Lesar Yurtsever is a Doctoral Researcher at SCRIPTS, Cluster of Excellence. He received his BA and MA degrees in History and Musicology at the University of Cologne, Germany. Additionally, he holds a BA in Piano Education from the Music Conservatory in Cologne. He has been a visiting scholar at both Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and the Orient-Institute in Istanbul. In his dissertation, he focuses on how Turkish and US state and non-state actors used music between 1930 and 1960 to create an image of Turkey as either a modern state or an exotic, oriental place.

Turkish Delights for Henry Cowell: Avant-Garde Music and the Redefining of Cultural Boundaries Between the US and Turkey in 1956

Abstract: This presentation examines the collaborative efforts of Avant-Garde composer Henry Cowell, the Rockefeller Institution, the U.S. State Department, and Turkish musicians in Turkey 1956. It explores how these actors strategically utilized music to cross, crack, and define cultural boundaries between the US and Turkey for their own benefit.

Despite the extensive literature on Cowell’s musical career and his Middle Eastern trip, there is little discussion of his stay in Turkey and insufficient considerations of Turkish aspirations. To illuminate the diverse voices, goals, and limitations involved, this talk moves beyond a U.S. - centered perspective, drawing on archival materials, official government documents and newspaper articles from both nations.

Henry Cowell, along with his wife Sidney Robertson Cowell, embarked on this journey driven by his curiosity for, as he called it, “Oriental music” (creation of boundaries) and a desire to merge Avant-Garde and non-Western musical traditions (crossing boundaries). The Rockefeller Institution supported Cowell’s endeavor to assert and assist Turkey in its aspiration to culturally align with the Western hemisphere (cracking boundaries). Simultaneously, the U.S. State Department aimed to promote U.S. interests in the Middle East and showcase cultural superiority during the early Cold War, particularly against the Soviet Union, as well as Germany and France (drawing boundaries). Hosting a globally acclaimed composer allowed Turkish officials and musicians to present a modern image of Turkey to both domestic and international audiences. Additionally, the Rockefeller Institution’s involvement provided Turkish musicians with opportunities for cross-border collaboration, financial support, and cultural exchange, facilitating travel to the United States.

In conclusion, Cowell’s trip exemplifies how musicians, philanthropists, and politicians leveraged music to reshape cultural and political boundaries. While they highlighted the divide between "Oriental" and "Western" traditions, they also employed music to surpass and redefine these boundaries according to their respective goals.