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Laman Ismayilova

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Gara Garayev is regarded as one of the most influential and celebrated composers in the history of Azerbaijani classical music. More than four decades after his passing, his music continues to bridge cultures, generations, and artistic traditions.

This year Azerbaijan marks the 108th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding composer. The occasion was recently honored with a symphonic evening at the Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic Hall.

The concert, titled "Music Across the Centuries," was performed by the Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra under the baton of its Artistic Director and Chief Conductor, Honored Artist Fuad Ibrahimov.

Prior to the performance, Honored Art Worker, Doctor of Philosophy in Art Studies, and Professor Zumrud Dadashzade addressed the audience, offering insight into Garayev's music legacy and examining the philosophical depth and distinctive aesthetic language that define his compositions.

The concert program featured symphonic works by prominent representatives of 20th-century musical culture, turning the evening into both a tribute to Garayev and a celebration of the enduring vitality of symphonic tradition.

Born in 1918, Gara Garayev emerged as one of the most influential composers in Azerbaijan's history. His works, performed and admired internationally, are distinguished by their expressive power and stylistic boldness. Garayev began his formal musical education at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory, where from 1933 to 1938 he studied composition and folk music.

He later continued his studies at the Moscow Conservatory under A. Alexandrov and, subsequently, the legendary Dmitri Shostakovich. This formative period profoundly shaped his artistic identity, nurturing a composer unafraid of experimentation while remaining deeply rooted in national tradition.

Throughout his prolific career, Garayev composed in nearly every major genre, including symphonic and chamber music, opera, ballet, and film scores. His music masterfully blends Azerbaijani mugham with elements of jazz, blues, African rhythms, and Western classical techniques such as the twelve-tone system. This synthesis created a sound world that was both nationally distinctive and universally compelling.

Over his lifetime, Gara Garayev produced more than 110 works. His career began remarkably early: at the age of 20, he composed his first cantata, The Song of the Heart, based on poetry by Rasul Rza.

The work was performed at Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre the same year, signaling the arrival of a major new talent. By 1941, he had returned to Baku, where he dedicated himself not only to composition but also to teaching, shaping future generations of Azerbaijani musicians.

The late 1940s and early 1950s marked a particularly significant period in his creative life. Inspired by the poetry of Nizami Ganjavi, he composed the symphonic poem Leyli and Mejnun and the symphonic suite Seven Beauties. In 1952, Seven Beauties was adapted into the first Azerbaijani ballet, staged by choreographer P. A. Gusev, becoming a landmark achievement in the country’s cultural history.

Garayev’s artistic vision extended beyond national themes to global concerns. His 1958 ballet Path of Thunder addressed racial conflict in South Africa, demonstrating his sensitivity to contemporary social issues and his ability to translate them into compelling musical drama. That same year, he composed the score for the documentary A Story About the Oil Workers of the Caspian Sea, highlighting the lives of those working in Azerbaijan’s vital oil industry.

Gara Garayev passed away in 1982 at the age of 64, marking the end of an era in Azerbaijani classical music. Yet his influence remains profound. His works continue to be performed, studied, and reinterpreted, reaffirming his place as a towering figure in 20th-century music.

In 2018, on the centenary of his birth, President Ilham Aliyev declared the year dedicated to Gara Garayev’s 100th anniversary, underscoring his monumental contribution to national culture.

A House-Museum in Baku preserves his personal belongings, manuscripts, photographs, and archival materials, offering visitors a deeper understanding of the composer's life and artistic journey.