September 17, 2008

Presentation of the projects ‘World of Uzeyir’ and ‘Azerbaijan Mugham Encyclopedia’

Heydar Aliyev Foundation presented projects ‘World of Uzeyir’ and ‘Azerbaijan Mugham Encyclopedia’ on September 17 at Gulustan Palace.

First Lady of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva addressed the ceremony.

Speech by Mehriban Aliyeva:

Dear participants!

Dear friends!

Welcome to the presentation ceremony of two new projects developed by Heydar Aliyev Foundation. I am very glad to see you.

Today, we present two new projects titled ‘World of Uzeyir’ and ‘Azerbaijan Mugham Encyclopedia’. Projects are presented together though they are different. Because they are deeply connected.

The world of mugham created a great phenomenon named Uzeyir, who, in his turn, gave a new life to mugham, brought mugham to the opera stage, created a new miracle called mugham opera.

The main purpose of project ‘World of Uzeyir’ is to summarize the multilateral creativity heritage of the genius composer and present to our people in wide manner. In addition, studies released in frame of the project will b of huge significance for scientific and pedagogical public. I believe project ‘World of Uzeyir’ will contribute to popularization of the creativity legacy of the genius composer across the world.

Project ‘World of Uzeyir’ is the path of life and activity of the composer. It contains his literary and publicistic works, notes and music collected in electron resources. Pretty wide bibliography covers scientific works by Uzeyir Hajibeyli, various scientific researches and articles dedicated to him.

Uzeyir Hajibeyli is the pride of Azerbaijani people. His creativity heritage is too large and rich. Uzeyir Hajibeyli has a prominent place in the history of Azerbaijan not only as the founder of the professional music of Azerbaijan but also as great scientist, educationalist, playwright, publicist, pedagogue and public figure. Uzeyir Hajibeyli has a vestige almost in every sphere of the art of music of Azerbaijan.

With opera ‘Leili and Mejnun’ and musical comedies ‘Either This Or That’ and ‘Arshyn Mal Alan’ Uzeyir Hajibeyli founded the musical theatre in the Moslem East. His immortal romances ‘Sensiz’ and ‘Sevgili Janan’ discovered a new direction in Azerbaijan chamber music. Opera ‘Koroghlu’ that is the masterpiece in his creativity has opened a new page in the history of Azerbaijani art of music.

As you know, the first opera in the Moslem East is opera ‘Leili and Mejnun’ composed by Uzeyir Hajibeyli and upon decision of the UNESCO General Conference the 100th jubilee of opera ‘Leili and Mejnun’ has very solemnly marked this year at UNESCO Paris Office. 

Uzeyir Hajibeyli is known not as composer only but also as a great scholar, great enlightener. He was very attentive towards theoretical issues of Azerbaijan folk music that he deeply loved and knew, and his studies lasted during 25 years in this field resulted in a large and valuable scientific work ‘Fundamentals of Azerbaijan Folk Music’.

One of greatest services of Uzeyir Hajibeyli is that he has created a mighty national composer school in our country.  He has laid foundation of musical education in our country. Today, biggest countries and nations of the world can be proud of such a school.

Dear friends, much can be said about creativity, heritage of Uzeyir Hajibeyli. Tomorrow we will celebrate the birthday of the genius composer. I would like to emphasize twice that Uzeyir Hajibeyli’s music is great because he has always been sourced from the national music. He used folk music, mugham – the top of the folk music in his works and delivered the national music to people in its native language. Maybe, because of this reason music of Uzeyir is known by heart in our country by both children and adults.

When Uzeyir Hajibeyli died, the people of Azerbaijan saw him off to the last journey to the sound to romance ‘Sensiz’. But I can say that since then we have not been without him even a single day. Hearing our national anthem – the symbol of our independence, being amazed by greatness of overture of opera ‘Koroghlu’, seeing musical comedies, laughing at jokes of immortal heroes of those comedies, getting sad by his romances we can say Uzeyir Hajibeyli is with us, his music lives, his creativity heritage lives and will live forever.

Applying today to creativity of Uzeyir Hajibeyli we indeed show our willingness to do our civic duty before his soul.

Dear guests, the second project presented to you today is titled ‘Azerbaijan Mugham Encyclopedia’. As you know, Heydar Aliyev Foundation has performed a number of large projects and events in this field over the past years. Of them I can mention release of music album ‘Singers of Garabagh’, publication of ‘Mugham’ magazine, TV mugham contests held in 2005 and 2007 that caused a big resonance. You know that construction of the International Mugham Center in the seaside park which is one of nicest sites in our capital is continued. The head of state and UNESCO Director General have attended the cornerstone laying ceremony of this center. I believe we together will attend opening of this center in near future.

I believe the project we are presenting to you today will become very significant event in cultural life of our country.

‘Mugham Encyclopedia’ is comprised of 2 volumes. The first volume includes comprehensive information on mugham. The second volume consists of 125 CDs containing performance of different mugham singers of Azerbaijan – mughams recorded in early XX century, later and lastly performance of winners of 2007 mugham contest. It is for the first time that performance by mugham masters and young singers is presented together and it introduces our beautiful mugham heritage in very substantial and wonderful manner.

I would like to mention that ‘Mugham Encyclopedia’ has already been released, however works are underway in this course. Some performances have not been included in this encyclopedia, since some recordings of early XX century are being restored and they will certainly be included in this encyclopedia.

I wish the 2-volume edition we are presenting today to become a multivolume in future and the number of our mugham singers to increase year by year, our amazing mugham to be enriched with new voices, new performances, new approaches keeping the ancient traditions. I am confident it will be so. Mugham is the wealth belonging not to us only, but to the entire world and I want to mention again that our duty and objective is to safeguard, develop mugham, deliver its beautiful and deep philosophy to the future generations and whole world.

Dear friends, I express you my gratitude for accepting our invitation and being with us today. I express my deep thanks and regards to everyone who has trouble in this work, to our mugham masters, scientists. I wish you success, good health and long life.

Thank you.