Ali Rıfat Çağatay (1867–1935) was a Turkish composer,

oud The oud ( ; , ) is a Middle Eastern short-neck lute-type, pear-shaped, fretless stringed instrument (a chordophone in the Hornbostel–Sachs classification of instruments), usually with 11 strings grouped in six courses, but some models have ...

virtuoso and academic, who served as the founding president of the ''Türk Musikisi Ocağı'' (The Institute for Turkish Music) and the long-term president of the ''Şark Musiki Cemiyeti'' (The Society for Eastern Music). He was noted for his efforts to harmonize

classical Turkish music Ottoman music () or Turkish classical music (, or more recently ) is the tradition of classical music originating in the Ottoman Empire. Developed in the palace, major Ottoman cities, and Sufi lodges, it traditionally features a solo singer wi ...

with elements of Western musical heritage, his vocal abilities, as well as his talents on the

, the

violoncello The violoncello ( , ), commonly abbreviated as cello ( ), is a middle pitched bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C ...

, the

tanbur The term ''Tanbur'' can refer to various long-necked string instruments originating in Mesopotamia, Southern or Central Asia. According to the ''New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', "terminology presents a complicated situation. Nowa ...

, and the

kemenche Kemenche (, Persian language, Persian : کمانچه) or Lyra is a name used for various types of Bowed string instrument, stringed bowed musical instruments originating in the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly in Greece, Armenia, Iran, Turke ...

. Notable works include the original musical arrangement for the

Turkish national anthem Turkish may refer to: * Something related to Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities in the former Ottoman Empire * The w ...

, used between 1924 and 1930 until the acceptance of the new composition by

Osman Zeki Üngör Osman Zeki Üngör (; 1880 – 28 February 1958) was a Turkish composer, violin virtuoso and lyricist, who served as the first conductor of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra of Turkey. Üngör helped establish the State Conservatory of Turkey ...

, as well as other national favorites.

Biography

Born in

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

in 1867, Çağatay was the eldest of four sons, born to a family of musicians, poets, writers, soldiers and medium-rank government employees. He married the Egyptian Princess Zahra a younger Halfsister to Prince

Said Halim Pasha Mehmed Said Halim Pasha (; ; 18 or 28 January 1865 or 19 February 1864 – 6 December 1921) was a writer and statesman who served as the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 1913 to 1917. He was one of the perpetrators of the Armenian genocide ...

and got a son,

Cafer Çağatay Ali Cafer Çağatay (1899 – 24 April 1991) was a Turkish football player. He played as a left back for Fenerbahçe, Altınordu İdman Yurdu SK and the Turkey national football team. He was born in Kadıköy, Istanbul. Career Çağatay play ...

, who was a notable football player for Fenerbahçe. After the death of Princess Zahra in 1922, he married secondly in 1923 Nimet Khanum. Çağatay died on 3 March 1935 in Istanbul.

References

* Anthology Database �
''Ali Rıfat Çağatay''
* Genel Başvuru ve Bilgi Sitesi, TürkçeBilgi Encyclopedia �
''Ali Rıfat Çağatay ''
1867 births 1935 deaths Musicians from Istanbul Turkish male classical composers 19th-century composers from the Ottoman Empire 20th-century Turkish composers {{Asia-composer-stub

Biography

See also

References