SERIF MUHIDDIM TARGAN

Şerif Muhiddin Targan was born in Istanbul in 1892. His family was prosperous and his father was a pasha. He started playing oud at the age of six. He studied music in Istanbul and he also learnt violoncello very well. When he was 13 years old he participated in concerts and started to become famous. In 1920 he composed his first song and in 1924 he emigrated to America with his family. In 1928 he gave concerts with oud and violoncello in America and the newspapers published positive comments about them. In 1932 he returned to Istanbul and from 1934 to 1948 he gave concerts in theaters. In 1948 he entered the municipal orchestra of Istanbul and he stayed there until 1950, when he quit because of health problems. In 9th April 1950 he married Safiye AYLA. He also was a very good painter and many works of his art many of his work are entertained in the museum of art in Turkey and the rest of the world. He wrote two music books for oud and he gave a new breath to the music of Turkey. Many people comparison him with Paganini, saying that what Paganini did with violin, he did with oud. At 13th September of 1967, he breathed for the last time, leaving behind him a huge masterpiece.

Şerif Muhiddin Targan's oud

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