Azernews.Az

By Laman Ismayilova

The International Mugham Center hosted a gala concert of mugham music on May 17.

Vice-Rector of Azerbaijan National Conservatory Lala Huseynova, addressing the event, informed the audience about the importance of the mugham projects, noting that the most striking of these is undoubtedly the International Mugham Festival organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in 2009, which involved not only the Azerbaijani mugham masters, but also foreign artists.

She also spoke about the projects "The evening of mugham" and the mugam "Rast".

“Today, you will hear "Rast" which is the first mode of main modes in mugham. Even Uzeyir Hajibeyli said that "Rast" has gone through difficult times and but remained in music with its name and foundations", she added.

Later, the audience heard the classical form of mugham and beautiful improvisations, Trend Life reported.

Honored Artists of Azerbaijan Agil Melikhov, Sevinj Sariyeva, Honored Artist of Nakhchivan Ehtiram Huseynov, as well as Aytan Maharramova, Miralam Miralamov and Huseyn Melikhov performed at the event.

Musicians performed together with instrumental ensemble "Rast", whose members include Khanlar Jafarov (accordion), Elman Sadigov (tar), Shehriyar Musayev (kemancha), Gulmirza Mirzaev (clarinet), Amrah Orujov (ud), Ghalib Ashimov (bass tar), Metanet Dzhabrailova (canon), Simran Jafarov (violin), Ghulam Suleymanov (nagara), Elkhan Arabov (drums), Mehman Mammadov (zarb), Fegan Alaskarov (balaban), etc.

The gala concert was met with a storm of applause.

With centuries-old history, the Azerbaijani mugham, a a treasury of the world music, continues to amaze the music lovers.

One of the most valuable monuments of the material and spiritual culture of the nation contains seven main modes - Rast, Shur, Segah (are especially common), Shushtar, Bayaty-Shiraz, Chahargah, Humayun and three collateral kinds - shahnaz, sarendj, chargah in some other form.

Mugham modes are associated not only with scales but with an orally transmitted collection of melodies that mugham masters use in the course of improvisation.

The short selection of Azerbaijani mugham played in balaban, national wind instrument was included on the Voyager Golden Record, attached to the Voyager spacecraft as representing world music, included among many cultural achievements of humanity.

In 2003, UNESCO recognized mugam as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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