MUSIC IN UNISON

On stage they are always together - their tar and kamancha always sound in unison, accompanying the most venerable representatives of modern Azerbaijani mugam. In real life, the honoured artist of Azerbaijan, tarist Elcin Hasimov, and his partner kamanchist Elnur Ahmadov are close friends. Therefore, we decided to interview these young and established instrumentalists together.

- First, let's talk about your way to the stage. Elcin, how did it happen that among all the instruments you choose the tar?

- I've been familiar with the tar since childhood. My father loved to play it in his free time. I grew up to the sound of this instrument. My grandfather also performed in rural clubs and festivals. Neither was a professional musician, both loved to perform national melodies. So my desire to play the tar was seen as something natural. Later, I was accepted to Qara Qarayev music school № 8. The tar is a difficult instrument. And it becomes doubly difficulty when viewed through the prism of childhood. Taking the tar, I immediately feel like playing something. In the first three months you learn to hold the tar and the mizrab (a bone, plastic or metal plate or ring with a "claw" - it is put on the finger to play some Azerbaijani instruments - editor). At that time, I was only 10 years old so I wanted to give it all up all the time. More precisely, I wanted to stop learning to play this instrument. But then I became involved and began to play it at concerts. My interest intensified. I started to practice it with pleasure. My first tar teacher was Fikrat Mammadov.

- And you, Elnur, how did you become interested in playing the kamancha?

- As in Elcin's family, our family, too, showed a great interest in music. My grandfather was an asiq. I should reveal a secret - I started playing a musical instrument at six. But it was not the kamancha. My cousin had an accordion at home. I started to play it a little bit. And in the music school, I first went to the accordion class. As a child, I listened to records of Alibaba Mammadov, Abulfat Aliyev and Habil Aliyev. I was attracted by the magical sound of the kamancha. Upon admission to the music school, we were all checked by its director Rana xanim. She said that I had real kamanchist hands. It was decided that I would go to kamancha classes. That's when I came to know this beautiful musical instrument.

- How did you meet? There are many tar and kamancha performers, but few became famous as such a duo...

Elcin Hasimov:

- Elnur and I have lived in the same neighbourhood since childhood. I didn't know Elnur, but I was taught to play the tar together with his brother. Then he continued his studies at another music school, and I went to the Asaf Zeynalli music college. I met his brother when I was finishing the fourth year. He introduced me to Elnur. At the time, I was looking for a kamanchist partner in order to accompany singers together. The first test revealed that Elnur plays the kamancha not as a student, but as a well-established musician. I should note that Elnur achieved what very few could - he graduated from the Asaf Zeynalli music school in just 2 years. By the decree of the national leader Heydar Aliyev, he and several other gifted children were admitted to the Baku Music Academy. Later we began to work together.

Elnur Ahmadov:

- We've been together since then. We first performed rangs and tasnifs at concerts and different events together. That's when singers noticed us and began to make proposals for joint work.

- And have there been cases when you couldn't understand each other right in front of the audience on stage? What did you do in such cases?

Elnur Ahmadov:

- Of course. But we've always tried to understand each other. There are differences everywhere - in the family, among friends and in arts. If we say that we avoided this, we will have lied. Each of us spoke his mind, and we aspired to understanding.

Elcin Hasimov:

- There are rehearsals, during which we change our mind several times. But in the end, we choose the wisest and the most rational thing in terms of arts. Our every action is also a rehearsal. At the end, we definitely discuss our performance. Sometimes we come to the decision to exclude a certain point or a nuance from the next performance. We improve our skills with every performance. In addition, there is no room for diktat in this art. It's necessary to unite and merge for a common goal, for the sake of art and in the name of music.

Elnur Ahmadov:

- Sometimes you have to be able to ignore an offensive word or phrase. Sometimes, one of us is angry and the other tries to calm him down.

Elcin Hasimov:

- Moreover, getting along with an ambitious person is impossible. We're not like that. I will also note with all sincerity that there have never been material problems between us. People often don't get along for mercenary reasons. Thank God, we're far from that. We have encountered cases where people went to visit friends and fled in different directions upon their return. We always go on tour and return in a good mood.

- And is there between you and singers the same king of mutual understanding as between yourselves? Which singers are easy to work with and which ones are not?

Elnur Ahmadov:

- We're currently working with Mansum Ibrahimov. All of our activities are linked with that person. Working with him is very easy. He's a wonderful man and a wonderful singer. He knows the value of each person. Although he's much older than me, he's created such an environment that I can speak freely with him, naturally, without overstepping the mark. He always asks our opinion, and in the end we choose and apply what best matches arts.

Elcin Hasimov:

- We didn't work for long with difficult people. Why do we have to torture ourselves? A person can force himself to do many things. But this cannot last long.

Elnur Ahmadov:

- Sometimes we encounter great singers, with whom we simply don't get along.

- Competitions for the selection of singers are held in Azerbaijan. But there're few competitions for performers on national musical instruments. What do you think?

Elcin Hasimov:

- You're right, there were very few such competitions. Yet they are held. We've participated in them. In terms of television competitions in this region, the situation is really not pleasing. At the International Mugam Festival held this year, we proposed a competition of instrumentalists and our initiative was supported. Then at the competition at the national level, along with singers there was a competition of performers on national musical instruments in which a student of Elnur took third place. If you choose singers, you also have to choose those who accompany them.

Elnur Ahmadov:

- Such competitions help to further the development of promising artists. I therefore support Elcin and favour the organization of such competitions.

- There're cases when musicians retrain. For example, a tar performer begins to play the guitar and a kamanchist becomes a violinist. What do you think about this?

Elcin Hasimov:

- I've already said that this is a very difficult art. To make good money playing the tar, you need to travel a long and difficult path. Not everyone is able to stand it. Playing the guitar, it's much easier to do it. For example, some of those who learnt to play the tar professionally at the music school with me made money playing the guitar in village clubs and wedding houses.

- Is it difficult to live playing only the tar?

Elcin Hasimov:

- In the past, yes, but not anymore. Today in Azerbaijan there's tremendous care about mugam, art and artists.

Elnur Ahmadov:

- We have friends in most music schools. Conversations with them indicate that after witnessing the care mentioned by Elcin and competitions held under the auspices of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, parents decide to involve their children in learning to play the tar or kamancha so that they could make headway in life in the future. After all, with such a caring attitude from the government, talented performers have great prospects. Everyone wants the profession they chose to yield income that will allow them to provide for their families with dignity.

- Why are so many people aspiring to prove their "exclusive" rights to the tar and the kamancha?

Elnur Ahmadov:

- The kamancha is a musical instrument common in all the countries of the East. A performer can prove his superiority only by playing this instrument. If I perform abroad, am able to play it well and draw the attention of the Western audience, listeners become interested in me and find out what country I represent. And each time they see this musical instrument, they will immediately remember about Azerbaijan. Therefore, we must try to send more good performers on foreign tours to promote our art. This is the only way to prove that the kamancha is an Azerbaijani national musical instrument.

Elcin Hasimov:

- Let me give you one example. The birthplace of football is England, but the best players are in Brazil. Over time, many people think that Brazil is the birthplace of football. I'm not saying that these musical instruments first appeared in our country. But if today we don't have good performers, first place will go to those who have them. To prevent this, we must provide these performers with everything necessary. They should not have any problems in order to be able to follow only the chosen direction and not to run after easy money. The fact that we were awarded the title of "Honoured Artist" at a young age - in 2007 - was also an incentive for us. This also proved to performers following us that showing their worth with credit they will also become an object of attention and care from the state. At a foreign festival an Armenian tar performer told me that "as long as Azerbaijan has such performers as you and there is care about them, the tar will remain your national musical instrument. But we will try to eventually take it away from you". I assured him that their dream will not come true even after 100 years. Today, thanks to the support of the state, we feel a certain degree of freedom. We just need to learn the secrets of this art more thoroughly and apply them. After Sadiqcan lifted the Shiraz tar to his chest (which was played on the knees), this instrument was recognized worldwide as an Azerbaijani national musical instrument.

- In conclusion, we'd like to congratulate you on Qurban Bayram...

- We also congratulate our people on this sacred holiday. May Allah bless all of your sacrifices!