Karabakh musical culture to be presented in London

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Evening dedicated to musical culture of Karabakh will be held at Azerbaijani Cultural Center on September 19.

The event provides insight into the ancient Azerbaijani land of Karabakh, which is rich in its historical, material and cultural monuments, literature, music and art.

The project "My soul lives in Karabakh" is co-organized by the Khan Shushinsky Foundation with the support of the Council on State Support to NGOs and  with the assistance of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Great Britain, Trend Life reported.

The guests will be presented with a concert program with the participation of People's Artist Fikrat Verdiyev (tar), honored artists Togrul Asadullayev (kamancha), Sevinj Saryeva and Ehtiram Huseynov (mugham singert).

Folk songs, mugham and compositions of prominent natives of Karabakh will be performed as part of the event.

The evening will bring together representatives of the public, culture and science, diplomatic missions and diaspora organizations.

History of the Karabakh music has always occupied an important place in the history of Azerbaijani culture and stood out by its antiquity and originality. Since ancient times, music was widely used in public celebrations and spiritual processions in Karabakh.

Starting from the first half of the 19th century, the performing arts rapidly evolved in Karabakh, especially in the heart of the region – the city of Shusha. Compared to other cities of Azerbaijan, Shusha had far more musicians, singers and dancers.

The famous Russian musicologist Victor Vinogradov, who was engaged in the study of the Azerbaijani music history, wrote about the city: “Since ancient times Shusha has been known as the music center and it became famous in the whole Transcaucasia as an inexhaustible school of folk music talents. Shusha musicians created the history of Azerbaijani music and presented it not only in their homeland but also in other countries of the East.”

In 1870-1880s, various musical meetings, clubs and schools were opened in Shusha. Eminent Azerbaijani singers Kharrat Gulu and Molla Ibrahim were the creators of the music school in Shusha. Later, the famous singer Haji Husu and musicologist Mir Mohsun Navvab created the Society of Musicologists in the city.

Today we can safely say that Karabakh, and Shusha particularly, gave Azerbaijan much more musical talents than any other region of the country.

The region is the birthplace of musicologist Mir Mohsun Navvab, singers Kharrat Gulu, Meshedi Isi, Jabbar Garyagdioglu, Haji Husu, Sadikhjan, Seyid Shushinski, Kechechioglu Mahammad, composers Uzeyir, Zulfugar and Soltan Hajibeylis, and of many other musicians, names of which were wrote down in the treasury of Azerbaijani music for ever.