Girdim Yarin Bahçesine (2019)
(Girdim Yarin Bahçesine - Transfiguration of Once)

commissioned by Ensemble Resonanz

This piece was commissioned by the Ensemble Resonanz feat. Derya Yildrim for their joint program series ‘Derya's Songbook.’ As source material I used the Azerbaijani/Turkish traditional love song ‘Girdim Yarin Bahçesine,’ in which a past love is bemoaned. I was interested in this transfigured, nostalgic view of the past. I wanted to create an atmosphere of sound which generates a form of limbo between culture and time, and which critically, yet lovingly takes on this view. While the vocal part remains untouched, the saz uses modern playing techniques (which I was able to gain an insight into thanks to Derya's teacher Taner Akyol) in addition to the kaval/dududuk and strings.