Nature, Human, and Music is the title of an international mail art exhibition organized by Ali Asker Bal for the Korkut Ata University in Osmaniye in the South of Turkey. The call asked artists to pay homage to the composer Béla Bartók who visited the town in 1936 to collect Turkish folk music.
The exhibition features 305 works by 264 participants from 40 countries.
Background: A very Hungarian Composer
Béla Bartók (1881-1945) was arguably one of the most important composers of the 20th century. Initially successful as a pianist, he developed his personal language as a composer under the influence of Debussy and Hungarian folk music. Subsequently, he also studied musical traditions in Bulgaria, Romania and North Africa.
This led to the adoption of ancient pentatonic scales as well as compositions characterized by bitonality (the use of two keys simultaneously).
Bartók was vehemently opposed to the German Nazis and openly criticized Hungary’s alliance with the Axis powers. When Hitler became chancellor in 1933, he immediately stopped performing in Germany. With the outbreak of the Second World War, and despite his strong ties to his homeland, Bartók and his second wife, Ditta Pásztory, decided to move to the United States.
A traveling Ballad
The theme of Gerald Jatzek’s postcard is Bartók’s adaption of the Hungarian folk song Fehér László lovat lopott (László Fehér stole a horse). It is part of the Magyar népdalok (Hungarian Folksongs)
for voice and piano by Tivadar Országh und Béla Bartók.
The ballad eventually reached the British Isles where the text was translated by the English singer and collector A.L. Loyd while the music was changed.
This version became popular under the title Anathea. There are renditions by Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell, and Bob Dylan among others. Finally, Led Zeppelin used it as a template for their song Gallows Pole.
While the couple was supported by a research fellowship from Columbia University – they edited a collection of Croatian and Serbian folk music – Bartók’s compositions were hardly known in the USA. Shortly before his death, he was commissioned to write the “Concerto for Orchestra” which was first performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Serge Koussevitzky in December 1944.
Béla Bartók died from leukemia at age 64 in New York City on 26 September 1945.
Béla Bartók Mail Art Project Exhibition
The exhibition at the Osmaniye Cebeli Bereket Cultural Center, Fakıuşağı, 80000 Osmaniye Merkez / Osmaniye, is open between October 22 and November 22.
Links
- Virtual exhibition on Instagram
- Fehér László lovat lopott (Hungarian and English versions)
- Béla Bartók: Folk Music, Censorship and Antifascism
The Participants
USA C. Mehri BENNETT, Gonoral CORRESPONDENCE, Honoria STARBUCK, Joff BAGATO, Jooy PATRICKT, Mahima GUPTA, Michelangelo MAYO, Sharon PFAU / ALBANIA Axherko MEZELXHIU / GERMANY Horsi TRESS, Lars SCHUMACHER, Nini ONOZDEN, Susanne SCHUMACHER / ARGENTINA Claudia CATANZARO, Claudia GARCIA, Viviana ANDRADA / AUSTRIA Gerald JATZEK, Horvath PIROSKA, Klaus PINTER / AZERBAIJAN lIgat AKBAROV / BELARUS Irina TALL, Svotiana VOLOSIUK / BELGIUM Jan THEUNINCK / BRAZIL Constança LUCAS, Gloria W, De Orveira SOUZA Maria Do Carmo BOTH, Roberto KEPPLER / CZECH REPUBLIC Rodaslav ROCHALLYI / ESTONIA lmar KRUUSAMAE / EUSKADI (BASQUE COUNTRY) MIkel UNTZILLA / FINLAND Petri HILDEN / FRANCE “Anonymous”, Christiano CARRE, Katerina MANDARIK, Virginie LOREAU / INDIA Ashok Kumar DEY, Jeoja Yuvra NAVGHARE, Jyoti Sa ni SIDDIQUI / NETHERLANDS Carmen HEEMELS / UNITED KINGDOM Alya AKSU, Lola GONZALES, Simon WARREN / IRAN Mehrangiz TALAIEZADEH / SPAIN Ana Pobo CASTANER, Juan Fran Nunez PERRANO, Pedro BERICAT, Sabela BANA / ITALY Antonio De MARCHI GHERINI, Cesaro + Noah SERAFINO, Leona K, Marco FURIA, Mauro GIRARDI, Mirta CACCARO, Roberto SOALA, Serse LUIGETTI, Strada DA / JAPAN Kelichi NAKAMURA, Ryosuko COHEN / CANADA Michael SPENCE, Susan GOLDSMITH / KOSOVO Merita MALOKU / HUNGARY Biro ILDIKO, Poter ABAJKOVICS / MACEDONIA Aleksandar DUINGO / MALAYSIA Zulaika SIMON / MAURITIUS Vatsala RADHAKEESOON MEXICO Davin COHEN, Ignacio Navarro CORTEZ, Rebeca MARTELL, Sofia RODRIGUEZ / NEPAL Binod DAWADI / POLAND Anita GROBELAK, Beata -Joanna PRZEDPELSKA PORTUGAL Eduardo CARDOSO, Luis Filipe GOMES / ROMANIA Alexandru JAKABHAZI, Carmen Laura Ohmt, Eduard JAKABHAZI, Nani CORINA, Valentina STEFANESCU / UZBEKISTAN Farida HAMITOWNA / SINGAPORE Rozali MASCURI / SERBIA Jovanka GAVRILOVIC, Ljana GAVRILOVIC, Mroslav-Batan BLAGOJEVIC, Zonica OBRADOVIC /
TURKEY Ahmet Hakan CANPOLAT, Almin Zeze POLAT, Armagan KUÇOK Aslinur KOÇ, Ayfer KEÇECI, Aylin GONCOR, Aynur AYBAR, Aysel BUYUKSARI, Aysel KOÇ, Ayse РЕК, Ays Gologlu SOYER, Ayse TOTAN KART, Banu REYHANLIOGLU, Bahattin ODABASI, Berna ORHON, Betol KURT, Boyza GÜRBÜZ, Boyza Mina YAKUT, Boyzonur KARAKUS, B 00 SENGÜL, Burcu KAYA, Buso Nur KARAKOÇ, Buso TASPINAR, Canan ERDONMEZ, Com GÚZELOGLU, Cenap CEYLAN, Cennet INCE ERDOGDU, Cumhur Okay OZGOR, Deniz OZESKIC), Dorya ARSLAN, Dorya AVCI, Derya Aysun CANCAN, D dem KURBETCI, Dilaver BAYINDIR, Dilek Cicer KARANLIK, DondO Burgin GOKOAN, Ebru SAVRAN, Eda Nur EMIR, Ekrom YILMAZ, Ell DEMIRKAYA YILDIRIM, ElI SOYER, Elit Fatma TOLUN, Eut Feyza TÜRKMEN, Emel CENET, Emine OZTÜRK, Emine YABAN KESER, Engin UGUR, Erdal BALOGLU, Eren GORGULO, Fadime ADIYAMAN, Fath SAGLAM, Fatma DEMIREL, Fatma TUNA, Fatma Zehra SIMSEK, Forgana KOOADORU OZGOR, Fikret YALIN, FOsun COVENOGLU, Gamzo KILING, Gokça Aysun KILIÇ, Gúisôm KOÇÜKKARAKAS, Hacer AKTAS, Hacer COKÇA, Hamide SOYSAL DEM RCL, Hande Aysegül OZDEMIR, Harun OZGON, Hatice DONMEZ AYDIN, Hat co OZDEMIR, Hatico TOZUN, Hayriyo YILMAZ, Mal UYSAL, Idil YILDIZ, llayda KAZAK, Imgo GÜLSON, Imren Fatma BARUTÇU, Irem DILEK, Kasim GOREN, KASIMPASA OYA KAYACIK ÇOCUK EVLERI SITESI KORUMA DERNEGI (“Aqua”, “Ay, “Can”, “Cam”, “Çan”, “Cello”, “Gokyûzú”, ‘Gülsan”, “lyilk”, “Mla”, “Minaza”, ‘Nur'”, “Prenses”, “Roxy”, “Yildiz”, “Yor0k*), Konan SAHIN, KOksal BILIRDÔNMEZ, Mod ha ESMERAY, Modin Yildinm Simooglu, Mohmo: Al COKDEMIR, Mohol ERDOGDU, Mohmos CELlK, Mahmot Ibrahim SAVRAN, Mohmol ISIK, Mehme: KARACA, Mehmet KOSTUMOGLU, Mehmet Siran GOKDEMIR, Melin TOMAK, Melke BAKAR FINDIKÇI, Melisa GOKTAS, Meltem YASAR, Meral Agar, Merve SARI, Mave TINGIR, Mila OZDEMIR, Miray Birco GOR, Miyase GOZEL Mustafa Baran GARIP, Mustala CAPAR, Mustata ER, Mustala KULA, MOzeyyon AKSOZ SEN, Nazh Harika ZORKUN CAGLAYAN, Necla POLAT, Nefise YURTSEVEN, Neslihan KESKIN, Neslihan KILIÇ GÚRÇAY, Nestin YILMAZ, Nihal GURES, Nisa Betúl BAL, Nurdan AÇICI, Nursun HAFIZOGLU, Onur ÇIZER, Oya GONEN, Omer AKDENIZ, Oyk0 KARAKOÇ, Ozge CELIK, Ozlem INCl, Oztem MURAZ, Oziem 0ZÜM, Pelin DEMIRTA$ DIKMEN, Rabiha ARSLAN YILDIRIM, Ragip TARANÇ, Roza TULGA, Sa | TOPRAK, Seher AKKAYA, Seican KALIN, Selin KISAGIK, Soma OZESK|CI, Sema SAN, Semin KELE$, Serdar YÜKSEKAL, Sevgi KOG, Sultan Sonmez OZTÜRK, Sultan SIMSEK, Suna Ozgor KARAALAN, Someyra AÇICI, Seniz Kabadayi YUVARLAK, Sirin ZEREY KOS, SUo AGAYAR, TUDa BILIRDONMEZ, Tuba SUBASI ADIBELLI, TugDa SAKALLI, TUBÇO Danla KAYA, Tunn DOGAN, Tutku Ceren AKÇAM, Tutku Dilem ALPARSLAN, TOlay DEMIRCI, Türkan ELCI, Ummahani AÇICI, Yildiz DUMAN ERCAN, Yunis YILMAZER, Yunus KAYA, Yurdagul ISIL, Zehra Berilnur KOROGLU, Zeha AKTUG, Zuhal UYGUR / UKRAINE Roman GOLUB / URUGUAY Maria Victoria BONE RAMIREZ / VENEZUELA _guroga / GREECE Katorina NIKOLTSOU, Nicolas MALEVITSIS
mail your art 