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By Laman Ismayilova

Memory of prominent Azerbaijani conductor, Niyazi Hajibeyov commemorated in Baku on August 20.

To honor the memory of the maestro, art and cultural figures, employees of the State Museum of Musical Culture and Niyazi Home Museum visited the Alley of Honor to commemorate the memory of maestro, Trend Life reported.

Then, the House Museum of prominent Azerbaijani conductor hosted an event timed to the 106th anniversary of the birth of legendary conductor.

Addressing the event, the head of the museum, honored worker of culture, Ph.D. Alla Bayramova, national artist, composer Azer Dadashov, secretary of the Azerbaijan Composers Union, honored art worker Zemfira Gafarov, honored artists, composer Aydin Azizov and conductor Eyyub Guliyev, conductor of Istanbul opera theater Turan Manafzade, the head of the museum department Khanim Abdinova spoke about Niyazi’s life and creativity. They stressed his role in the development of the musical culture of Azerbaijan.

Further, the museum visitors enjoyed a fascinating concert. The concert featured works of Niyazi and Azerbaijani composers.

Niyazi, a descendant of the famous musical dynasty, has become Azerbaijan's first professional conductor to gain international recognition.

A legendary conductor was born in Tbilisi on August 20, 1912. Niyazi Hajibeyov grew up in an extraordinarily musical family. Since his childhood, Niyazi was surrounded by some of Azerbaijan's greatest musicians.

His father, Zulfugar Hajibeyov (1884-1950), was one of the founders of the Musical Theater in Azerbaijan.

Niyazi was also the nephew of Uzeyir Hajibeyli (1885-1948), the founder of the Azerbaijani classical music.

He studied at the Gnessin Music School in Moscow in 1925-1926. In 1929-30 Niyazi studied at the Central Musical Technical School in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), but dropped out due to health problems. He returned to Baku in 1931. Right after that he was sent to Dagestan where he met his future wife Hajar khanum. Her family would not approve of the marriage. So she and Niyazi decided to run away and secretly married. They lived a very difficult yet fulfilling life.

Despite all difficulties, the great love of his wife gave him strengths and inspired to create most of his masterpieces, which contributed to Azerbaijan's and the world musical treasury.

The first great success came to Niyazi in 1938 at the Days of Azerbaijani Art in Moscow. He conducted Uzeyir Hajibeyov's operas, "Koroglu" (The Blind Man's Son) as well as Muslim Magomayev's opera "Nargiz".

Niyazi's incredible ability as a conductor was innate.

He was the conductor and music director of the Azerbaijan State Symphony orchestra for 46 years.

His orchestra accompanied such legendary singers as Bulbul, Rashid Behbudov, Muslim Magomayev, Lutfiyar Imanov and other outstanding performers.

Niyazi’s most significant works include the opera "Khosrow and Shirin" (1942), and the ballet "Chitra" (1960). His symphonic mugham "Rast" achieved worldwide popularity and was included to the repertoire of many symphony orchestras around the world.

He also wrote a number of major epic pieces in the 1940s.

His military-themed music "Memoirs" and "In the battle" were included in the program of the Decade of music of the Transcaucasian republics in 1944.

The maestro was honored as the People's Artist of the USSR (1959) and received the USSR State Prize (1951 and 1952) and highest title of the USSR, the Hero of Labor (1982).

The maestro died on August 2, 1984 in Baku and was buried in the Alley of Honors.

The Home-Museum of the great conductor and composer was founded in 1994 by the Decree and personal involvement of National Leader Heydar Aliyev.

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

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