Echoes and Ashes (2024)
for large ensemble and electronics
I was commissioned to write a fixed-media electroacoustic piece for a theater setting of Nazım Hikmet's Kuvayi Milliye. Unfortunately, the play was postponed and then canceled due to the earthquake. However, by that time, I had already completed several sections, including the third chapter, 'Yıl 1920 ve Arhaveli İsmail'in Hikayesi.' As I began contemplating my commission from the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, intended to celebrate the Turkish Republic's centennial anniversary, the idea of transforming this electroacoustic work into an orchestral piece took hold. This particular movement, with its deep picturesque narrative and emotional layers, seemed especially suited for an orchestral setting. Motivated by this new vision, I decided to transcribe the piece for instruments.
This transcription diverges from the typical process. Instead of merely adapting notes, I sought to transfer the color and timbre of the electronic piece into instrumental writing. In this endeavor, the orchestra takes on a role akin to a synthesizer, with the sonic world of the electronic piece being recreated layer by layer by the instruments. From time to time, the instruments serve not just as traditional sound sources but as noise-making devices, almost emulating the noise modules of a synthesizer. This approach allowed for a unique orchestral texture that mirrors and then comments on the electronic original, further blurring the lines between conventional orchestral sounds and soundscape composition.
More than a century has passed since the Turkish War of Independence, and our connection to this era comes through accounts passed down from our ancestors. As firsthand accounts fade with the passage of time, artworks like Kuvayi Milliye Destanı become vital conduits of memory, ensuring that the essence of this era transcends generations. So, this piece is all about how we remember the Independence movement, and Nazım’s poetry acts as a vessel in this regard. The piece tries to address the 'echoes' as the resonant memories passed down through generations, with 'ashes' symbolizing the aftermath and sacrifices of the war. This duality serves not only as a homage to the past but also as a reminder that our understanding of such pivotal events is preserved and perpetuated through the collective memory and the timeless narratives embedded in works like Kuvayi Milliye Destanı, ensuring the war's legacy endures beyond the fading of firsthand accounts.
The third chapter of Kuvayi Milliye is divided into two parts. Initially, it depicts the dire situation of 1920, a country under occupation. Following this, Nazım Hikmet narrates the story of a fictional character, Arhaveli İsmail, who smuggles ammunition and weapons to military units from Batum. Despite having the chance to save himself, İsmail believes life holds no value if he fails to deliver the machine gun to the units. His fate is left unknown in the poem. Correspondingly, the music is divided into two sections, aiming not to romanticize the narrative but only to paint a sonic tableau of Nazım Hikmet’s work.
The piece is scored for 20 instruments and electronic sounds. The electroacoustic version of this piece is available for listening at: https://soundcloud.com/tolgayayalar/echoes-and-ashes.