Akses, Necil Kâzim
Akses, Necil Kâzim
Akses, Necil Kâzim, Turkish composer and teacher; b. Constantinople, May 6, 1908. Hestudied at the Constantinople Cons. A stipend from the Turkish government enabled him to enter the Vienna Academy of Music as a cello student in 1926, where he also studied counterpoint and composition with J. Marx (composition diploma, 1931). He then studied with A. Haba and Suk in Prague (until 1934). Upon his return to Turkey, he taught at the Ankara Cons., where he served as its director in 1948–49. He was director of the Ankara State Opera (1958–60; 1971–72). In 1981 he was made a National Artist by the Turkish government and in 1992 he was awarded the Atatürk Arts Prize. His music often incorporated Turkish elements, but the influence of Western art music predominated in his scores.
Works
DRAMATIC Opera: Mete (1933); Bayònder (The Leader; Ankara, Dec. 27, 1934); Timur (1954). ORCH.: Çiftetelli (1934); Ankara Castle (1938–42; Ankara, Oct. 22, 1942); Poem for Cello and Orch. (Ankara, June 29, 1946); Ballade (Ankara, April 14, 1948); 5 syms. (1966–88); Violin Concerto (1969); Concerto for Orchestra (1976–77); Viola Concerto (1977). CHAMBER: Allegro feroce for Saxophone and Piano (1931); Flute Sonata (1939); 4 string quartets; piano pieces.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire