Afrasiyab Badalbeyli
Encyclopedia
Afrasiyab Badal oglu Badalbeyli (19 April 1907, Baku
– 6 January 1976, Baku
) was a Soviet
Azerbaijan
i composer, conductor
and music critic. The author of music and the libretto of the first Azerbaijani Ballet and the first ballet in the Muslim East Giz Galasi ("The Maiden Tower").
natives Badal and Rahima Badalbeyli in 1907. At the time, the Badalbeylis were already becoming known as a family of great musicians. His father was a mugham
expert and a music teacher at a Russo-Tartar school in Baku
. Afrasiyab Badalbeyli's paternal uncle Ahmed Badalbeyli (Agdamski) was a renowned opera singer. Afrisiyab's brother Shamsi Badalbeyli
later became a musical play director. In 1930, Afrasiyab Badalbeyli graduated from the Azerbaijan State University
majoring in Oriental studies
and continued his education at a music school affiliated with the Leningrad Conservatory
, which he finished in 1938. He began working as a conductor at the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theatre in 1930. In 1931, he married ballerina Gamar Almaszadeh
who accompanied him to Leningrad
while pursuing higher education at a professional ballet school herself. This marriage however ended in divorce leading to Badalbeyli's subsequent marriages.
's staged play Od Galini. He is particularly famous for being the author of the first Azerbaijani ballet, entitled Giz Galasi ("The Maiden Tower"), which he composed in 1940. The ballet was dedicated to Gamar Almaszadeh. His later works included Khalg Gazabi ("The Popular Rage", 1941; co-author Boris Zeidman), Nizami (1948) and Soyudlar aghlamaz ("Willows Don't Cry", 1971). He wrote librettos for the Azerbaijani opera Bahadir va Sona and the ballets Giz Galasi, Garaja Giz ("Nigella") and Gizil Achar ("The Golden Key"). He composed background music for theatrical plays and being the only libretto translator of the time did equirhythmic Azeri translations of the librettos of the operas by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Gioacchino Rossini
, Armen Tigranyan and Zakaria Paliashvili
. Throughout the 1950s and the 1960s he published several books on the history and development of classical music
in Azerbaijan, namely: Discussions on Music, Gurban Pirimov
, Musical Dictionary, and The Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theatre. In 1960 he was awarded the title of the People's Artist
of Azerbaijan. He remained a conductor at the Opera and Ballet Theatre till his death in 1976.
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
– 6 January 1976, Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
) was a Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
i composer, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
and music critic. The author of music and the libretto of the first Azerbaijani Ballet and the first ballet in the Muslim East Giz Galasi ("The Maiden Tower").
Life
Afrasiyab Badalbeyli was born to ShushaShusha
Shusha , also known as Shushi is a town in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the South Caucasus. It has been under the control of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic since its capture in 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh War...
natives Badal and Rahima Badalbeyli in 1907. At the time, the Badalbeylis were already becoming known as a family of great musicians. His father was a mugham
Mugham
Mugam also known as Azerbaijani Mugham is one of the many folk musical compositions from Azerbaijan, contrast with Tasnif, Ashugs. Mugam draws on Iranian-Arabic-Turkish Maqam....
expert and a music teacher at a Russo-Tartar school in Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
. Afrasiyab Badalbeyli's paternal uncle Ahmed Badalbeyli (Agdamski) was a renowned opera singer. Afrisiyab's brother Shamsi Badalbeyli
Shamsi Badalbeyli
Shamsi Badal oglu Badalbeyli was an Azerbaijani theatre director and actor.-Life and career:Shamsi Badalbeyli was born in Shusha to Badal Badalbeyli, a music teacher, and his wife Rahima...
later became a musical play director. In 1930, Afrasiyab Badalbeyli graduated from the Azerbaijan State University
Baku State University
Baku State University is a public university located in Baku, Azerbaijan. Established in 1919 by the Parliament of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the University started with faculties of history and philology; physics and mathematics; law and medicine with an initial enrollment of 1094...
majoring in Oriental studies
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
and continued his education at a music school affiliated with the Leningrad Conservatory
Saint Petersburg Conservatory
The N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory is a music school in Saint Petersburg. In 2004, the conservatory had around 275 faculty members and 1,400 students.-History:...
, which he finished in 1938. He began working as a conductor at the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theatre in 1930. In 1931, he married ballerina Gamar Almaszadeh
Gamar Almaszadeh
Gamar Hajiaga qizi Almaszadeh was an Azerbaijani ballerina and ballet instructor. She's considered the first ballerina of the Muslim world. -Early life:...
who accompanied him to Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
while pursuing higher education at a professional ballet school herself. This marriage however ended in divorce leading to Badalbeyli's subsequent marriages.
Career
Badalbeyli's career in music began in 1928 when he composed music for Jafar JabbarlyJafar Jabbarly
Jafar Gafar oglu Jabbarly, often spelled Jabbarli was an Azerbaijani playwright, poet, director and screenwriter.-Literature and theatre:...
's staged play Od Galini. He is particularly famous for being the author of the first Azerbaijani ballet, entitled Giz Galasi ("The Maiden Tower"), which he composed in 1940. The ballet was dedicated to Gamar Almaszadeh. His later works included Khalg Gazabi ("The Popular Rage", 1941; co-author Boris Zeidman), Nizami (1948) and Soyudlar aghlamaz ("Willows Don't Cry", 1971). He wrote librettos for the Azerbaijani opera Bahadir va Sona and the ballets Giz Galasi, Garaja Giz ("Nigella") and Gizil Achar ("The Golden Key"). He composed background music for theatrical plays and being the only libretto translator of the time did equirhythmic Azeri translations of the librettos of the operas by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Gioacchino Rossini
Gioacchino Rossini
Gioachino Antonio Rossini was an Italian composer who wrote 39 operas as well as sacred music, chamber music, songs, and some instrumental and piano pieces...
, Armen Tigranyan and Zakaria Paliashvili
Zakaria Paliashvili
thumb|250px|Zakaria Paliashvili portrait by [[Ucha Japaridze]]Zakaria Paliashvili was a composer from the nation of Georgia. He is regarded as a founder of Georgian classical music....
. Throughout the 1950s and the 1960s he published several books on the history and development of classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
in Azerbaijan, namely: Discussions on Music, Gurban Pirimov
Gurban Pirimov
Gurban Bakhshali oglu Primov was an Azerbaijani folk musician and tar-player.-Life and career:...
, Musical Dictionary, and The Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theatre. In 1960 he was awarded the title of the People's Artist
People's Artist
People's Artist is a honorary title in the Soviet Union, Union republics, in some other Eastern bloc states , as well as in a number of post-Soviet states, modeled after the title of the People's Artist of the USSR....
of Azerbaijan. He remained a conductor at the Opera and Ballet Theatre till his death in 1976.