# Fazıl Say

Fazıl Say (Turkish:; born 14 January 1970) is a Turkish pianist and composer who has worked internationally.

## 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" (Turkish version of Ah! vous dirai-je, maman) 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 (1990). 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 (1997), 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 (and the biographies) 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 (2001), 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 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival [de], 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 (soprano), Burcu Uyar (coloratura soprano), Güvenç Dağüstün (baritone) and Cem Adrian (ethnic vocals).
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 (Say tweets), 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 (1994)
* Paul A. Fish Foundation Awards (1995)
* Le Monde Awards (2000)
* Echo Klassik (2001)
* German Music Critics’ Best Recording of the Year Award (2001)
* Ambassador of Intercultural Dialogue (2008)
* "Echo" German Record Award (2009)
* "ECHO Klassik 2013 Special Jury Award with Istanbul Symphony Album
* Prix International de la Laïcité 2015 (Comité Laïcité République, France)
* Beethoven Prize 2016 (Beethoven Academy)
* Duisburger Musikpreis (2017)

## 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

* 1993 CD / (SFB) (Scarlatti–Berg–Say)
* 1996 CD / Troppenote Records (Say)
* 1998 CD / Warner Music (Mozart Sonatas)
* 1999 CD / Teldec (Bach)
* 2000 CD / Teldec (Gershwin)
* 2000 CD / Teldec (Stravinski–Le sacre)
* 2001 CD / Teldec (Liszt–Tchaikovski)
* 2002 CD / İmaj (Nazım)
* 2003 CD / Naive (Say/Black Earth)
* 2003 CD / İmaj (Metin Altıok ağıtı)
* 2003 CD / Bilkent (Nazım)
* 2004 CD / Naive (Mozart Concertos)
* 2005 CD / Naive (Beethoven Sonatas for Piano)
* 2006 CD / Naive (Haydn Sonatas)
* 2006 CD / Avex (Live in Tokyo)
* 2007 CD / Naive (Kopatchinskaja–Say / Beethoven / Bartok / Ravel)
* 2008 CD / Naive (Kopatchinskaja–Say 1001 Nights in the Harem)
* 2011 Fazil Say: Pictures (CD / DVD)
* 2012 Istanbul Symphony & Hezarfen Ney Concerto (CD / DVD)
* 2019 CD / Warner Bros. (Fazil Say plays Say: Troy Sonata, Yürüyen Köşk, two pieces from Art of Piano)
* 2019 CD / Winter & Winter (Ferhan & Ferzan Önder play Fazil Say: Winter Morning in Istanbul, Gezi Park – Concerto for two pianos & orchestra, Sonata for two pianos)
* 2019 CD / Sony (1001 Nights in the Harem: Violin Concerto, Grand Bazaar, China Rhapsody)
* 2023 CD / Alpha Classics (Kopatchinskaja–Say / Janácek / Brahms / Bartók)
* 2024 CD / Warner Classics / Oiseaux tristes (Couperin * Debussy * Ravel)

## Chronological list of compositions

Source:
Chronological list of Fazıl Say's compositions :
| Opus | Composition | Form | Year | City |
| | Phrigian for Piano | Early Works | 1984 | Ankara |
| | Sonata for Piano | Early Works | 1984 | Ankara |
| | Ballade for Cello and Piano | Early Works | 1985 | Ankara |
| | Preludes for Piano | Early Works | 1985 | Ankara |
| | Preludes for Flute and Piano | Early Works | 1985 | Ankara |
| | Guitar Concerto | Early Works | 1986 | Ankara |
| | Suite for Piano | Early Works | 1986 | Ankara |
| | Schwarze Hymnen for Violin and Piano | Early Works | 1987 | Ankara |
| | 4 Stücke for Piano | Early Works | 1987 | Düsseldorf |
| | Paganini Jazz 1. Version for Piano | Piano | 1988 | Düsseldorf |
| | Seidenstrasse for Piano solo | Early Works | 1989 | Düsseldorf |
| | Debussy Preludes Orchestration | Early Works | 1990 | Düsseldorf |
| 1 | Nasreddin Hoca’nın dansları for Piano | Early Works | 1990 | Düsseldorf |
| | Reflections for Piano Violin and Orchestra | Early Works | 1990 | Düsseldorf |
| | Paganini Jazz 2. Version for Piano | Piano | 1990 | Düsseldorf |
| | 3 Maerchen for Piano and Chamber Orchestra | Orchestral | 1991 | Düsseldorf |
| | Alt Anatolisches Tagebuch for Piano | Early Works | 1991 | Düsseldorf |
| | Melodien for Piano | Early Works | 1992 | Berlin |
| | Liszt Sonata Orchestration | Orchestration | 1992 | Berlin |
| 3 | Symphonia Concertante for Piano and Orchestra | Orchestral | 1993 | Berlin |
| 5a | AllaTurca Jazz ( Mozart ) | Piano | 1993 | Berlin |
| 2 | Fantasiestücke for Piano | Piano | 1993 | Berlin |
| 4 | Silk Road for Piano and Chamber Orchestra | Chamber | 1994 | Berlin |
| 5b | Paganini Jazz 3. Version | Piano | 1995 | Berlin |
| 5c | Cadenza Mozart K 467 | Orchestral | 1995 | Berlin |
| 5d | 25 Songs | Song | 1995 | Berlin |
| 5e | Concerto for Guitar in d | Concerto | 1996 | New York |
| 6 | Chamber Symphony | Chamber | 1997 | New York |
| 8 | Black Earth for Piano | Piano | 1997 | New York |
| 7 | Sonata for Violin and Piano | Chamber | 1997 | New York |
| 5f | Yeni bir Gülnihal Jazz Variations for Piano | Piano | 1997 | New York |
| | Sonata for Piano Silence of Southeast | Piano | 1998 | New York |
| | Gershwin arrangements for sixtett | Piano | 1999 | New York |
| | UÇAK NOTLARI | Book | 1999 | New York |
| | Pieces for world jazz quartett | Chamber | 2000 | New York |
| 11 | Silence of Anatolia Piano Concerto | Concerto | 2001 | New York |
| 10 | Cadenza Beethoven No 3 | Piano | 2001 | New York |
| 9 | Nazım Oratorio | Oratorio | 2001 | New York |
| 12 | 3 Ballades for Piano | Piano | 2002 | Istanbul |
| 13 | Metin Altıok Ağıtı | Oratorio | 2003 | Istanbul |
| 14 | Rhapsodia Uzun ince Yoldayım | Chamber | 2004 | Istanbul |
| 15 | Cadenza Mozart KV 537 | Piano | 2004 | Istanbul |
| 16 | Thinking Einstein for Piano and Orchestra | Concerto | 2005 | Istanbul |
| 17 | Patara Ballet for Ney–Flute, Soprano, Percussions and Piano | Dance | 2005 | Istanbul |
| 18 | Ultimathule Film Music | Cinema | 2005 | Istanbul |
| | DVD / İmaj ( Nazım Oratorio ) | Recording | 2002 | Istanbul |
| 19 | Bach-Say Passacaglia ( Transcription) | Piano | 2005 | Istanbul |
| 20 | Summertime Phantasy Gershwin | Piano | 2005 | Istanbul |
| 21 | Pianist the Wolfy | Cinema | 2006 | Istanbul |
| 22 | İnsan insan | Cinema | 2006 | Istanbul |
| 23 | Fenerbahçe Project | Orchestral | 2007 | Istanbul |
| 24 | Bach-Say Fantasia in g ( Transcription ) | Piano | 2007 | Istanbul |
| 25 | 1001 Nights in the Harem Violin Concerto | Concerto | 2007 | Istanbul |
| | Yalnızlık kederi | Book | 2009 | Istanbul |
| 26 | Princess of Lykia for 2 Guitars | Chamber | 2009 | Istanbul |
| 27 | Watercolor | Cinema | 2009 | Istanbul |
| 28 | Istanbul Symphony | Orchestral | 2009 | Istanbul |
| | İmaj ( Fenerbahçe Project ) | DVD | 2010 | Istanbul |
| 29 | String Quartett | Chamber | 2010 | Istanbul |
| 30 | Nirvana Burning | Concerto | 2010 | Istanbul |
| 31 | Concerto for Trompet | Concerto | 2010 | Istanbul |
| 32 | Variations for 2 Pianos and Percussion | Chamber | 2010 | Istanbul |
| 33 | 7000 yıllık uçan halı ( 7,000 Year Old Flying Carpet ) | Theatre | 2010 | Istanbul |
| 34 | Cleopatra for solo Violin | Chamber | 2010 | Istanbul |
| 35 | Woodwinds Quintett “Alevi dedeler rakı masasında” (Alevi Fathers at the Raki Table) | Chamber | 2010 | Istanbul |
| | Nazım Oratorio 2010 Version | Reduction | 2010 | Istanbul |
| | Yeni bir Gülnihal – Jazz Variations | Reduction | 2010 | Istanbul |
| | Nirvana Burning | Piano Excerpt | 2010 | Istanbul |
| | Trompeten Konzert | Piano Excerpt | 2010 | Istanbul |
| 36 | Concerto for Clarinet “Khayyam” | Concerto | 2011 | Istanbul |
| | Fazıl Say: Pianist – Komponist – Weltbürger by Jürgen Otten | Book | 2011 | Istanbul |
| 37 | “4 Lieder” – “4 Songs” | Songs | 2011 | Istanbul |
| 38 | Symphony No. 2 “Mezopotamya” (Mesopotamia) for large orchestra | Orchestral | 2011 | Istanbul |
| 39 | Hezarfen Concerto for Ney and Orchestra | Concerto | 2011 | Istanbul |
| 40 | SES | Song | 2012 | Istanbul |
| 41 | Sonata for Cello and Piano – “4 Cities” ( Dört Şehir ) | Chamber | 2012 | Istanbul |
| 42 | Sonata for Clarinet and Piano | Chamber | 2012 | Istanbul |
| 43 | Symphony No. 3 “Universe” | Orchestral | 2012 | Istanbul |
| 44 | 6 Songs | Song | 2012 | Istanbul |
| 45 | “Water” for Piano and Orchestra | Concerto | 2012 | Istanbul |
| 46 | Space Jump for Trio (Piano, Violin, Cello) | Chamber | 2013 | Istanbul |
| 55 | Suite for Alto Saxophone & Piano | Chamber | 2014 | Istanbul |
| | Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra | Concerto | 2018 |

## Other works
### Books

* Uçak Notları (Airplane Notes) Ankara (1999)
* Metin Altıok Ağıtı (Requiem for Metin Altıok) (2003)
* Yalnızlık Kederi (Sorrow of Solitude) (2009)
* "Fazıl Say: Pianist – Komponist – Weltbürger" by Jürgen Otten (2011)

### Videography

* Fazıl Say – Alla Turca (DVD, 2008)
* Fazıl Say – Live in Japan (DVD)
* Fazıl Say – Nazım (DVD, 2001)
* Fazıl Say – Fenerbahçe Senfonisi (DVD)
* Fazıl Say – Istanbul Symphony Concert (DVD, 2012)
* Fazıl Say – Istanbul Symphony Short Documentary (DVD, 2012)