A. A. Saygun’un Özsoy Operası’ndaki Ulusal Unsurlar
Çok genel anlamda bakıldığında, ideolojinin sanat eserlerinde açık veya örtük belirişi, yapısal olarak oluşumunu nasıl çekip çevirdiği üzerine çeşitli incelemeler üretmek ve bunlara bağlı argümanlar üzerinden tartışma alanları yaratmak mümkündür. Bu ideolojik etkenler arasında, en çok tartışılanlardan birisi hiç kuşkusuz milliyetçilik anlayışının tezahürü olarak gözükmektedir. Müzik gibi aslında belki de en çok kendi kendine yetebilen, dilerse kendini birçok dış etkiye karşı kapatıp sadece müzikal kaynaklardan beslenme olanağı da olan bir sanat dalı, nasıl ve neden milliyetçilik gibi bir damardan beslenmeyi seçmektedir?
Milliyetçilik söz konusu olduğunda alanımız oldukça belirginleşir; örneğin milliyetçilik bağlamında yukarda sözü geçen tipteki çalışmaları çoğunlukla ideolojinin ekstrem hallerinin sosyo-politik dönüşümlere etki etmek amacıyla yola çıktığı faşist ve/ veya benzeri uç ama sıkça rastlanır durumlarda görmekteyiz. Diğer örneklerin ise, milliyetçiliğin daha üretici bir noktasından çıktığı ve varış noktası olarak da kültürel milliyetçilik başlığı altında toplanan ve ön plana o kültürün iç gelişim ihtiyaçlarından biri ekseninde değerlendirdiği yaratıcı, sentezleyici ürünlerin oluşturulduğu bir noktayı seçmeleri söz konusu olmuştur.
Türk Operası’nın bu anlamdaki dönüm noktası pozisyonundaki eserlerden biri, belki de en önemlisi olan Adnan Saygun’un Özsoy Operası da böyle bir kültürel sentez arayışından ortaya çıkan, özgün bir anlayışla yaratılmış bir eserdir. Cumhuriyet öncesi birkaç örneği saymazsak, aslında Özsoy operası vasıtası ile ilk kez uygulanan bir yaratım süreci ve buradaki deha, kendinden sonrakilere örnek olacak denli kültürel gelişmeyi hedefleyen ve bütünleştirici, ayrıca son derece hümanist bir idealden yola çıkan özgün ve fiziksel bir form bulmuştur.
Özsoy operası özelinde bahsedilmesi gereken birçok ilginç detay bulunmaktadır. Bu konuların her biri, Cumhuriyet dönemi kültürel dinamikleri içinde, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’ün önderliğinde, acilen “muasır medeniyetler” e yaklaşıp onlarla paralel gitmesi hedeflenen bir çizgide kültürümüzün anlaşılması ve sanat vasıtasıyle tanıtılması gibi bir amaca da hizmet etmektedir. Bu bağlamda değerlendirildiğinde, Özsoy operası ile başlayan bir “kültürel-milliyetçi opera” geleneğinden söz edilebilir.
Operanın yaratım sürecinin ve performansından beklenen idealist güdümlü bir milliyeçiliğin, operanın genel yapısına ve özelde dramaturji, iç tutarlılık, prozodi, müzikal uyum ve buna benzer faktörleri ne şekilde etkilediğine dair bir bölüm ile sonuçlanan, konu hakkındaki profesyonel çalışmalarından esinlenilmiş müzikologların değerli çalışmaları vasıtasıyla da, konunun daha zengin boyut ve potansiyelleri tartışılmaktadır. Nihai olarak, tüm bunlar sonucunda Özsoy operasının milliyetçilik bağlamında daha geniş bir çerçeveden değerlendirilebilmiş olmasının müzik ve ideoloji eksenindeki bağlantıların daha iyi algılanması hususunda önemli katkılar sağlayacağına ve beklentileri karşılayacağına dair bir motivasyondan yola çıkılmış bulunulmaktadır.
National Elements in A. A. Saygun’s Özsoy Opera
In a very broad sense, it is possible to produce various analyses regarding how ideology, whether explicitly or implicitly, manifests itself in works of art and how it structurally shapes their formation, and to create fields of discussion based on arguments derived from these analyses. Among these ideological factors, one of the most debated is undoubtedly the manifestation of nationalism.
Although music, as an art form that can largely sustain itself independently and feed solely from its own musical resources if desired, seems self-sufficient, the question arises: how and why does it choose to draw nourishment from a vein such as nationalism?
When nationalism is the subject, the field becomes more clearly defined; for instance, studies of the type mentioned above are often encountered in situations where extreme forms of ideology aim to influence socio-political transformations, particularly in fascist or similar contexts.
On the other hand, there are examples where nationalism originates from a more constructive point, leading to creative, synthesizing products that are evaluated within the framework of cultural nationalism, emphasizing internal developmental needs of the respective culture.
Within this context, one of the most significant turning points of Turkish opera, Adnan Saygun’s Özsoy opera, stands out as a product of such a cultural synthesis endeavor, created with a unique understanding.
Apart from a few examples preceding the Republican era, Özsoy represents the first instance of an applied creative process wherein the artistic genius, aiming at cultural development and unity from a highly humanistic ideal, materialized in a way that set an example for subsequent generations.
There are many remarkable details regarding Özsoy that deserve mention. Each of these points, situated within the cultural dynamics of the Republican era, under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, served the broader objective of aligning Turkish culture with "contemporary civilizations" and promoting it through art. From this perspective, Özsoy can be considered the beginning of a "cultural-nationalist opera" tradition.
In this study, the process of the opera's creation and the impact of an idealistically driven nationalism on elements such as dramaturgy, internal coherence, prosody, musical harmony, and similar factors will be explored, enriched by references to valuable musicological studies in the field. Ultimately, it is expected that evaluating Özsoy within the broader framework of nationalism will contribute significantly to a better understanding of the connections between music and ideology
In this study, an original approach is proposed toward the Özsoy Opera, which has served as a successful cornerstone of Turkish national identity. The focus is placed on the role this opera played in the development of both the Turkish national music school and the broader tradition of Turkish opera. Additionally, the study examines the place of Özsoy within Ahmed Adnan Saygun’s nationalist musical output, the nature of his musical relationship with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and the reasons behind Atatürk’s request for Saygun to compose an opera, a request made in light of the historical context of Turkish-Iranian relations.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk regarded the performance of Özsoy, composed by Adnan Saygun, as a “revolutionary movement” aimed at promoting the reforms of the Republic and introducing modern Turkish society. Özsoy, in which Eastern and Western motifs are synthesized through a distinctively Turkish perspective, not only established a geographical bridge between East and West but also served as a rebellious artistic expression that showcased the new identity and personality of the Republic of Turkey. As a foundational work marking the inception of Turkish national opera, it has secured an esteemed place in the history of Turkish music.
Contrary to the Western musical education he had received, Saygun’s Özsoy Opera is characterized by a departure from Western harmonic structures, instead drawing upon pentatonic scales and nourished by the melodies of Turkish folk music. Featuring characters derived from Iranian mythology and conveying elements of Turkish culture through an aesthetic musical language, the opera’s melodies inevitably reflect the musical spirit of these lands. In the process of creating a national opera, Ahmed Adnan Saygun demonstrated great sensitivity to this cultural context, striving to capture the colors and textures of the region within his musical compositions.
Up until the period during which Özsoy was composed, opera had emerged as one of the musical forms developing under the Westernization policies of the Ottoman Empire. Musically, Ottoman society was first introduced to Western music through the operatic form, primarily via Ottoman envoys. Opera activities continued during the reigns of Ottoman sultans such as Mahmud II, Abdülmecid I, Abdülaziz, and Abdülhamid II. In particular, Abdülhamid II openly supported Western music. In line with the broader efforts toward Westernization, the first operatic works featuring Turkish-language librettos began to be composed by Turkish musicians toward the end of the nineteenth century. İsmail Zühtü Bey, who was also Ahmed Adnan Saygun’s first teacher, attempted to write a libretto based on Abdülhak Hamid’s novel Tezer, though this project was ultimately unsuccessful. Another operetta, entitled Pembe Kız (The Pink Girl), was written by Ali Haydar Bey, a military band officer, and its melodies were arranged into a polyphonic form by Macar Tevfik Bey, another of Saygun’s teachers.
This process gained significant momentum with the establishment of the Republic. The Turkish nation, redefined under the leadership of Atatürk, became a people who, while deeply rooted in their rich cultural and historical heritage, also closely followed Western civilizations and endeavored to equip themselves with the necessary tools to advance along that path. The revolutionary changes realized within less than five years after the opening of the Grand National Assembly left world leaders in admiration. Transformations in social life, the abolition of the caliphate, the incorporation of the civil code into the constitution, the radical improvement in literacy rates brought about by the alphabet reform, and innovations such as the Law on the Unification of Education swiftly transformed a society dominated by religious orders and clergy into a republic that rose above contemporary civilizations. During this period, while the Republic of Turkey was transforming into a modern Western-oriented civilization, it never severed its ties with its profound roots. Had it done so, modernization might have remained a shallow and transient phenomenon. However, Atatürk, fully aware of this, turned his gaze toward the West without disregarding the spirit and support of the East. For this reason, he maintained friendly relations particularly with Iran, a country with a rich and ancient civilization. During his visit to Turkey, Reza Shah of Iran, who attended the performance of Özsoy, came to believe that by sharing their common historical and cultural wealth, the Turks and Iranians could form an even greater power. Thus, the Republic of Turkey, having successfully established itself as a strong Eastern nation with a modern face, earned the respect of the international community through the Özsoy opera and the successful foreign policy strategies of the period.
Considering the period during which Özsoy was composed and the purpose for which it was written, it is evident that its significance extends beyond Turkey or Iran, bearing considerable importance in the context of international relations.
