Saygun and modality: Examination of the conceptual and theoretical origins of the composer's views and thoughts in the context of his modal understanding and identification of 'töre's with examples from his works

The basis of Ahmed Adnan Saygun's unique sound world and musical understanding, which is shaped in his works, where he points to the existence of a conceptual continuity by stating that he was in a 'modal study' from the first to the last one, and fed by the research and theoretical studies by him, who is a musicologist as well as a composer, is modality — or if it is to be indicated by an expression chosen explicitly by him and derived from the word root töre— it is töresellik. In the first part of this study, the boundaries and grounds of the conceptual framework of Saygun's modal understanding are explained, and the intellectual roots of this understanding are examined comparatively by focusing on various thoughts and expressions in his publications. In the second part, the relationship between the terms 'mode', which is at the base of this understanding, 'makam' and 'töre', which is a term specific to Saygun, and the commonalities and distinctions between these terms are tried to be explained through his own views, and in this context, common terminological and theoretical problems, some of which are to be called mumpsimuses, observed in the studies about the composer are thoroughly addressed to prove the composer's viewpoints. Finally, in order to show how the modal scales used by the composer in his works should be named and defined, examples of the töres used in selected excerpts from various works have been provided. The number of studies that directly establish a detailed relationship between Saygun's compositional concept, theoretical views, and the terms he employs in his publications is extremely limited. In this regard, it is believed that this study will contribute to the proper evaluation of the composer's approach to 'mode' in a correct context and thus to a better apprehension of his unique musical language.