Soltan Hajibeyov
Soltan Hajibeyov (1919-1974). Azerbaijani composer, conductor, pedagogue, author of ballet, musical comedy and other works. People’s Artist of USSR (1973). He was born in Shusha. After elementary school he moved to Baku and began to live in the family of his uncle, Uzeyir Hajibeyli. After graduating from high school, he entered trumpet class (he was a student of Colpinski) of Baku Music School. In 1939 Hajibeyov graduates from the music school and enters the faculty of composer’s of Azerbaijan Conservatoire, the class of professor B.I. Zeydman (music theory – N. Shumakov) and finished his education in 1946. He performed as the conductor of Baku Musical Comedy Theatre (now Azerbaijan Musical Theatre) while he was still a student at the Conservatoire. During 1940-1942 he led the Saz Player Girls Ensemble of Baku Philharmony. During 1942-1945 he was artistic director of Baku Philharmony orchestra (director by 1947). He was teacher (by 1948), professor (by 1965) and director (by 1969) of Azerbaijan State Conservatory. He died on 19 September 1974 and was buried in Baku, in the Alley of Honor. The main works of the composer: "Red rose" musical comedy (1940), "Iskender and a shepherd" children’s opera (1947), two symphonies for orchestra (1944, 1946), “Karvan” symphonic suite (1945), overture (1956), concerto (1964), concerto for violin and orchestra (1945), instrumental and vocal dramas, works for folk instrumental ensemble, romances, songs, music for dramas (“Khanlar by S.Vurgun (1944), “Yashar”, “Aydin” by J.Jabbarli (1957-1959) and etc.
Gara Garayev
Gara Garayev (1918-1982) Azerbaijani composer, pedagogue, scholar, publicist, academician. Author of “Yeddi gozel” (1952), “Ildirimli yollarla” (1958) ballets, three symphonies and other works. In 1926, at the age of eight, Gara Garayev first entered the junior music school at the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire, currently known as the Baku Music Academy. Due to his musical talents, Garayev was allowed to enroll simultaneously in two faculties at the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire in 1933. Among his teachers were Georgi Sharoyev, Leonid Rudolf, and the prominent Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli. In 1937, Garayev joined the Union of Composers of Azerbaijan SSR.
Tofig Guliyev
Tofig Guliyev (1971-2000) Azerbaijani composer, pianist, concutor, People’s Artist of Azerbaijan, one of the founders of Azerbaijani stage music. Tofig Guliyev became a student of the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire when he was 12 years old due to his musical talent. But in 1934, he became a student of Baku Conservatoire, where he studied in two faculties - fortepiano (in professor I.S.Iceberg’s class) and conductor (in professor S.G.Strasser’s class). He died on October 5, 2000, at the age of 82 and was buried in the Allley of Honor, in Baku. Tofig Guliyev was the author of melodies and songs for the film: “Meeting” (1955), “Favourite song” (1955), “Stepmother” (1958), “Telephonist girl” (1962), “Nesimi” (1973), “Dervish is blowing up Paris” (1976), “A lion ran away from house” (1977), “Value of happiness” (1976), “Mother-in-law” (1978), “A paradise will not meet you here” (1982), “Memories about the pomegranate tree” (1984), “Outside” (1991).
Uzeyir Hajibeyli
Uzeyir Hajibeyli (1885-1948). Azerbaijani composer, musicologist, publicist, playwright, pedagogue and public figure. People’s Artist of USSR. The founder of the professional Azerbaijani music. Founder of the first opera in the East. Active member of Azerbaijan SSR Academy of Sciences (1945), professor (1940), Director of Azerbaijan State Conservatory (1928-1929, 1939-1948), Chairman of the Union of Composers of the Azerbaijan SSR (1938-1948), two times deputy of the Supreme Soviet of USSR (1937, 1941), composer of the first anthem of Azerbaijan (the anthem of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic during 1918-1920 which was re-adopted after Azerbaijan regained its independence and the anthem of Azerbaijan SSR). Composer of the first opera in the Islamic world.
Jahangir Jahangirov
Jahangir Jahangirov (1921-1992) Azerbaijani composer, pedagogue, conductor and chorusmaster, People’s Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR (1964). Chorus music occupies an important place among his works. Jahangir Jahangirov 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 Philarmonic Hall. He died on 25 March 1992 and was buried in Baku, in the Alley of Honor. Jahangir Jahangirov is the author of a lot of famous musical compositions.
Niyazi Tagizade Hajibeyov
Niyazi Tagizade Hajibeyov (1912-1984) Azerbaijani conductor, composer, People’s Artist of USSR (1959), Hero of Socialist Labor (1982), Laureate of two second degree Stalin Prizes (1951, 1952). Establishment and development of Azerbaijani school of conductors are related to his name. He was playing the violin in Turkish military orchestra in 1921. He studied at the Gnessin Music School in Moscow in composition class of M.F.Gnessin (1925-1926) and Central Musical Technical School in Leningrad and his teacher was G.N.Popov (1929-1930) but dropped out due to health problems. He studied at Baku Conservatorie (his teachers were L.M.Rudolf and S.Shrasser) during 1933-1934. During1932-1933 - The head of the science, literature and art department at Commissariat for Education of Dagestan ASSR. He was the head of music department of Azerbaijan film studio during 1935-1937. Artistic director of Azerbaijan State Stage during 1937-1938. Deputy chair of organizational committee in 1938-1944 and member of the board of the Azerbaijan SSR’s Union of Composers’ by 1956. In 1937-1948 conductor, 1951-1952 and 1958-1959 main conductor, director, artistic director and main conductor of Azerbaijan Opera and Ballte Theatre in 1961-1965. At the same time he was the artistic director and chief conductor of Azerbaijan Symphonic Orchestra after Uzeyir Hajibeyli. In 1946 he was the laureate of All-union Conductors’ Contest. 1960-1961 – The chief conductor of Leningrad State Opera and Ballet Theatre. The director of Azerbaijan State Philharmony by 1979. Niyazi conducted many symphony orchestras in Prague, Berlin, Budapest, Bucharest, New York, Paris, Istanbul, London, Tehran and Beijing. He was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan SSR in 4th and 8th elections. He was the deputy of the Supreme Soviet of USSR during the 11th election (1984). Niyazi died on August 2, 1984 and was buried in Baku, in the Alley of Honor. Niyazi's works include: “1920” (opera-cantata, 1940), "Khosrow and Shirin" (based on Nizami’s poem, 1942), "Chitra" ballet (1960), compositions for orchestra – “Zagatala suite” (1934), “Concerto variant of Lezginka” (1939), “In the battle” overture-fantasy (1943), “To the memory of the heros” (1944), “Rast” symphonic mugham (1949), “Concerto waltz” (1954), a suite from “Chitra” ballet (1970), “Poem” for fortepiano and symphonic orchestra (1945), other compositions – “Flowers of a garden” musical stage composition for soloists, choir, orchestra of Azerbaijan folk instruments (1949), “Song and dance” for sitring quartette (1959), music for sport parades (1938, 1940, 1941, 1947), songs composed on the poems of Azerbaijani poets, also “A song about motherland” (1937), dramas for orchestra of wind instruments, songs, usage of folk songs, the first act of M.magomayev’s “Nargiz” opera, Z.Hajibeyov’s “Ashug Garib” opera, edition of U.Hajibeyli’s “Arshin mal alan” operetta, musics composed for drama theatres and films, including “The breaking of unity” (Daghilan tifag) by A.B.Hagverdiyev, “In 1905” and “Almaz” by J.Jabbarli, “Vagif”by S.Vurgun and “Platon Krechet” by A.Korneychuk.
Rauf Hajiyev
Rauf Hajiyev is an author of many symphonic works, oratorios, cantatas and songs. He has composed a few musical comedies and musics for films as well. He has created Jazz Band in Azerbaijan in 1955-1956. In 1964 Rauf Hajiyev became artistic Director of Azerbaijan State Stage Orchestra.
Shafiga Akhundova
Shafiga Akhundova (1924-2013) Azerbaijani composer, Honoured Arts worker of Azerbaijan SSR (1973), People’s Artist of Azerbaijan (1998), student of Uzeyir Hajibeyli, the first female author of an opera in the East. “Gelin gayasi” opera (1972). In 1943–1944, Shafiga Akhundova got her primary education at Baku Musical School named after Asaf Zeynally, where he was taught by Uzeyir Hajibeyli. Then, in 1956, she continued her education at Azerbaijan State Conservatoire named after Uzeyir Hajibeyli, where she graduated from the class of B.Zeydman. In 1972, Shafiga Akhundova composed her first opera “Galin gayasi” (Bride’s rock) based on the povest of Suleyman Rahimov. It was the first opera composed by a female composer. Shafiga Akhundova was conferred a title of Honoured Arts worker of Azerbaijan in 1973 and People’s Artist of Azerbaijan in 1998. In 2004 she was awarded with the “Shohrat” Order. Shafiga Akhundova died on 26 July 2013 and has been buried in Baku in the Alley of Honor. Her works: “Galin gayasi” opera (1972), “Our home, our secret” operetta, “In cotton fields” work for orchestra (1948), “In life” romance for soprano and orchestra (based on Nizami Ganjavi’s poem, 1947), two dramas for fortepiano (1946) sonatina (1946) and etc.
Muslum Magomaev
Muslum Magomayev (1885-1937). Azerbaijani composer, conductor, public figure, the closest friend of Uzeyir Hajibeyli. The author of “Shah Ismail” and “Nargiz” operas and other works. Abdul Muslum Magomayev was born in Grozny. In 1919, Magomayev composed his first big and most famous work - “Shah Ismail” opera. There were more dialogues in the first edition of the opera and the music was based on improvisation and mugham principles. Yet, in the second and third editions dialogues were replaced with recitatives. “Shah Ismail” is an important stage in the development of Azerbaijani music as in this opera folk music ideas (mainly improvisations) have been worked in opera forms. Along with his composer activity, Muslim Magomayev was socially active: he led Azerbaijan department of the People's Commissariat for Education. He was artistic director of musical theatre and in 1929 he was appointed musical leader of Azerbaijan Radio center. In 1935 Muslum Magomayev was conferred a title of Honoured Arts worker of Azerbaijan SSR. Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall bears Magomayev’s name.
Suleyman Alasgarov
Suleyman Alasgarov (1924-2000) Azerbaijani composer, pedagogue, professor, People’s Artist of Azerbaijan and author of two operas, a few musical comedies, many symphonic works, cantatas, dramas, romances, songs and a number of clasrrom books for the schools of general education. 1950 he was conferred a title of Honoured Arts Worker of Azerbaijan SSR. In 1967 he was awarded with State Prize of Azerbaijan SSR. By 1970 he began to lead scientific-methodical council on musical-esthetic education of Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan SSR. He was conferred a title of People’s Artist of Azerbaijan SSR in 1974. He appointed the director of Shusha branch of Conservatorie which was established by his initiative. It must be mentioned that, Alasgarov was a teacher at the conservatorie by 1957 and head of the department of folk instruments.
Fikret Amirov
Fikret Amirov (1922-1984) Azerbaijani composer, founder of symphonic mugam genre, pedagogue, professor, author of opera, ballet, symphony and other works. People’s Artist of USSR (1965), Hero of Socialist Labour (1982), Second degree Stalin Prize (1949) and USSR State prize laureate (1980). Fikret Amirov was born in 22 November 1922 in Ganja into the family of Mashadi Jamil Amirov who was a famous mugam singer, tar player and composer. He has studied at Ganja Music College in a tar class and later at Baku Music School in composition class. In 1939 Amirov entered the Baku Conservatorie, where he learned composition from Boris Zeidman and the basis of Azerbaijan folk music from Uzeyir Hajibeyli. During the World War II Fikret Amirov went to the army and demobilized after being wounded. In 1942-1945 he was director and artistic director of the philharmony and also the director of Music school in Ganja city. In 1945 he began to continue his education and after three years, when he graduated from conservatorie represented “Ulduz” opera as his diploma work. He was Artistic Director of Azerbaijan Philharmony after Muslim Magomayev in 1946-1947 and director of Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theatre in 1956-1959. Fikret Amirov died on 20 February 1984 and has been buried in the Alley of Honor in Baku.
Afrasiyab Badalbeyli
Afrasiyab Badalbeyli (1907-1976) Azerbaijani composer, conductor, author of the first Azerbaijani ballet “Giz Galasi” (The Maiden Tower, 1940), librettos and other works. After completing his education in Baku A.Badalbeyli continued his education at a music school affiliated with the Leningrad Conservatory. At the age of 20 Afrasiyab Badalbeyli composed music for Jafar Jabbarly’s staged play named “Od Galini”. This music was highly appreciated by musicologists. For a while he worked as a conductor assistant in Moscow and Leningrad cities. He worked as a conductor at the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theatre from 1938 to the end of his life. Afrasiyab Badalbeyli is an author of the first ballet of Azerbaijan music. By composing “Giz Galasi” (The Maiden Tower) ballet in his 22, he became the founder of this genre in Azerbaijan music history.
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