Azernews.Az

The inclusion of Mugham folk music in Azerbaijan`s song at Eurovision 2012 was an unexpected decision, says well-known Mugham singer Alim Gasimov, who will perform at the contest along with Sabina Babayeva in Baku on Saturday, with the song ``When the Music Dies``.

``I was not expecting this. This is the fate of Mugham,`` Gasimov told the Baku-based Trend news agency.

He noted that Mugham sounds in two parts of the song. ``In the disk version of the song Mugham sounds with a low tone. But during the live performance I will make a higher tone,`` he said.

Speaking about his duet with Sabina, Gasimov said the Azerbaijani lead singer is aware of many musical genres, including jazz, and has excellent sense of hearing.

According to Gasimov, foreign nationals attending the Eurovision song contest will be able to see firsthand the rich culture and art of Azerbaijan, and the sound of Mugham will also play an important role in promoting Azerbaijani culture in the world.

``Earlier, we tried through the media to convey to the world information about Azerbaijan, to present in other countries all aspects of Azerbaijani culture. Now foreigners will be able to see our culture firsthand,`` he said.

54-year-old Gasimov was awarded the UNESCO International Music Prize in 1999. He is also a master of the ancient Ashig folk art.

Azerbaijan won the right to host the prestigious European song contest after the victory of Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal (Ell/Nikki) at Eurovision 2011 in Dusseldorf, Germany.