Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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Sixty years have passed since the death of the outstanding Azerbaijani tar player, Gurban Pirimov, Azernews reports.

The future virtuoso tar musician was born in October 1880 in the village of Abdal Gyulably, located in the Agdam region.

His father, Bakhshali Kishi, was the grandson of the renowned 18th-century Ashug Valeh, who was well-versed in folk music and played both the balaban and saz. Gurban's older brother, Agalar, was also an Ashug-saz performer.

As a young schoolboy, Gurban often travelled to Shusha, a city known for its rich musical culture, where talented khanende singers, tar players, and kamancheh musicians were an integral part of celebrations and gatherings.

The lively musical environment of Shusha profoundly inspired young Gurban. At just 13 years old, he went to Shusha with Ashug Abasgulu, who introduced him to Sadikhjan.

The latter immediately recognised Gurban’s remarkable talent, especially noting his heartfelt playing. Under Sadikhjan's mentorship, Gurban quickly and thoroughly mastered the complex art of playing the tar, thanks to his innate talent, perseverance, and dedication.

By age 15, Gurban gained recognition across Garabagh, performing at rural weddings alongside khanende Akbar Khamysh oglu. Soon after, he joined the ensemble of singer Islam Abdullayev.

In the autumn of 1905, the distinguished singer Jabbar Garayagdyoglu was invited to perform at a wedding in Ganja, where he met Gurban.

This encounter had a lasting influence on Gurban's artistic development. The collaboration among these three legendary musicians lasted over 20 years and significantly contributed to the evolution of Azerbaijani national music.

Gurban Pirimov often performed solo mugham renditions during intermissions at Baku's theatres. His name frequently appeared in the press, on posters, and in programs. He played a crucial role in shaping Azerbaijani opera, working closely with Uzeyir Hajibayli, the founder of the national opera, and was a soloist in the opera "Leyli and Majnun."

Between 1910 and 1912, Gurban Pirimov, along with Jabbar Garayagdyoglu and Sasha Oganesashvili, was invited by the Sport-record company to record mugham compositions, folk songs, and tasnifs on gramophone records in Moscow, Riga, and Warsaw. He also made notable solo recordings of mugham pieces, establishing his reputation as a virtuoso.

Many contemporary Azerbaijani composers learned from Gurban Pirimov's mastery.

Fikrat Amirov and Gara Garayev, for example, drew inspiration from his performances. Amirov incorporated elements of Gurban's mugham improvisations into his symphonic mugham "Shur" and "Kurd-ovshari," while Gara Garayev adapted themes from the "Charyagh" mugham, which Gurban Pirimov had played with unmatched skill.

In 1929, Azerbaijan’s musical community celebrated the 25th anniversary of Gurban Pirimov's artistic career.

He was awarded the title of Honoured Artist, and two years later, he received the title of People's Artist of Azerbaijan. A profound connoisseur of Eastern classical mugham, Gurban enriched the Azerbaijani tar tradition, mentoring a new generation of talented players and passing down the secrets of his art learned from Sadikhjan.

His students, including Bahram Mansurov, Haji Mammadov, Mammad Agha Muradov, Akhsan Dadashov, Gabib Bayramov, Sarvar Ibrahimov, and Khosrov Farajov, achieved fame far beyond Azerbaijan's borders.

Gurban Pirimov passed away on August 29, 1965, in Baku at the age of 85, leaving behind a lasting legacy in Azerbaijani music.