CULTURE
Soltan Hajibayov - talented Azerbaijani composer, conductor, pedagogue, author of ballet, musical comedy
Baku, March 16, AZERTAC
The Baku Academy of Music, which was founded in 1920 and named after Uzeyir Hajibayli - the founder of professional Azerbaijani music, has trained country’s famous composers, including Gara Garayev, Fikrat Amirov, Jovdat Hajiyev, Soltan Hajibayov, Tofig Guliyev, and Vagif Mustafazade.
Soltan Hajibayov’s name went down in the history of Azerbaijani music culture as a talented composer, pedagogue and public figure, as well as the author of ballet, musical comedy and other works.
The composer is also known as a master of landscape painting in music. His music is dominated by bright national genre images.
Soltan Hajibayov was born in 1919 in Shusha - pearl of Azerbaijani culture, cradle of Azerbaijani music, and folk music had a great influence on the development and formation of the future composer.
The composer's first works were "Pioneer Cantata" for choir and symphony orchestra and the musical comedy "Golden Rose".
In 1939, Hajibayov entered the composition department of the Azerbaijan State Conservatory, the class of Professor Zeidman.
In 1940-1942, he led the Saz players’ ensemble of Baku Philharmonic. He was artistic director of Baku Philharmonic orchestra from 1942 to 1945, later becoming a director.
In 1948-1956, he was first the artistic director and then the director of the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic.
In 1945, the Turkmen Opera and Ballet Theater commissioned Soltan Hajibayov to write the opera "Kamina and Gazi". The symphonic part of this work is called "Caravan".
Soltan Hajibayov died on 19 September 1974 and was buried in the Alley of Honors in Baku.