Azerbaijan on Music Theory Print

Emin Sabitoglu

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Emin Sabitoglu (, real name Emin Sabit oghlu Mahmudov (); 2 November 1937 – 18 November 2000) was a Soviet Azerbaijani composer, author of a lot of well-known Azerbaijani songs and music for films. People’s Artist of Azerbaijan. Biography Emin Sabitoglu was born on 2 November 1937, in the family of Azerbaijani writer Sabit Rahman. After graduating from musical school in Baku, he entered Gara Garayev’s class at Baku Conservatoire, in 1954. Two years later he was transferred to the Moscow State Conservatory named after Tchaikovsky (Yuri Shaporin’s class). In 1961, he began to work as a music editor in the film studio “Azerbaijanfilm". In consecutive years he worked as the art director of the State Philarmony, and also taught at State Conservatory named after Uzeyir Hajibeyov. He wrote poems for several pieces of music. However, several music genres have been the major part of his works. He composed more than 600 songs, 9 musical comedies, and pieces of music for nearly 40 films. He has numerous compositions written for plays. The composer himself does not know exactly. Along with theaters in Baku, he composed music for theaters in Sumgayit, Ganja, Lankaran, Mingachevir, and Nakchivan

Faraj Garayev

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Faraj Gara oglu Garayev (); December 19, 1943 in Baku) is an Azerbaijani composer, music instructor, professor, son of the prominent Azerbaijani composer Gara Garayev and one of the leading composers of post-Soviet period. In 1966, Garayev graduated from the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire, specialising in music composition, taught by his father Gara Garayev. In 1971, he finished his post-graduate studies. From 1966 to 2003, he taught composition, instrumentation and polyphony at the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire and from 1994 he has been a professor there. From 1991, he has been living in Baku and Moscow. In 1991, he became professor of the faculty of music theory at the Moscow State Conservatoire. In 2003, he became professor of composition, in the faculty of the Kazan State Conservatoire. From 1994 to 1996, Faraj Garayev was vice-president of the Moscow Association of Modern Music and from 1995, he has been the president of the Yeni Musiqi Union of Modern Music established in Baku. Faraj Garayev was art director of BaKaRa-ENSEMBLE (Baku) in 1980-1994. In 1991-1992, he was scholar of A.Krupp cultural Foundation (Essen, Germany). Creativity Compositions by Garayev are performed at

Franghiz Ali-Zadeh

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Franghiz Ali Aga Kïzï Ali-Zadeh (born 28 May 1947) is an Azerbaijani composer and pianist of contemporary classical music, and chairperson of the Composers Union of Azerbaijan. Music She is best known for her works that combine the musical tradition of the Azerbaijani mugham and 20th century Western compositional techniques, especially those of Arnold Schoenberg and Gara Garayev. This synthesis-style began in the 1970s, before which she primarily engaged with soly Western European modernism. Among her compositions is the opera Karabakhname (2007). Ali-Zadeh’s works were long published by Hans Sikorski, now a part of Boosey & Hawkes. List of compositions Selective list Selected recordings References Notes Citations Sources : Books * * : Articles * * * * * * : Online * * * * Further reading * Neil Edmunds: Soviet Music and Society Under Lenin and Stalin (2004) * Inna Naroditskaya: Song From the Land of Fire: Azerbaijanian Mugam in the Soviet and Post-Soviet Periods, Routledge (2003) External links * Profile for Franghiz Ali-Zadeh at Boosey & Hawkes * *

Galib Mammadov

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Galib Mammadov (born April 19, 1946) is an Azerbaijani-Norwegian composer. He is influenced by both Western and Eastern music traditions and composed a wide range of musical pieces for various instruments and orchestras. Biography Galib Mammadov was born in Ganja, Azerbaijan which, at that time, belonged to the Soviet Union. He completed his secondary education at the music grammar school in Baku, Azerbaijan, and took at the same time lessons from the Azerbaijanian composer Fikret Amirov. Mammadov then moved to Baku and went to the music college Asaf Zeynally, where he attended classes in music theory, composition and music literature, held by the composer Khayyam Mirzazade, the music historian R. Farhadova, and Z. Stelnic. In 1969, Mammadov enrolled at the Azerbaijanian Republic Music Conservatory (Uzeir Hajibeyov). There he attended the composition class of the composer Gara Garayev. While studying at the conservatory he composed preludes, variations, and sonata for piano, Sonatina for oboe and piano, scherzo for flute and piano and a string quartet. He graduated in 1975 with Bayaties, a vocal cycle for soprano, bass and symphony orchestra, based on the text of the Azerbaijanian

Isa Melikov

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Isa Melikov (, born 21 October 1980, in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR) is a famous Azerbaijani composer and producer. He is the author of numerous musical projects, hit songs and soundtracks to movies. The list of celebrities singing his songs include leading stars of Azerbaijan as well as vocalists from CIS and Europe such as Dima Bilan, Eldar Gasimov, Nikki Jamal, Glenys Vargas, Kevin Etienne, Elli, Aysel, Gunesh, Zulfiyya Khanbabayeva, Aygün Kazımova, Elnara, Röya, Elşad Xose, Sevda Alekperzade, Manana, Faig Aghayev, Tunzala Agayeva, Zamig Huseynov, Malik Kalantarli, etc. Biography He was born in 1980, October 21 in Baku. The parents of the future composer taught him love for music from a very early years of his life. Even as a child Isa knew by heart the lyrics of many international hits and by the age of 6 he already was trying to perform them on the piano. In 1987, he went to the secondary school #189 in Baku. In 1990 he became a student of the Baku musical school #1 named after Vagif Mustafazade. In 1995 he entered the Musical College named after Asaf Zeynalli. Afterwards, in 1997 he entered the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts, and graduated with honors in the special

Jahangir Jahangirov

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Jahangir Shirgasht oglu Jahangirov (Azerbaijani: ; 20 July 1921 – 25 March 1992) was a Soviet and Azerbaijani composer, conductor and choirmaster; he was named People’s Artiste of the Azerbaijan SSR in 1964. Biography Jahangir Jahangirov was born on 20 July 1921 in Balakhany township of Baku, Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. He graduated from musical school named after Asaf Zeynally and then from Baku Academy of Music. From 1944 to 1960, he led the choir of Broadcasting Committee of the Azerbaijan SSR. Majority of songs, composed by him for the first time were played by the chorus, which he led. After that he was the artistic director of the Song and Dance Ensemble at Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall. In 1950, Jahangir Jahangirov was awarded the USSR State Prize, and in 1963, he received the status of People’s Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR. Compositions In 1946, Mir Mehdi Etimad wrote the words of the hymn of the Azerbaijan People’s Government, Jahangir Jahangirov composed a song to it. Jahangir Jahangirov is the author of a lot of famous musical compositions. On the other side of Araz (1949) vocal-symphonic poem, A Song about Friendship (1956), Fuzuli (1959), Nasimi (1973) suites,

Jovdat Hajiyev

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Ahmad Jovdat Ismayil oglu Hajiyev ( / Әһмәд-Ҹөвдәт Исмајыл оғлу Һаҹыјев, , June 18, 1917 - January 18, 2002) was one of the major Azerbaijani composers of the Soviet period. He is remembered for his monumental orchestral works, having been the first Azerbaijani to compose a symphony (1936). He studied under Azerbaijan’s Founder of Composed Music, Uzeyir Hajibeyov and under Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Early life Hajiyev was born in Shaki (then Nukha), a town in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains in northwestern Azerbaijan. From an early age, he was deeply influenced by the traditional music of folk songs, ashug music (folk minstrel) and mugham (modal music). In 1924, his family moved to Baku. In 1935, he enrolled in the theoretical composition faculty at Baku Conservatory, studying under Uzeyir Hajibeyov and the Latvian-born Leopold Rudolf, a student of Sergei Taneyev. The following year, Hajiyev composed his single movement “Symphony No. 1”, the first symphonic piece ever written by an Azerbaijani composer. This work enabled him to enter Moscow Conservatory in 1938. In Moscow, World War II interrupted his studies and he had to return to Baku. Career After the war, Ha

Leonid Vainshtein

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Leonid Moiseevich Vainshtein (, April 20, 1945, Baku – June 20, 1994, Baku) was a Soviet and Azerbaijani composer, as well as Honored Artist of Azerbaijan of Jewish background. Biography Leonid Vainshtein was born on April 20, 1945, to Moisey Vainshtein and Olga (née Belyavskaya). He graduated from the Azerbaijan State Conservatory in 1968 in the class of Gara Garayev. He worked as a docent at the composition departments of the Azerbaijan State Conservatory and the Azerbaijan National Conservatory Music College, and also as a music composer at the Azerbaijan State Russian Drama Theater. He preferred theater-stage and symphonic music. His main works include ballet “Inspiration”, rock opera “White Sun of the Desert”, children’s operas “Puss in Boots”, “Cinderella”, 6 symphonies for large symphony orchestra, Violin Concerto, Concerto for string orchestra, string quartet; “Memorial” triptych for organ (dedication to the Khojaly massacre), “Azerbaijan-60” cantata for BSO with mixed choir; oratorio “I want to return to the sea” for soloist, male choir and BSO (to the poems of Nazim Hikmet), vocal series “Sea, sky and love” (to the poems of Nabi Khazri), music for theater, movies, variety

Oleg Felzer

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Oleg Felzer (born 1939 in Azerbaijan – died 1998 in New York) was an Azerbaijani and Soviet composer and teacher. He taught at the Baku Conservatory for many years before coming to New York City from Baku in 1989. His pieces have been commissioned by the Continuum Ensemble and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. List of works Oleg Felzer’s works in 1960-1998 is listed in Oleg Felzer scores and sound recordings. * And Harold Again, for viola solo and chamber orchestra, dedicated to Berlioz (1982) * Autographs on the Silhouettes, for violin, cello and piano (1987) * Children Suite, for orchestra (1978) * Dialogue, for viola, piano and orchestra (1970) * Five Bagatelles, for piano (1986) * Five Tanka, for tenor and chamber orchestra (lost) or for tenor and piano (1967) * Four Diary Pages, for chamber orchestra, commissioned by the Nieuw Ensemble (1994) * Four Piano Pieces, Op. 1, (1960-1962) ** Watercolor, Etude, Imprint, March (lost) * Four Songs (1969) ** Bird, Red Bird also for piano * The House That Jack Built, for mixed chorus and piano (1981-1982) and for children’s chorus (1985) * In Memoriam of Dmitri Shostakovich, for orchestra (1977) * Intermezzo, for violin and pia

Ramiz Mustafayev

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Ramiz Haji oghlu Mustafayev (, October 16, 1926 — April 10, 2008) was an Azerbaijani composer, People’s Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR, Laureate of the Shohrat Order. Biography Ramiz Mustafayev was born on October 16, 1926, in Leninsk. In 1941 he entered the acting faculty of the Theater College. During his education, he worked as an actor at the Azerbaijan State Theatre of Young Spectators, and then at the Azerbaijan State Academic Drama Theatre. In 1948, he entered the Hajibeyov Azerbaijan State Conservatoire and studied in the class of Professor Bulbul. In 1952 he successfully graduated from the vocal faculty of the Conservatory. He is the author of the operas “Vaqif”, “Polad”, “Aydın”, “Şirin”, “Xan və əkinçi”, “Tərs keçi”. From 1968 to 1973, R. Mustafayev worked as the secretary of the Composers Union of Azerbaijan. He has been a member of the Board of the Composers Union since 1957. The composer wrote works in large-scale, especially monumental music genres except ballet. R. Mustafayev wrote 6 operas, 6 musical comedies, 9 oratorios, cantatas, 8 symphonies, more than 300 songs and romances, various instrumental works, etc. Ramiz Mustafayev died on April 10, 2008, in Baku. Famil

Sevil Aliyeva

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Sevil Aliyeva (born 12 October 1955) is an Azerbaijani composer and the founder of Space TV. She is the daughter to the former President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, and the elder sister to the incumbent president Ilham Aliyev. Early life Born in Baku in 1955 to Heydar Aliyev and Zarifa Aliyeva, Sevil started to learn music when she was 6 years old. Sevil, who advocated for freedom of people, was not in favour of her father’s ruling style. In 2009, several newspapers reported that Sevil was trying to join politics, in opposition to her brother. She, however, denied the rumour. References External links * Sevil Aliyeva on Instagram

Shafiga Akhundova

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Shafiga Akhundova (; 21 January 1924 – 26 July 2013) was a prominent Azerbaijani composer, the first professional female author of an opera in the East and People’s Artist of Azerbaijan. Akhundova was born into a family of an eminent cultural figure Gulam Akhundov in Shaki in 1924. Gulam Bagir oglu Akhundov, who was a public servant and intellectual of his time, worked as the first secretary of Shaki between 1917 and 1920, while her mother was a housewife. In 1943–1944, Shafiga received her primary education at Baku Musical School named after Asaf Zeynally, where she was taught by Uzeyir Hajibeyov. Then, in 1956, she continued her education at Azerbaijan State Conservatoire named after Uzeyir Hajibeyov, where she graduated from the class of B. Zeydman. In 1998, Shafiga Akhundova was conferred a title of People’s Artist of Azerbaijan and in 2004 she was awarded the Shohrat Order. Creative works In 1972, Shafiga Akhundova composed her first opera “Galin gayasi” (Bride’s rock) So that she became the first woman in East history who composed an opera. She also composed such works as “Ev bizim, sirr bizim” operetta (1965), 600 songs such as “Leyla”, “Bəxtiyar ellər”, “Victory Anthem”, “V

Tofig Bakikhanov

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Tofig Ahmed-agha oglu Bakikhanov () is a composer. He was awarded the title People’s Artiste of the Azerbaijan SSR (1990). Biography Tofig Bakikhanov, a descendant of Baku khans, was born on 8 December 1930 in Baku, in the family of Ahmed–agha Bakikhanov, People’s Artist of Azerbaijan. He began his musical activity as a violinist. In 1953, Bakikhanov graduated from the Azerbaijan State Conservatory specializing in violin, where Fikret Amirov was his teacher. In 1957, he majored in music composing, where his teacher was another prominent Azerbaijani composer Gara Garayev. In 1950–1953, Bakikhanov worked as a violinist in the trio of the Azerbaijan Philharmonic Society. In 1953, he was the teacher and head of the string department of the Zeynally Baku College of Music. In 1966, he managed the department of arts edition and from 1968, the department of note-music literature of the Azernashr publishing house. From 1970, Bakikhanov began to work as the senior teacher of the department of chamber music and as the dean of the performing program of the Azerbaijan Conservatory. Creativity Bakikhanov is the author of concerts for violin, violoncello, flute, oboe, dual concerts, musical comed

Ulviyya Hajibeyova

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Ulviyya Vagif gizi Hajibeyova (; born June 9, 1960) is an Azerbaijani pianist and composer, Professor of Baku Music Academy, People’s Artiste of Azerbaijan. Biography Ulviyya Hajibeyova was born on June 9, 1960, in Baku. She started playing the piano at the age of 3. Ulviyya Hajibeyova received her primary education at Bulbul Secondary Music School, in the class of Y. L. Filatova. In 1983 she graduated from the Azerbaijan State Conservatory with a degree in piano, and in 1986 she graduated as an assistant trainee in the class of People’s Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR Rauf Atakishiyev and she studied and practiced with professors of the Moscow Conservatory Jakob Milstein and Lev Naumov. Ulviyya Hajibeyova began her pedagogical activity in 1983 as a teacher at the Hajibeyov Azerbaijan State Conservatoire. She is currently a professor at the piano department of the Baku Music Academy. Career Ulviyya Hajibeyova has been performing with Yegana Akhundova since 1985 as a piano duo in Azerbaijan and other countries. She has also performed successfully at a number of international festivals and competitions. Ulviyya Hajibeyova edited the works of Jovdat Hajiyev, Soltan Hajibeyov, Niyazi and

Yegana Akhundova

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Yegana Akhundova (; born May 22, 1960, Sheki, Azerbaijan SSR, USSR) is an Azerbaijani pianist, composer, and teacher. She has held the title of People’s Artist of Azerbaijan since 2012. Biography Yegana Akhundova was born on May 22, 1960, in Sheki, Azerbaijan. In 1983 she graduated from the Azerbaijan National Conservatory named after U.Hajibeyov (N.Usubova’s class) and, in 1985, completed her on-job training under the guidance of professor Lev Naumov in Moscow State Conservatory. There are different music styles and epochs in the repertoire of Yegana Akhundova: Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Debussy, Rakhmaninov, Shostakovich and others including the works of the Azerbaijanian composers Uzeyir Hajibeyli, Gara Garayev, Fikrat Amirov, Jeyhun Hajibeyli, and Arif Malikov. Yegana Akhundova has numerous concert tours abroad; she played in Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Turkey, France, Austria, Poland, Great Britain, Russia, Spain, Hungary, Morocco, and Romania. She performed with the Budapest’s “Duna Palota” (Hungary) and UK Royal Filarmonic Orchestras as well as the Istanbul, Israel, Johannesburg, and Vienna Chamber Orchestras in collaboration with the famous conduc

Zakir Baghirov (composer)

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Zakir Javad oghlu Baghirov (, March 16, 1916–January 8, 1996) was an Azerbaijani composer, professor, and Honored Art Worker of the Azerbaijan SSR. Biography Zakir Baghirov was born on March 16, 1916, in Shusha. After graduating from the Moscow State Conservatory in 1949, he worked as a teacher at the Hajibeyov Azerbaijan State Conservatoire. From 1970 he was the head of the department of music theory. He has been a member of the Composers Union of Azerbaijan since 1950, as well as a member of the Board of this union. In different years, he worked as the art director of the Muslim Magomayev Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall, the art director of the Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of the Republic, the chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Music Foundation. For the first time in 1935, Zakir Bagirov, together with composer Tofig Guliyev, wrote and published mughams “Rast”, “Dugah” and “Zabul” performed by tar player Mirza Mansur Mansurov. He is also one of the authors of the collection “Azerbaijani folk dances” (1951). Z. Baghirov died on January 8, 1996, in Baku. Awards and honorary titles * Honored Art Worker of the Azerbaijan SSR — May 24, 1960 * Order of the Bad