Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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It has been 43 years since the passing of Gara Garayev, a famous Azerbaijani composer, teacher, People's Artist of the USSR, and academician, Azernews reports.

The legendary composer made a huge impact on the music of Azerbaijan and the world.

Gara Garayev was an innovative artist who opened new paths for music to develop. His works, full of national pride and human values, will continue to enrich people's minds and hearts for many generations.

Gara Garayev was born on February 5, 1918, in Baku, Azerbaijan. His father, Abulfaz Garayev, was a well-known pediatrician. From a young age, Gara Garayev showed a special talent for music. He studied at the Baku Conservatory, where he learned about Azerbaijani folk music, ashig, and mugham art, which deeply influenced his work.

In 1946, he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory, where he studied composition with the famous composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Gara Garayev was one of the best students in his class. Even before that, he already loved and understood Azerbaijani music very well.

During World War II, Gara Garayev returned to Baku. He worked as an artistic director at the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic named after Muslim Magomayev.

After the war, he finished his studies in Moscow and began teaching at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory. That same year, he received the USSR State Prize for his opera "Vatan" (Homeland), which he co-wrote with Jovdat Hajiyev. In 1948, his symphonic poem "Leyli and Majnun" earned him the Azerbaijan State Prize.

Gara Garayev also wrote music about important social issues.

His ballet "Thunderous Paths," based on a novel by South African writer Peter Abrahams, talks about racial discrimination and the fight for freedom. He composed a mono opera called "Tenderness," inspired by the French writer Henri Barbus. Many of his songs are based on poems by A. Pushkin, such as "I Loved You" and "On the Hills of Georgia." He also composed cantatas called " Song of the Heart" and " Song of Happiness. "

Besides Azerbaijani music, Gara Garayev explored new musical styles. He wrote a musical called " The Mad Gascon, " based on the play " Cyrano de Bergerac" by French playwright E. Rostan.

He believed that cinema was a modern school of music and created memorable music for many films. Some of his most famous film scores include " Leyli and Majnun," "A Lesson from History," "Distant Shores," "Two Boys from a Neighbourhood," "The Conquerors of the Sea," "The Golden Echelon," and "The Tale of the Caspian Oilmen." He also composed music for plays like "An Optimistic Tragedy" and "Antonio and Cleopatra."

Gara Garayev passed away on May 13, 1982, in Moscow. He was buried in the Alley of Honour in Baku, a special place for honouring distinguished people.

His music and ideas continue to inspire musicians and audiences around the world.

Gara Garayev's legacy lives on as a symbol of Azerbaijani culture and a shining example of artistic creativity.