Outstanding Azerbaijanis ANAR People’s writer Genious COMPOSER THE world OF UZEYIR… AND certainlY THIS world waS created BY UZEYIR HajibaYOV HIMSELF, HIS RICH AUtobiog- RAPHY that WENT throUGH VARIOUS AND coMplicate PERIODS OF LIFE, OUTStanding PERSONALITY, MUltiFaceted creatiVE work AND, UNDOUbtedlY, FIRST OF ALL IMMortal pieceS OF HIS MASterworkS. THESE ARE EVENTS, StorieS, FactS. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL AND DIFFERENT world. he history of our music and Chamanzaminli, Huseyn Javid and Ismayil Efendiyev, Lutfali Abdullayev, theater in the XX-th century, Ahmad Javad, M.S.Ordubadi and Minavvar Kalantarli, Firangiz Tcomplex and contradicting de- Azim Azimzadeh, G.Arablinski and Akhmadova, Lutfiyar Imanov, velopment of political and public life Jafar Jabbarli, Samad Vurgun and Khuraman Gasimova and many in the first half of the century is also Ismayil Hidayatzadeh… more actors, singers, conductors, connected with the name of Uzeyir Drama works of Uzeyir Hajibayov producers – stars of our art – that Hajibayov. To speak of Uzeyir bey represent a true school that has sparkled through the masterpeices means to remember elder person- formed tens of dramatic art mas- of Uzeyir bey… alities of his time – Khurshud Banu ters in Azerbaijan. Majnun of Friend, and a personali ty of Natavan, Mir Mohsun Navvab, Jabbar Huseyngulu Sarabski and Koroglu the time of Uzeyir was Muslim Garyagdi oglu, Hasan bey Zardabi. of Bulbul, Askar of Rashid Behbudov Magomayev…Worthy followers of Talking of public and political and Mashadi Ibad of Mirzaga Aliyev, the composer’s traditions – Gara activity of Uzeyir bey, we can’t for- Leyli of Rubaba Muradova and Garayev and Fikrat Amirov, Niyazi and get about the outstanding figures, Gulchohra of Fidan Gasimova, Asli Asaf Zeynalli, Afrasiyab Badalbayli and living and creating together with of Zeynab Khanlarova, Hasan khan Said Rustamov, Sultan Hajibayov and him in different periods, - they are of Agababa Buniyatzadeh, Gochu Jahangir Jahangirov, Jovdat Hajiyev Jalil Mammadguluzadeh and Sabir, Askar of Mohsun Sanani, Rustam and Tofig Guliyev… The Uzeyir’s el- Ali bay Huseynzadeh and Ahmad bay of Agasadik Garaybayli… der - Zulfugar Hajibayov was the clos- bay Agaoglu, Nariman Narimanov Akhmad Agdamskiy, Huseynaga est friend of Uzeyir bey at the begin- and Mammad Emin Rasulzadeh, Hajibababayov, Hagigat Rzayeva, ning of his creative path, his younger A.Akhverdiyev and Yusif Vazir Mustafa Mardanov, Ismayil Osmanli, brother Jeyhun bay remained far 16 www.irs-az.com www.irs-az.com 17 Outstanding Azerbaijanis Famous for its singers, outstand- ing masters Shusha used to be called “Conservatorium of Caucausus”. The “Conservatorium of Caucausus” was the first music school of small Uzeyir. Nature generously endowed Uzeyir bey with everything – incred- ible talent, unique abilities for music, the feeling of rhythm, creativity for a great number of melodies, to be right to the point from the young age. All of these granted by God fea- tured together with daily hard work, self-perfection and love for life, and Uzeyir Hajibeyov creative research work - bonded together in Uzeyir Hajibayov and from motherland… in other country, formed his individual spiritual world. whom Uzeyir bey missed till the end Sometimes one wonders – how of his life. Faithful wife of Uzeyir bey 22 years old Uzeyir Hajibayov, whose – Maleyka khanum… Researchers music education was incomplete of Uzeyir Hajibeyov heritage… yet, could create such an opera, mu- Creative mutual relations, contacts gham opera as “Leyli and Majnun”. and links of Uzeyir bey with figures If we are talking about mugham of art, science, politology, music and opera, why do we have to get sur- art sciences in Turkey, Iran, Russia, prised? Conservatorium of mugham Caucausus, Turkistan – Rashid Nuri is Shusha. Every gathering at a fresh The poster of “Leyli Guntekin and Said Nafisi, Glazunov spring, at the most beautiful nature and Majnun” opera and Stalin, Glier and Shestakovich… turns to the conservatorium class. This is a world of Uzeyir. But it goes Every singer playing tar and kaman- literary works. without saying - the centre of this cha, if is not a professor of this con- While still young, deeply realizing world, its founder, its brightening servatorium, is definitely a teacher the importance of turning into reality light, then sun is Uzeyir bey himself. of it. But there were professors too: the objectives he dreamed of, Uzeyir Having been born in September famous for all Caucausus and East, strived to realize that the given life in 18 (in old style – September 5), 1885, masters of mughams – singers, sa- front of him is first of all the creation in Agjabedi, Uzeyir spent his child- zandars. Every play is a lesson of mu- of national opera. He remembered hood in the pearl of our ancient ghams. Right in this conservatorium so well a small musical scene that he Karabakh – Shusha. The source of of mughams Uzeyir Hajibayov re- had seen in Shusha. It was in 1897- both his creative works as well as ceived an education till he was four- 1898, when he was only 13 years old. his world perception, the composer teen. This is not a short time for the The scene of “Mejnun on the grave of takes the start from the heights, cov- capable and givted student. Leyli”, put on stage on the initiative of ered with snow mountains, morning Having been admitted to Gori famous personality Abdurahim bek, swing of a breeze, springs as sweet Teachers seminarium in 1899, he played by a famous singer Jabbar as honey, all that Shusha is famous didn’t only bring native songs and Garyagdi oglu. This scene impressed for, our beauty Shusha, wounded rhythms, he also brought to Gori a small Uzeyir so much that he decided Shusha. heart full of great hope. Young Uzeyir to create something similar to opera. Shusha always preserved its high lived with great dream – to serve his It is strange that a childish dream, moral value, always remained the people, get educated, to do a cer- a sensible wish was realized in ten shelter for musical and poetic gath- tain work in the name of its cultural years, turned into reality; it didn’t erings, despite a number of historic development: to set dictionaries, to only become the fact of reality of problems that affected this city. translate into native Turkic language Uzeyir but also a significant aspect in 18 www.irs-az.com the history of our culture. The world music discovered a new scenic genre called mugham opera. Uzeyir bay Hajibayov created not just “some- thing like opera”, he also established a new genre called mugham opera. In January 12, 1908, in the building of theatre of Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev, there was a premiere of the first Azerbaijani opera called “Leyli and Mejnun”. Created on the motives of a poem by great poet Mahammad Fizuli, the first Azerbaijani op- era became also the first opera of all the East. This day became the birthday of opera in ancient East and was recorded in the op- Monument put to Uzeyir Hajibeyov in Vienna, Austria, 2006 era history of East after the hon- oured name of 22 years old com- world music art – possess notes sys- predict the forthcoming. The time poser Uzeyir Hajibayov. tem, create and develop the opera showed that in current interna- Having received his music edu- and ballet of European type, choir, tional musical disputes and discus- cation in Petersburg and Moscow, symphony, genres of chamber and sions both “Koroglu” and “Leyli and formed as a professional musician vocal music. Mejnun” occupy quite an honoured Uzeyir Hajibayov together with other This was a plain truth accepted position. For today’s listener “Leyli prominent personalities of his time by all, no one denies it, but while ap- and Mejnun” as well as other mu- determined the way, truly the main proving this path of development do gham operas alongside with other path of our music. we really have to sacrifice our mu- European traditional opera forms It goes without saying, the ge- gham, to stop playing tar… is this are original, wonderful pieces of art. nius program masterpeice of that vitally important? “Play tar, play tar, Mugham operas are not differenti- period became the opera “Koroglu”, who is going to forget you?”, “Don’t ated among usual operas with such the creation of which coincided with play tar, proletariat does not accept characterization as“simple and com- the time when the process of classic you!” Who to listen to? plex”, “perfect and naïve” but with their genre, feature means, forms of “CONSERVatoriUM OF CAUcaUSUS”. THE “CONSERVatoriUM OF singing and style. CAUcaUSUS” waS THE FIRST MUSIC SCHOOL OF SMALL UZEYIR. Mugham operas in azerbai- jani art are the reflection of music formation in Azerbaijan just Now it isn’t hard to be astonished Azerbaijani worldview, which started. Uzeyir bey created “Koroglu” on the absence of logic of those who do not have any similarity with not only at piano, in front of clean argued seventy years ago, evaluating any other genre, being an origi- musical notes sheet, but after a long everything that took place in those nal genre. creative research.That was an answer years with sarcasm and humour. It If the creation of outstanding expressed with music, an answer to was significantly harder to live in works in different genres of art is the talks of nigilists without princi- those times, and protect one’s prin- heroism, then the creation of new ples, to the facts brought by them to cipal position in those disputes and genres is a double heroism. In dif- public and esthetic disputes… discussions. It was equally difficult ferent genres Uzeyir Hajibayov What stood in the centre of dis- for Uzeyir bey to preserve himself – achieved not only the incredible putes around opera in twenties?“You to remain Uzeyir.