Presentation of a book devoted to eminent composer of Azerbaijan, the founder of the symphonic mugham genre in the world music Fikret Amirov, and a concert took place at the Heydar Aliyev Center, November 25. Aiming to immortalize, develop and popularize the Azerbaijani culture, this project was realized with the joint organizational support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Heydar Aliyev Center.
Attendees of the event were first acquainted with an exposition covering the composer’s creativity arranged at the Center.
Addressing the ceremony, First Deputy Director of the Heydar Aliyev Center Adil Kerimli talked about the significance of the project. Underscoring the special importance attached by numerous projects of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation to popularization of the Azerbaijani culture, history and music, Adil Kerimli emphasized the significance of making special publications and delivering them to local and international societies within the framework of such projects. Devoted to the rich creativity of Fikret Amirov and prepared on the basis of historical sources, the book, CDs and the anthology comprised of the composer’s works are contribution to the composer’s creativity.
Deputy Minister of Culture Adalat Valiyev delivered a speech at the event. He thanked Azerbaijan’s First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva for the support provided to making of the publication.
Composer’s son Jamil Amirov too thanked Mehriban Aliyeva on behalf of the Amirov family for the support provided to the realization of this project.
Then, attendees of the event watched a documentary about Fikret Amirov.
It should be noted that the book “Fikret Amirov” has been made on the basis of the composer’s private archive. The publication includes CDs with the composer’s “Sevil” Opera and “A Thousand And One Night” Ballet, and an anthology with his works.
The book starts with description of Shusha city, where the roots of the Fikret Amirov music originates from, and the music environment dominating there late in the 19th, early in the 20th centuries. Events go on in chronological sequence, tracing the Amirovs dynasty’s course of life and creativity, and the history of F.Amirov’s immortal works, as well as cultural environment causing them to be created are reflected in the book. References printed in press organs about the eminent composer and his works in different periods, and opinions of well-known persons have been collected in the book.
A concert programme comprised of works by Fikret Amirov was presented at the event by the State Chamber Orchestra of Azerbaijan named after Gara Garayev. The Orchestra was directed by artistic director and chief conductor of the Orchestra, People’s Artist of Azerbaijan Teymour Goychayev.
One of the leading figures of the Azerbaijani music, Fikret Amirov was born on 22 November 1922 in the city of Ganja. Creativity of Fikret Amirov, a student of founder of professional Azerbaijani music art Uzeir Hajibeyli, has covered different genres. By his ”Shur” and “Kurd Ovshary” symphonic mughams, the composer made a know-how in the world music and laid the foundation of the symphonic mugham genre. Created on the basis of Oriental fairy tales, “A Thousand and One Night” Ballet made him famous beyond the country’s boundaries.
Fikret Amirov deceased on 20 February 1984.