writing_womans_lives_symposium_paper_book_v2

always regarded her as a pianist, then? Had I ever been to a concert she gave, listened to a
recording? No. All I knew about her as a musician was what she shared with us, her students in the
lessons. She did not talk about her life as a pianist, but it was through her we got to know many
composers, styles, techniques. She had a great interest in playing avant‐garde music, too. One of
those composers was a friend of her, Yüksel Koptagel whom she would talk about often. I had come
across her name in the book but only in the concert programmes. So, I decided to contact her and
talk about Magdi. Meanwhile, I had got together with her nephew Ueli to talk about her. I knew him
from Magdi’s house, so wrote to him about my project about Magdi. When he came to Istanbul in
April, we met.
Ueli was very close to Magdi. He had been to Istanbul for the first time when he was 17 in 1965.
Magdi’s mother was another figure those close to her knew. She would visit her every year in
Istanbul. I learned from Ueli that Magdi and her mother continued writing to each other until Lena
died. It was then I learned from him that the letters Magdi wrote never had any dates. The letters
that had dates were those sent by Sabahattin Eyüboğlu to his brother Bedri Rahmi from which we
can trace the beginning of their love affair. In his letter dated August 10, 1947, we know that they are
in love. 8 We also learn from a letter in the following February that he has been introduced to her
family in Switzerland. As for her introduction to the Eyüboğlu family, it is through photos and an
interview in a magazine. In his letter dated July 9, 1948, Sabahattin Eyüboğlu tells his brother Bedri
Rahmi about this. In 1949 she came to Turkey for the first time to spend the summer. She is
mentioned in a letter by Orhan Veli to Nahit Hanım, the same summer. Apparently Nahit Hanım who
was in Ankara is curious about Sabahattin’s new fiancé. The description of Orhan Veli in his letter
dated 14 August 1949 is as follows. 9
You ask of Magdi. She’s arrived. I was not present at the welcoming ceremony when she
arrived, I had the honour of making her acquaintance only a week after. A tall, thin, red haired girl
with blue eyes. She has long, streaming hair. She is like Roji in that respect. But, she is much more
sympathetic, more outgoing, more hospitable, more sincere. She is more civilised, more kindhearted.
In essence, she is a great girl. Yet, she is not as beautiful as Roji. What is most important
about her is her voice, and her manner of speaking. Her voice is like that of a kitten. She talks
like a three year old. They were saying ‘She hasn’t seen the sea, wonder if she will find it odd?’
Whereas she has adapted to it more than any one. She can drive a motor boat (has just acquired the
skill), can swim (has known how to). Here’s the information about Magdi Hanım [Ms Magdi]. I
haven’t listened to her playing the piano, I have no idea about that.
This account is interesting in the sense that it shares the impression Magdi makes on people with
her physical characteristics. Her warmness is also much alluded to but what about the pianist she is?
Was she a pianist or not? Has she sacrificed her career, or not? There are some clues to answers for
these questions in the interviews I read. But, before focusing on these details, let me give an account
of my communications with some of her friends who are themselves musicians and some of her
students. The first one of these was Yüksel Koptagel, a composer. She told me that her acquaintance
with Magdi was through a common friend Koharik, in Paris. “Our Magdi, our Magdi!” she would talk
about her in excitement. Then, she brought the scores Koharik dedicated to Magdi. It was then I
realized I was familiar with this name. Koharik was Koharik Gazarossian, 10 one of the composers
Magdi played in her concerts. Among these women composers she played, there was also Fernande
Peyrot (1888‐1978), a Swiss composer known for her influence in the realm of classical guitar. 11 Was
she also an acquaintance? The answer perhaps lies in her letters which I have not had access to. Ueli
had once told me that Magdi liked reading biographies besides historical novels, especially of famous
women. It is also from him that I learnt that she continued a lifelong contact with Gattiker’s wife
Irène. 12 She has written letters to us, her students, too. Selin Kibar, another student of her also
mentions in her correspondence to me on April 17, 2014 that
Magdi loved people very much, always brought to light their best traits . . . She would make
everyone feel valued, special with her love and politeness. She had a refined sense of humour. She
liked reading biographies. Everyone had a story, experiences in life that shed light to their oeuvres.
She had given me Letters to Milena. It was she who introduced me to Kafka besides many others.
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