Page 11 - DIVA_No.24_2006

Opera in Azerbaijan is basi- This band playing traditional
cally a 20th century phenome- Azerbaijani musical instru-
non, which has incorporated ments as a rule consists of a
elements of Azerbaijani tradi- trio of tar, kamancha and
tional music. The first opera gaval.
performances in Baku were
staged in a first decade of last There are number of recog-
century when Azerbaijani nized mugham performer's
State Theater of Opera and schools in Azerbaijan.
Ballet was built in 1910. Although this genre is wide-
Mugham (pronounced moo- spread in all regions of
Garabagh
gham) is the quintessential Azerbaijan,
form of Azerbaijani folk Mugham School formed
music included by UNESCO mainly in Shusha city of
in the 2003 list of master- Azerbaijan remains a main
pieces of Oral and Intangible center of Mugham with its Traditional mugham trio.' tar; kamancha, qaval
Heritage of the World. Totally famous mugham singers
orchestras
improvisational, it is per- including Bulbul, Khan posers as Gara Garayev and symphony
formed in one of seven basic Shushinski, Seyid Shushinski, Fikrat Amirov. throughout the world.
scales or modes, each one Abulfat Aliyev and Jabbar The musical legacy of Gara
prominent
meant to elicit a certain emo- Garyaghdi ogly.. Garayev (1918-1982), "one of Another
tion, according to some music the greatest columns in the Azerbaijani musician was
critics. In the early 20th centu- Mugham is not easy to under- museum of Azerbaijani Maestro Niyazi (1912-1984).
ry, Hajibeyov identified seven stand, especially for a non- music" is immense. Garayev He is Azerbaijan's most
main mughams (Rast, Shur- Azerbaijani. For those who was born in Baku. He was a famous musical conductor. In
addition he was a composer of
Dmitri
of
Shahnaz, Seygah, Bayati- are new to mugham, a famous student
Shiraz, Humayun, Herat and mugham performer and win- Shostakovich. In 1978, he was the famous "Rast" symphonic
Chahargah). ner of the prestigious awarded with the title of Hero mugham. Niyazi was born
UNESCO Music Prize in of Socialist Labour-the high- into a family of prominent
The mugham in Azerbaijan 1999 AIim Gasimov while lis- est recognition of the Soviet Shusha musicians. Niyazi
has reached the highest and tening to mugham suggests to Government. Garayevleft us played an important role in
most mature level of its devel- pay, first of all, attention to the with nearly 110 pieces, making the Azeri classical
opment. The reason is that for timbre and quality of the including ballets, operas, music known to the world.
the performance of mugham a singer's voice, emotions it symphonic and chamber American writer Philip
very high timber of voice is produces as well as to the pieces, piano solos, cantatas, Bonosky characterized him as
needed. This voice timber is improvisation and the range songs and marches. His "one of the most prominent
the characteristic feature of of the voice. imprint on Azerbaijan's music conductors in the world".
Azerbaijani people. There is and role in making Well-known Italian conductor
no country in the world where In Azerbaijan, some of the Azerbaijan's music known Carlo Chekki said: "The art of
the voice timber of mugham young generation are reluctant world-wide is enormous. Niyazi deserves the highest
performers is as high and to listen to mugham in its tra- praise. He has extraordinary
strong as in Azerbaijan. ditional form given its deep Fikrat Amirov (1922-1985) hands, great will and strong
Nowadays the khanandas and complex musical genre. was a student of Uzeyir character". His symphonic
(mugham performers) from To lure younger Azerbaijanis Hajibeyov. He is is the com- mugham "Rast" achieved
Garabagh fascinate and aston- back to their national heritage, poser of symphonic mugham- worldwide popularity and was
ish the whole world by their today, yet another fresh ver- a new unique genre of included to the repertoire of
singing. Khananda's singing is sion of mugham has appeared: Azerbaijani classical music. many symphonic orchestras
usually supported by a group "industrial mugham". The Amirov's creativity covers the around the world. Maestro
of accompanying musicians. name itself conjures up diversified genres of musical Niyazi also headed the
images of East art. He is the author of numer- Azerbaijan
symphonic
vs. West, tradi- ous operas, operettas, ballets orchestra for 46 years, from
tion vs. moder- music and symphonic 1938 to the end of his life.
nity. This inno- mugams such as "Shur" and
vation com- "Kurd Afshari", songs. Each year, another proud and
bines the ele- grateful son of the bountiful
His role in development of
of
ments Azerbaijani land, internation-
mugham with Azerbaijan and other oriental ally acclaimed musician,
the rhythms of peoples music is enormous. world's greatest living cellist
modern "tech- He was also awarded with the and conductor Mstislav
tech-
no - house" title of Hero of Socialist Labor Rostropovich, comes to
no - house"
in U 5 1 c and many other state awards. Baku. Rostropovich was born
in Baku in 1927 and each year
symphonic
Azerbaijan was Amirov's
also native land mughams were based on the he comes to conduct Master
for such world classical folk pieces and per- classes at the Azerbaijani
famous corn- formed by many renowned Musical Academy for young
Koroglu Opera by Uzeyir Hajibeyov
22006 Diva 9