Uzeyir Hajibayli’s life and works revisited in new publications

The Azerbaijan Composers' Union has hosted another event in the series dedicated to the 140th anniversary of the birth of the founder of Azerbaijani professional music, Uzeyir Hajibayli, Azernews reports.

The event featured the presentation of five books, the publication of which was timed to coincide with this significant anniversary. The publications were realized on the initiative of, and with the direct participation of, a member of the Azerbaijan Composers' Union, outstanding musicologist, honored figure of science and art, recipient of the Sharaf Order, and academician Zemfira Safarova.

The authors of these works are researchers from the "History and Theory of Music" department of the Institute of Architecture and Art. The following books were presented: Zemfira Safarova – "The Patriarch of Azerbaijani Music Uzeyir Hajibayli" (in Russian, published by CBS, 2025); Zemfira Safarova – "Uzeyir Hajibayli: Life and Creative Career" (in English, published by Elm, 2025); Lala Kazimova – "Fuzuli Ghazals in Azerbaijani Music" (published by ??rq-Q?rb, 2025); Ulkyar Talibzade – "Academician Zemfira Safarova" (published by Elm, 2025); Sekhrana Gasimi – "Development of Azerbaijani Music: Analysis in the Cultural-Historical Context" (published by Elm v? T?hsil, 2025).

The presentation was opened with a welcoming speech by the Chairperson of the Azerbaijan Composers' Union, People's Artist, Corresponding Member of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Professor Firangiz Alizade.

She noted that Academician Zemfira Safarova has devoted more than half a century to promoting the values of Azerbaijani musical culture:

"Being the founder of music source studies in the republic, she is the author of numerous scientific works illuminating previously unexplored pages of the country's musical culture, as well as books and monographs dedicated to the history of Azerbaijani music. A special place in Zemfira Safarova's scientific activity is occupied by the personality and creative work of the founder of Azerbaijani academic music, Uzeyir Hajibayli; she is the creator of a unique "Uzeyiriana," presented in various foreign languages beyond our country," F. Alizade said.

At the presentation, the President of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Academician Isa Habibbayli, and the Director of the Institute of Architecture and Art, Corresponding Member of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Professor Ertekin Salamzade, highlighted the significant contribution of Academician Zemfira Safarova to the development of musical science in the republic at the modern stage.

The presented books were discussed by Doctor of Arts, Professor Naila Rahimbayli; Doctor of Arts, Professor Irada Kocharli; Honored Cultural Worker, Doctor of Philosophy in Art Studies, Ulkar Talibzade; and musicologist Raya Abbasova.

The presentation was musically complemented by a performance of the music of the great Uzeyir Hajibayli: a fantasy on themes from the operetta "The Cloth Peddler" was performed by composer and pianist Sevda Mammadli.

The event concluded with a closing speech by Academician Zemfira Safarova, who thanked the leadership of the Azerbaijan Composers' Union, represented by Firangiz Alizade, for the excellent organization of the presentation, after which all attendees had the opportunity to receive copies of the presented books.

Uzeyir Hajibayli significantly shaped national musical identity, achieving the distinction of composing the first opera in the Islamic world.

His opera "Leyli and Majnun" (1908) drew upon traditional folk music and dance, forms of expression transmitted orally.

Hajibayli's subsequent operas, including "Sheyh Sanan," "Rustam and Sohrab," "Asli and Karam," "Shah Abbas," "Khurshudbanu and Harun," and "Leyli," also prominently featured national folk music elements, particularly mugham.

Beyond opera, Hajibayli composed three comedies: "Husband and Wife" (1910), "If not this one, that one" (1911), and "Arshin Mal Alan" (1913).

"Arshin Mal Alan," or "The Cloth Peddler," stands out as one of his most beloved and enduring operettas.

This operetta has enjoyed widespread international success, with performances in numerous languages across over 60 countries, encompassing the U.S., Austria, France, China, Greece, India, Russia, and Turkiye.