Abdulmuslim Muhammad oghlu Magomayev ( az, Əbdülmüslüm Məhəmməd oğlu Maqomayev; 18 September 1885 in Grozny – 28 July 1937 in Nalchik), commonly known as Muslim Magomayev ( az, Müslüm Maqomayev), was an

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...

i composer and

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Music * Conductor (music), a person who leads a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra. * ''Conductor'' (album), an album by indie rock band The Comas * Conduction, a type of structured free improvisation ...

. He is the grandfather and namesake of Azerbaijani opera singer Muslim Magomayev.

Early life

He was born Abdulmuslim Magomayev into a family of a blacksmith on the same day another prominent Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov was born.Muslim Magomayev
by Uzeyir Hajibeyov. ''Bakinski Rabochi'' newspaper. 28 July 1938. Retrieved 1 January 2007 He had studied at a primary school in Grozny before being admitted to the

Gori Pedagogical Seminary The Transcaucasian Teachers Seminary (russian: Закавказская учительская семинария) in Gori (present-day Georgia) was a 4-year specialized secondary school in the Russian Empire in 1876–1917 aimed at professional ...

(in present-day

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to t ...

) in 1900. There Magomayev developed passion for music and conducting. That was also where he first met Uzeyir Hajibeyov, then his fellow student. However Magomayev found musical career financially unpromising and decided to focus on teaching. In 1905, he acquired his teaching certificate at the Tiflis Teachers' College and was appointed a teacher to the village of Bekovichi (now Kizlyar, Republic of North Ossetia–Alania). In 1906, he was voluntarily reappointed to Lankaran (present-day

). In 1911, he received a license that allowed him to teach in

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

s and moved to a Baku suburb, Sabunchu. While teaching at a school he took up music and conducting once again.

Career

In 1916, Magomayev wrote his first opera entitled '' Shah Ismayil'' based on the homonymous Azeri folk epic. Unlike other early Azeri operas, ''Shah Ismayil'' was less focused on the ethnic musical component and embodied European opera styles. Magomayev's most major work was '' Nargiz''. Written in 1935, this successful propaganda opera depicts Azerbaijani communists in their fight against the short-lived

Azerbaijan Democratic Republic The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic), or simply as Azerbaijan in Paris Peace Conference, 1919–1920,''Bulletin d'Information de l'Azerbaidjan'', No. I, September 1, 1919, pp. 6–7''125 H.C.Debs.'', 58., February 24, 1920, p. 1467. Caucasian Az ...

. Overall, Magomayev was the author of 15 musical compositions, mostly rhapsodies. In 1927, together with Hajibeyov, he published '' The Collection of Azerbaijani Folk Songs''; a book where over 300 pieces of folk music had been documented in notes. In 1935 Muslim Magomayev was selected Honoured Arts worker of Azerbaijan SSR.

Personal life

In 1905, Magomayev married Baydigul Jamal Teregulova (whose younger sister Maleyka later married Uzeyir Hajibeyov making the two composers relatives) and fathered two sons.Childhood Motives
by Muslim Magomayev (Magomayev's grandson). ''Magomaev.ru''. Retrieved 1 January 2007 In 1937, he died of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in w ...

while visiting Nalchik ( Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria,

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eigh ...

) and was buried in Baku. The Magomayev Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Society is named after Muslim Magomayev.

''Shah Ismayil''

Muslim Magomayev’s mugham opera ''Shah Ismayil'' was composed in 1915-1916 and consists of 6 acts and 7 scenes. Libretto and text were written by composer Mirza Gadir Ismailzade. The premiere of the opera was held on March 7, 1919 in Baku, with a benefit performance of Huseyngulu Sarabski. Muslim Magomayev was conductor and Huseyn Arablinski was director of the opera. Actors were: H.Sarabski - Shah Ismail, M.H.Teregulov - Aslan Shah and Huseynagha Hajibababeyov – Gulzar.

''Nargiz''

''Nargiz'' is the second opera by Muslim Magomayev, written in 1935. Mammed Said Ordubadi is the author of a libretto to the opera. It is considered the most significant composition of Muslim Magomayev. Music of the opera consists of folk songs of Azerbaijan. In 1938, the opera was shown during the Decade of Azerbaijani Arts in Moscow, with the editorship of Reinhold Glière. It is also noted that, the opera narrates about a struggle of Azerbaijani peasants for the Soviet Power. “Nargiz” is the first Azerbaijani opera on a modern theme.

References