Zeki Ungor
Encyclopedia
Osman Zeki Üngör was a Turkish
composer, violin virtuoso and lyricist, who served as the first conductor of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra
of the Republic of Turkey.
Üngör further helped establish the State Conservatory of Turkey and served as its first headmaster, involving himself actively in the creation of laws whereby the education of students with special artistic talent would be wholly sponsored by the government.
Notable works include the symphonic arrangement of the original 1921 score for the Turkish National Anthem
, İlim Marşı, Azm-ü Ümit Marşı, Töre Marşı, Türk Çocukları, and Cumhuriyet Marşı.
, Istanbul
in 1880 as the son of a sugar merchant and the grandson of Santuri Hilmi Bey - a well-regarded musician in the Ottoman Imperial Court
and the founder of the Fasl-ı Cedid
body of the Muzika-i Hümayun ("The New Fasıl
Division" of the Ottoman Imperial Orchestra).
After completing his education at the middle school of the Beşiktaş Military Academy, he was admitted into the Musical Academy of the Ottoman Imperial Orchestra in 1891 at the age of 11, where he quickly garnered the attention of his instructors as well as that of Sultan Abdulhamit II with his talent, who soon placed him under the instruction of Chief Violinist Vondra Bey and d’Aradna Pasha. Formally becoming a concert violinist following the completion of his musical education, Üngör continued to ascend the ranks of the Ottoman Imperial Orchestra, soon becoming first violinist, and ultimately, conductor in 1917.
He was a driving force in transforming the Muzika-i Hümayun from an orchestra that primarily performed military marches into a symphonic orchestra in the true Western sense.
Üngör complemented his orchestra duties with musical instruction, offering music classes at the Imperial Orchestra and the Istanbul Erkek Lisesi, as well as offering weekly public concerts at the Union Française. He additionally conducted performance in Vienna
, Berlin
, Dresden
, Munich
, Budapest
and Sofia
.
Üngör reached the peak of his fame following his symphonic arrangement for the Turkish National Anthem
in 1922, composed to the lyrics written by the renowned poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy
. He subsequently became the first conductor of the newly-established Presidential Symphony Orchestra
of the Republic of Turkey, relocating to Ankara
around 1924 in the process.
He was a key figure in the establishment of the Musik-i Muallim Cemiyeti, currently the State Conservatory at Hacettepe University
, and served as its headmaster between the years 1924-1934. During this time, he was actively involved in the creation of laws regarding the government sponsorship and training abroad of especially talented young artists.
Following his retirement in 1934, Üngör spent his remaining days in his home at the Maçka Palas in Istanbul
, passing away on February 28, 1958 at the age of 78. His last wish of having the Istiklal Marsi
performed at his ceremony was eagerly honored by the Government, making him the second person in the history of the Republic after Ersoy
to have the national anthem performed at his funeral. His current resting place is at the Karacaahmet Cemetery
in Üsküdar
, Istanbul
.
He had one son, Ekrem Zeki, who followed in Üngör’s footsteps to become a violinist and music instructor.
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
composer, violin virtuoso and lyricist, who served as the first conductor of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra
Presidential Symphony Orchestra
Presidential Symphony Orchestra is the presidential symphony orchestra of the Republic of Turkey. It is headquartered in Ankara...
of the Republic of Turkey.
Üngör further helped establish the State Conservatory of Turkey and served as its first headmaster, involving himself actively in the creation of laws whereby the education of students with special artistic talent would be wholly sponsored by the government.
Notable works include the symphonic arrangement of the original 1921 score for the Turkish National Anthem
Istiklâl Marsi
The İstiklâl Marşı is the National Anthem of Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, officially adopted on 12 March 1921 - two and a half years before the 29 October 1923 establishment of the Republic of Turkey, both as a motivational musical saga for the troops fighting in the Turkish War...
, İlim Marşı, Azm-ü Ümit Marşı, Töre Marşı, Türk Çocukları, and Cumhuriyet Marşı.
Biography
Üngör was born in ÜsküdarÜsküdar
Üsküdar is a large and densely populated municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, on the Anatolian shore of the Bosphorus. It is bordered on the north by Beykoz, on the east by Ümraniye, on the southeast by Ataşehir, on the south by Kadıköy, and on the west by the Bosphorus, with the areas of Beşiktaş,...
, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
in 1880 as the son of a sugar merchant and the grandson of Santuri Hilmi Bey - a well-regarded musician in the Ottoman Imperial Court
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and the founder of the Fasl-ı Cedid
Fasl-i Cedid
The Fasl-ı Cedid was a musical ensemble of Classical Turkish Music operating within the organization of the Ottoman Imperial Orchestra, specializing in performances of Fasıl.-History:...
body of the Muzika-i Hümayun ("The New Fasıl
Fasil
The fasıl is a suite in Ottoman classical music. It is similar to the Arabic nawba and waslah.A classical fasıl generally includes movements such as taksim, peşrev, kâr, beste, ağır semâ'î, yürük semâ'î, gazel, şarkı and saz semâ'î, played continuously without interludes and interconnected through...
Division" of the Ottoman Imperial Orchestra).
After completing his education at the middle school of the Beşiktaş Military Academy, he was admitted into the Musical Academy of the Ottoman Imperial Orchestra in 1891 at the age of 11, where he quickly garnered the attention of his instructors as well as that of Sultan Abdulhamit II with his talent, who soon placed him under the instruction of Chief Violinist Vondra Bey and d’Aradna Pasha. Formally becoming a concert violinist following the completion of his musical education, Üngör continued to ascend the ranks of the Ottoman Imperial Orchestra, soon becoming first violinist, and ultimately, conductor in 1917.
He was a driving force in transforming the Muzika-i Hümayun from an orchestra that primarily performed military marches into a symphonic orchestra in the true Western sense.
Üngör complemented his orchestra duties with musical instruction, offering music classes at the Imperial Orchestra and the Istanbul Erkek Lisesi, as well as offering weekly public concerts at the Union Française. He additionally conducted performance in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
and Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
.
Üngör reached the peak of his fame following his symphonic arrangement for the Turkish National Anthem
Istiklâl Marsi
The İstiklâl Marşı is the National Anthem of Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, officially adopted on 12 March 1921 - two and a half years before the 29 October 1923 establishment of the Republic of Turkey, both as a motivational musical saga for the troops fighting in the Turkish War...
in 1922, composed to the lyrics written by the renowned poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy
Mehmet Akif Ersoy
Mehmet Âkif Ersoy was a Turkish poet, author, academic, member of parliament, and the poet of the Turkish National Anthem....
. He subsequently became the first conductor of the newly-established Presidential Symphony Orchestra
Presidential Symphony Orchestra
Presidential Symphony Orchestra is the presidential symphony orchestra of the Republic of Turkey. It is headquartered in Ankara...
of the Republic of Turkey, relocating to Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
around 1924 in the process.
He was a key figure in the establishment of the Musik-i Muallim Cemiyeti, currently the State Conservatory at Hacettepe University
Hacettepe University
Hacettepe University is a major state university in Ankara, Turkey.The University has two main campuses. The first is located in the old town of Ankara and hosts the Medical Centre, and the second is the Beytepe Campus, which is 13 km from the city centre...
, and served as its headmaster between the years 1924-1934. During this time, he was actively involved in the creation of laws regarding the government sponsorship and training abroad of especially talented young artists.
Following his retirement in 1934, Üngör spent his remaining days in his home at the Maçka Palas in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, passing away on February 28, 1958 at the age of 78. His last wish of having the Istiklal Marsi
Istiklâl Marsi
The İstiklâl Marşı is the National Anthem of Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, officially adopted on 12 March 1921 - two and a half years before the 29 October 1923 establishment of the Republic of Turkey, both as a motivational musical saga for the troops fighting in the Turkish War...
performed at his ceremony was eagerly honored by the Government, making him the second person in the history of the Republic after Ersoy
Mehmet Akif Ersoy
Mehmet Âkif Ersoy was a Turkish poet, author, academic, member of parliament, and the poet of the Turkish National Anthem....
to have the national anthem performed at his funeral. His current resting place is at the Karacaahmet Cemetery
Karacaahmet Cemetery
The Karacaahmet Cemetery , located in Üsküdar district, is the oldest in Istanbul and, at , the largest burial ground in Turkey.The cemetery was named after a warrior companion of Orhan I, the second Ottoman sultan and is believed to have been founded in the mid-14th century...
in Üsküdar
Üsküdar
Üsküdar is a large and densely populated municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, on the Anatolian shore of the Bosphorus. It is bordered on the north by Beykoz, on the east by Ümraniye, on the southeast by Ataşehir, on the south by Kadıköy, and on the west by the Bosphorus, with the areas of Beşiktaş,...
, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
.
He had one son, Ekrem Zeki, who followed in Üngör’s footsteps to become a violinist and music instructor.