Formal structure of Ulvi Cemal Erkin's piano sonata and its examination in terms of playing techniques

In this thesis, the Piano Sonata of Ulvi Cemal Erkin, one of the first-generation Turkish composers of the republican era, was examined in terms of formal structure and playing techniques, comparisons were made with similar works of other composers of modern Turkish music, playing technique suggestions were made and the work was discussed with formal and maqam analyses. The study consists of three main chapters. In the first chapter, it is discussed the historical development process of polyphonic music in the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Turkey starting from the Ottoman period until the period after the proclamation of the republic. The contributions of the first-generation Turkish composers to the modern Turkish music were explained, the sections from the lives of these composers were conveyed, and the emergence of the Turkish Five was mentioned. In the second chapter, Ulvi Cemal Erkin's life, his works, his compositions, the events that contributed to the development of his music language, the effects education life on his composition, and the 20th-century music and movements like impressionism, from which he was influenced, were mentioned. In the third chapter, the formal and structural analyses of the sonata were performed and the subject was discussed with a wider point of view with the addition of maqam examinations to these analyses, analyses and resolutions were performed on the playing techniques and playing facilities were offered, and similarities and differences with the sonatas of other modern Turkish music composers were mentioned. The purpose of this thesis is to provide useful ideas for young composers about the use of formal structures and maqam series on instrumental works, to produce solutions that will provide playing comfort to pianists with playing technique analyses and suggested working methods, and to contribute to the improvement of stage and working performance by facilitating technical difficulties on the sonata.