Cemal Reşit Rey (25 October 1904 – 7 October 1985) was a Turkish composer, pianist, script writer and conductor. He was well known for a string of successful and popular Turkish-language operettas for which his brother Ekrem Reşit Rey (1900–1959) wrote the librettos. He was born on 25 October 1904 in Jerusalem and died on 7 October 1985 in Istanbul. He was one of the five pioneers of Western classical music in Turkey known as 'The Turkish Five' in the first half of the 20th century. Notable students include Yüksel Koptagel, a Turkish composer and pianist.

Works

Operas Operettas Musical revues For theatre, film and radio · For Shakespeare's "Tempest" Orchestral works Concertos and concertantes Voice and orchestra Choral works Voice and piano Chamber Music Solo Piano Music for Two Pianos 12 Preludes and Fugues (1968) Marches (Tenth Anniversary March of the Republic, 1933)

Legacy

Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall in Istanbul is named after him.