From Yunus to Nazım”

A Cantata for Soloists, Choir and Symphony Orchestra

“From Yunus to Nazım” is a symphonic composition based on the verses of Anatolia’s great spiritual and literary figures — Yunus Emre, Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, Hacı Bektaş Veli, Hallacı Mansur, and passages from Nazım Hikmet’s “Epic of Sheikh Bedreddin.”

Conceived as a contribution to Turkey’s musical heritage, the work intertwines the poetry of these iconic voices with the tonal and rhythmic richness of Anatolian folk tradition.

Featuring seven soloists, the piece gives voice to Yunus Emre, Mevlana, Hacı Bektaş Veli, Hallacı Mansur, two narrators, and Sheikh Bedreddin.

• Orchestra: Eskişehir Symphony Orchestra

• Choir: Istanbul European Choir

• Cast: 1 Bass, 2 Baritones, 2 Tenors (one lyrical), 1 Mezzo Soprano, 1 Soprano

• Premiere: May 21–22, 2010

With the rise of radio and television, Western music gradually dominated urban culture in Turkey, pushing Anatolian folk traditions into the background.
As a result, musical identity distanced itself from its roots and aligned with Western expressions.

The cantata “From Yunus to Nazım” stands as an artistic response to this transformation.
It elevates Anatolia’s authentic values into the universal language of orchestral music, preserving its traditional modes and rhythms within a contemporary symphonic framework.

This composition embodies the shared spirit of its culture, addressing both the conscious and subconscious dimensions of its listeners, while carrying Anatolia’s musical memory into the future.

The project aims to introduce Turkish music to the European cultural sphere while preserving its authentic identity within a universal musical context.
It represents the spiritual and philosophical soul of Anatolia, shaped by centuries of Mevlevi and Bektaşi traditions.
Through the timeless words of Yunus Emre, Mevlana, Pir Sultan and Köroğlu, it presents the voice of Anatolia to the world in a symphonic language.

“The Cantata From Yunus to Nazım is the sound of unity — where the soul of Anatolia meets the universal voice of humanity.” — Hasan Yükselir

Info:

• Composers: Hasan Yükselir & Fırat Yükselir

• Conductor: Fırat Yükselir

• Choir Conductor: Sergei Gavrilov

• Bass: Hasan Yükselir

• Soprano: Dijle Yükselir, G. Ezgi Yıldırım

• Tenor: Serkan Taylan, Furkan Aktakka

• Mezzo Soprano: A. Suphiye Günaltay

• Baritone: Nejad Beğde, Cihan Özmen

• Orchestra: Eskişehir Symphony Orchestra

• Choir: Istanbul European Choir

Concert link: From Yunus to Nazım – Cantata (2010)