Historical Recordings from Azerbaijan - Part III - Kececi Oglu Mehemmed (1864-1940) - LP published in Azerbaijan in 1991

The third LP of a series of three LPs, published in Azerbaijan in 1991, with historical recordings from the beginning of last century by three of the greatest Mugham singers of those times, contains performances by Kececi Oglu Mehemmed (1864-1940). The recordings were made in 1906.  

Kecəci Oğlu Məhəmməd
(1864 - 1940)

Side 1:
1. Humayun (3:17)
2. Shushtar (3:12)
3. Shushtar Tesnifi (3:03)
4. Coban Bayati (3:05)
5. Heyrati Tesnifi (3:05)
6. Arak (3:05)
7. Segah (3:04)

Side 2:

1. Rahab (3:13)

2. Tac (3:01)

 3. Tehranim (3:02)

4. Yetim Segah (3:17)

5. Osmanli Tesnifi (3:04)

6. Qarabag Shikesti (3:07)

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Many thanks to Danny for bringing this LP from Azerbaijan.

Historical Recordings from Azerbaijan - Part II - Meshedi Mehemmed Farzelioglu ( ? - 1962) - LP published in Azerbaijan in 1991

The second LP of a series of three LPs, published in Azerbaijan in 1991, with historical recordings from the beginning of last century by three of the greatest Mugham singers of those times, contains performances by  Meshedi Mehemmed Farzelioglu ( ? - 1962) (also written as Məşədi Məhəmməd Fərzəli oğlu). The recordings were made between 1906 and 1914.  

Side 1:

1. Budaq Sari Genceli (3:13)

2. Hesar (3:01)

3. Shushtar (3:01)

4. Alma (2:58)

 5. Durn Gedek (3:24)

6. Bayati (3:08)

Side 2:

1. Bayati-Esfahan (3:49)

2. Celal Xaliq (3:14)

3. Ceyranim (3:02)

4. Yeri Dam Üste Yeri (3:05)

5. Bayati Ecem (3:20)

6. Tesnif (3:16)

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Many thanks to Danny for bringing this LP from Azerbaijan.

Historical Recordings from Azerbaijan - Part I - Cabbar Qaryagdioglu (1861-1944) - LP published in Azerbaijan in 1991

We start here to post a series of three LPs, published in Azerbaijan in 1991, with historical recordings from the beginning of last century by three of the greatest Mugham singers of those times. We start with the most famous: Cabbar Qaryagdioglu (his name is also written as Jabbar Garyagdyoglu).

"Jabbar Garyagdyoglu (Jabbar Mashadi Ismayil oglu’s stage name) was born on 31th of March in 1861 in Shusha and died on 20th of April in 1944 in Baku. The khanende (singer) is one of the eminent khanendes who played a big and important role in Azerbaijan music history. A newer stage of khanendes school is closely bound with his name. Jabbar Garyagdyoglu got his education in Shusha in Kharrat Gulu’s class.

Having a very wide diapason and charming voice he was compared with the well-known italian singer Caruso. Russian poet Sergey Yesenin called him “The prophet of Eastern music”. Getting well-known in Karabakh, Ganja, Shirvan, Baku mugam meetings Jabbar also became famous in Iran, Transcaucasia and in Middle East countries. 

Jabbar Garyagdyoglu was the first in music histort who sounded mugam from theater and concert stages. Thus, in 1897 Jabbar Garyagdyoglu was the performer of Majnun in “Majnun over Leyli’s grave” by Abdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev.

Khanende Jabbar created a trio which included in it tar player Gurban Primov, and kamancha player Sasha Oganezashvili and this trio performed for 20 years. During 1906-1912 Jabbar Garyagdyoglu’s performs was recorded by the “Sport-Record”, “Ekstrafon” and “Grammafon” stockholder companies in Moscow, Warsaw and in Kiev. 

Returning from Warsaw in 1912 he gave “Sharg konsertileri” (“Eastern concerts” name of program) in Moscow. Different from former artists Jabbar firstly sang gazals (poems) in mugams and tasnifs in Azerbaijan language. “Istekanin deshilsin”, “Tiflisin yollari”, “Irevanda khal galmadi”, “Nakhchivanin gediyinden asheydim” tasnifs was created by Jabbar. 

Jabbar Garyagdyoglu was the winner of the Transcaucasia Art Olympiad held in Tiflis (|Tbilisi) in 1934. Seyid Shushinski, Bulbul, Khan Shushinski, Zulfi Adygozelov and many others continued Jabbar Garyagdyoglu’s traditions."

from: http://www.mugamradio.az/performers/khanendes-singers/jabbar-garyagdyoglu

The recordings on this LP were made between 1905 and 1915.

Side 1:

1. Simai-Shems (2:46)

2. Mensuriyye (3:04)

3. Xumar Oldum (3:03)

4. Gyl Achdi (2:55)

5. Yetim Segah (3:13)

6. Deshti Tesnifi (3:03)

7. Manendi-Moxalif (2:44)

8. Mahur Tesnifi (2:58)

Side 2:

1. Qargamisham (3:08)

2. Mahur Tesnifi (3:08)

3. Arazbari (3:02)

4. Bayati Qacar (3:24)

5. Mirza Hüseyn Segahi (3:03)

6. Mahur Tesnifi (3:57)

7. Qarabag Shikestesi (4:07)

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Many thanks to Danny for bringing this LP from Azerbaijan.

Mugam Trio Djabbar Karyagdyoglu - Mugam from Azerbaijan - LP from 1991

Zakhid Kuliev - Vocal, Naqara

Mokhlat Muslimov - Tar

Fakhratdin Dadashev - Kemanche

Zakhid Kuliev - his name is transcribed sometimes as Zahid Guliev or Quliyev - is
next to Alim Qasimov perhaps the singer with the most amazing and beautiful
voice of his generation.

Side 1

Maxur – Xindi (Mahur-Hindi)

(folk music – A.Vakhid) – 22.26

Side 2

Simai – Shems

(folk music – D.Vasif) – 10.30

Heiraty – 6.45

Gyullyu Gafiya – 3.18

(folk music and text)

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Liner notes:

Classic Azerbaijani “mugam” dates back to a long history. It was developed, polished and passed from mouth to mouth. The only thing that wasn’t changed is the creative task of bearers of mugam, which comprises the ability of joining the strict rules of formations and freedom of its interpretation. A mugam performer sings and plays traditional variant of classical composition while demonstrating at the same time his ability of improvisation to listeners that adds a unique colour to the sounds of popular melodies.

Traditional mugam ensemble is a trio, casting a singer-hanende and performers on Azerbaijani national musical instruments “tare” (stringed) and kyamanche (bow). Drumming (“def”) party of music is performed by a singer himself.

From the earliest times Azerbaijani mugam art presents three main performing schools – Karabakh, Shirvan and Baku. Each of them added their amazing tints to the development and formation of this Azerbaijani “dastgyakh”.

The performance of “dastgyakh” can be compared with climbing to the Everest from all slopes by the strongest, skilled and well trained professionals.

Mugam trio named after Djabbar Karyagdyoglu offers organic blending of tastes of two schools: lower-Karabakh (in its turn Karabakh School has three trends: gorno- (mountain), middle- and lower-Karabakh) – singer-hanende Zakhid Guliev and Baku stringed musical instrument player Mokhlat Muslimov, and a bow player Fakhratdin Dadashev. Each of them, possessing an impressive individual performing aspect, tactfully locates the orientation of the improvisatory fantasy of a partner in the ensemble.

A repertoire of classical Azerbaijani mugam ensemble consists of mugams, zerbi-mugams, Azerbaijani-mugams and even traditional ashug (Caucasian folk) melodies.

Ancient land of Azerbaijan has been always generous with talents. Majority of them glorified this beautiful land to the world, entering to the golden foundation of world musical art. Safiaddin Urmevi, Abdul Kadyr Maragi, Uzeir Gadjibekov, Sadykhdjan, Djabbar Karyagdyoglu, Mirza Mamed Gasan, Kurban Primov, Bakhram Mansurov and other Azerbaijani musicologists and performers are the stars of “mugam galaxy”. Undoubtedly, we are the spectators of appearance of new stars, flaring with special glitters.

Gasan Adigezal-zade

Many thanks to Berdak Bayimbetov for the translations and transcriptions, especially the big work of translating the liner notes.

Bahram Mansurov (1911-1985) - Azerbaijani Mugam - Unesco Collection - Musical Sources - LP published in 1975

Another wonderful LP by the great master of Azerbaijani Tar, the only one published in Europe. Later republished on CD as part of the Unesco Collection from Auvidis/Naive, but no longer available for many many years. As accompanist you can hear him here.

Side 1:

1. Mugam Bayati-Isfahan (5:31)

2. Mugam Humayun (8:32)

3. Mugam Nivanishapur (4:58)

4. Mugam Shur (9:08)

Side 2:

1. Mugam Mahur-Hindi (11:58)

2. Mugam Bayati-Kurd (6:49)

3. Mugam Chahargah (9:04)

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Bahram Mansurov (1911-1985) - Tar - LP Melodiya M 30 47333 001 (1986/88)

Beautiful recordings by the last great traditional master of the Tar in Azerbaijan.

See for more information on him:

http://www.vebtek.com/index/moved/2007.07-mansurov/bahram/indexen.html

Side 1:

1. Shushtar (7:33)

2. Rahab (7:21)

3. Homayun (4:34)

Side 2:

1. Khojaste (5:08)

2. Zabol (9:19)

3. Vilayati-Dilkash (6:02)

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Azerbaijan - Zerbi-Mugams and Shikeste - Seid Shushinsky (1889-1965) - Alim Qasimov - Shovket Alekperova - Gyulkhar Gasanova - Double LP Melodiya M30-48473 005 (1989)

LP 1

Side 1:

1. Seid Shushinsky - Arazbary (12:35)

2. Seid Shushinsky - Mansuriya (4:42)

Side 2:

1. Alim Qasimov - Simai-Shems (9:56)

2. Alim Qasimov - Mani (6:52)

LP 2

Side 3:

1. Alim Qasimov - Eiraty (11:19)

2. Alim Qasimov - Ovshary (4:25)

3. Alim Qasimov - Eidari (2:54)

Side 4:

1. Shovket Alekperova - Kesme Shikeste (9:23)

2. Gyulkhar Gasanova - Karabakh Shikesti (5:03)

Download LP 1 & Scans

Download LP 2

Zerbi-Mughams and Shikeste are rhythmic Mughams and form a small group of independent Mughams. Some Zerbi-Mughams used in the 19th century are still performed: 'Garabag shikestesi', 'Shirvan shikestesi', 'Kesme shikestesi', 'Zerbi-Samayi-Shams', 'Zerbi-Mansuriyye', 'Arazbare', 'Ovshari', 'Mani', 'Heyrati'  and some others.

In Jean During's book "La Musique traditionnelle de l'Azerbayjan et la science des Muqams" is a chpater devoted to this special form of Mugham. The book can be obtained from: info@raga-maqam-dastgah.com

Seyid (Seid) Shushinski (Mir Movsum Aga Seyid Ibrahim Oglu’s stage name) was born in 1889 in Horadiz village of Shusha region and died there 1965. He was one of the most important Khanende (singer) in the first part of the past century. Many great singers, like Khan Shushinski and Yaqub Memmedov, were students of him. He represents the style of Qarabag.