Uzeyir Hajibeyov is a well-known composer, musicologist, teacher, public figure, whose name is associated with the formation and development of Azerbaijani art.
This innovator, organically combining the traditions of Russian and world classics with the specifics of folk art, created a new professional language in Azerbaijani art.
Uzeyir Hajibeyov: biography
Uzeyir was born on September 18, 1885 in the small Azerbaijani village of Agjabadi. His father was a village clerk; five more children grew up in the family. Soon, the Hajibeyov family moved to the city of Shusha, one of the largest centers of national culture with its musical traditions. It was in this noble place where the great poets and writers of the 18th century worked, the whole childhood of the composer passed. Music surrounded the young man everywhere: his mother, Shirin-khanum Aliverdibekova, was a composer, the elder brother Zulfugar also followed in her footsteps. Father for a long time was the personal secretary of Khurshidbanu Natavan, a famous poetess who had a huge influence on the education of the future musician. By the age of 12, the boy sang beautifully mugams and knew how to play folk musical instruments.
The youth of the composer
Uzeyir Hajibeyov, whose nationality is Azerbaijani, received primary education in Shusha school. In 1899 he left for Georgia, where he entered the Gori Seminary, which at that time played a huge role in the cause of the formation of Transcaucasia. It was here that future cultural figures received knowledge: actors, writers, musicians. A lot of attention in the educational institution was given to music lessons. Each seminar was present at singing lessons, learned to play musical instruments, necessarily participated in a choir and orchestra. In the years of study, Uzeyir got acquainted with the works of Glinka, Mozart, Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Bizet, which had a significant impact on the work of the future composer. During the holidays, he often traveled to Tiflis, where he attended concerts by the symphony orchestra and opera performances.
Educational work of Hajibeyov
At the end of the seminary in 1904, Hajibeyov began teaching at the schools of Baku and Hadrut. He taught children the Azerbaijani and Russian languages, geography, mathematics, compiled the first textbook on arithmetic, organized music clubs.
At the same time, he began his educational activities, publishing articles and satirical articles in newspapers and magazines. His works protested against the ugly patriarchal-feudal foundations and the brutal exploitation of workers.
Uzeyir Hajibeyov: creativity
In 1908, Hajibeyov’s debut opera Leila and Majun was staged on the stage of the Baku Drama Theater, giving rise to the birth of the Azerbaijani opera. Then the composer wrote “Asli and Kerem”, “Rustam and Zohrab”, “Sheikh Sanan”, “Garun and Leila”, in which he glorified work, goodness, fidelity, love, courage and justice. In those same years, from the pen of Hajibeyov musical comedies “Not That, So This”, “Husband and Wife.” In them, the author condemns the negative aspects of life and fights for the emancipation of women.
In 1909, Hajibeyov married the representative of the famous Teregulov family - Maleyka Khanum. The couple did not have children, and Uzeyir took care of five nephews.
In order to continue his education in 1911, the Azerbaijani moved to Moscow, where he entered private music courses. In 1913, without completing his studies, he became a student at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. During the training period, he wrote his best musical work - “Arshin mal Alan”, which means “Recipe for a successful marriage”. This comedy was first staged in Baku in 1913.
Achievements of Hajibeyov
Uzeyir Hajibeyov devoted a lot of strength and attention to the musical education of the younger generation. The first music school, in which teaching was conducted in the Azerbaijani language, a music college, rector at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory, the creation of a musical orchestra of folk instruments - the list of achievements of the composer is far from complete.
All these years, the author actively continued to write; an impressive number of articles on various issues of Azerbaijani musical culture came out from under his pen. Huge work was carried out by him on the study of folk music. In 1945, the author finished writing the book "Fundamentals of Azerbaijani Folk Music", which he began to work on in the 20s.
In 1937, Hajibeyov completed the opera Kor-ogly, staged on the Azerbaijani and then the Moscow theater stage. This work was enthusiastically received by the viewer.
War years in the life of the composer
Hajibeyov worked hard and hard during the war: he wrote heroic-patriotic songs that reflected the struggle of the people with the fascist invaders. In the same period, Uzeyir gave birth to a new instrumental genre, “Djangi,” which inherited the traditions and many features of warlike male dances. The heroic, courageous music of "Dzhangi" became a reflection of the patriotism of the people and captured many of the successors who created a number of such plays. In honor of the end of the war, glorifying the new world and new life, Uzeyir Hajibeyov wrote the Victory anthem and the National Anthem of Azerbaijan.
The composer died on November 23, 1948. Uzeyir Hajibeyov was buried in the Alley of Honor of the city of Baku. His name was given to several state institutions, a symphony orchestra and the streets of Azerbaijan.