to the village, Women or men.
# "Two piano pieces", Nocturne, Ballade.
# "Turkish folk songs" five folk songs.
# "Folk songs from yesterday to tomorrow" five folk songs.
# "Marches" four marches.
# "Two lieds" Merdiven

His unpublished tangos have been created in collaboration with his brother Tarik Rona (1914-1985).

References