Polyphony, orchestration and texture in a traditional Turkish music instruments orchestra: The case of ITU TMDK Traditional Instruments Orchestra

Abstract

This dissertation examines the orchestration practices developed for the Istanbul Technical University Turkish Music State Conservatory Traditional Instruments Orchestra (ITU TMDK) and explores how traditional Turkish instruments are employed within a polyphonic orchestral framework. The study focuses on understanding how texture, instrumental grouping and timbral balance are constructed when instruments that originate from different tuning systems and stem from monophonic and heterophonic traditions are brought together within a large ensemble context. The research is grounded in the observation that, although traditional instruments have increasingly been used in polyphonic settings throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, systematic studies addressing how these instruments function orchestrally remain limited. In response to this gap, the present study investigates selected works composed specifically for the ITU TMDK Traditional Instruments Orchestra, an ensemble founded in 2019 with the aim of creating a contemporary orchestral environment rooted in Turkish musical traditions. The works examined include compositions by Oğuzhan Balcı, Eray Altınbüken and Ayşegül Kostak Toksoy listed by chronological order of the compositions, all of whom have contributed significantly to the ensemble's developing repertoire. Rather than focusing on harmonic or formal analysis, the study adopts orchestration as its central analytical perspective. Particular attention is given to textural organization, instrumental roles, and the distribution of musical material among different instrumental families. Through detailed examination of selected passages, the research investigates how melodic, accompanimental and supporting functions are shared between wind, bowed string and plucked string instruments, and how these relationships shape the overall sonic character of the ensemble. The analytical framework is informed by orchestration literature, especially the writings of Adler, Kennan and Grantham, as well as by concepts of musical texture developed by Berry. These theoretical perspectives are adapted to address the specific challenges posed by traditional Turkish instruments, whose timbral characteristics, tuning systems and performance practices differ significantly from those of the Western symphonic orchestra. Rather than applying Western orchestration models directly, the study emphasizes how composers negotiate and reinterpret these models to suit the unique qualities of the ensemble. By examining orchestration strategies across a number of works, this dissertation demonstrates that the ITU TMDK Traditional Instruments Orchestra represents a distinctive orchestral model shaped by both historical continuity and contemporary experimentation. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how traditional instruments can function within large-scale ensemble contexts and offer a framework for future compositional and analytical work in this field.