ALWAYS YOUNG

Popular Russian writer Boris Akunin wrote on his Web blog several days ago that there are two kinds of human talent. It happens that when the genius is young and passionate, he creates masterpieces intuitively and with inspiration. But as years go by, the fire burning inside him subsides, and a writer, composer or film director often repeats himself more and more often or just simply stops working. But it also happens that as years go by the quality of his works improves further, as the sensitivity of youth is superseded by experience and high skill -- and no, I don't mean the skill of a craftsman, but that of a person who has reached the prime of creativity and has properly grasped the technique of his job.

Undoubtedly, Emin Sabitoglu could be considered a genius of the latter kind. He demonstrated his talent at a very early stage and quickly accomplished what they call a career today. The music created by the young Sabitoglu stood out for its lyricism, some kind of a special musical passion. Even when the composer grew much older, his music did not lose its previous qualities, either.

He passed away at the age of 63, which is too early for an ordinary person, but, unfortunately, is not later than the usual time great people, including composers, leave this world.

He was born to a family of creative Soviet intelligentsia. His father, Sabit Rahman, was a writer, script writer and playwright. Since his childhood Emin had been passionate about both music and literature, and like some of his relatives, could well have become a literary man, but he chose another path in life. In 1954 he was admitted to the Baku Conservatory, enrolling in the class of the acclaimed Qara Qarayev. Two years later, he was transferred to the Moscow State Conservatory named after P.I. Tchaikovsky, where he was enrolled in the class of Yuri Shaporin.

Sabitoglu received positive feedback in Moscow and showed good results. Having returned to Baku at the age of 24, he achieved nothing less than being appointed as the music editor for the Azarbaicanfilm studio. In the following years he held the position of the artistic director at the State Philharmonic Hall and was also an instructor at the Uzeyir Hacibayov State Conservatoire.

Herald of cinema 

"It is hard to imagine Azerbaijani cinema without the songs and music of Sabitoglu," Farah Aliyeva, a professor at the Baku Music Academy, told R+. "The generation of the 70s and 80s remembers well and loves the songs he wrote for a multitude of well-known movies."

Indeed, Sabitoglu has composed music for more than 20 feature films and documentaries, and many of them can be branded by the modern word "iconic". These include such movies as "Interrogation", "Birthday", "Good morning, Baku!", "Calil Mammadquluzada", "Samad Vurgun", "Dada Qorqud", "Our Cabis-muallim", etc.

To this day, people are particularly fond of two songs written for films - "Taxi" ("The day has gone by"), performed by Flora Karimova, and, of course, "Farewell" ("Tahmina"), which was sincerely and heartwarmingly half-sung and half-told by the talented Rafiq Babayev.

"Sabitoglu was one of those who in those years shaped the appearance of the Azerbaijani music in cinema," the musicologist says. "Undoubtedly, his music is an example of musical trends and the musical fashion of that epoch, however, Sabitoglu succeeded in creating his own unforgettable style, with the profound lyrical sounds lying at its core."

"Emin Sabitoglu's music has contributed much to the emergence on the stage of a whole range of presently renowned performers," Farah Aliyeva recalls. His songs have brought fame to many popular singers of today. "Daralar", "Ag Cicak", "Fisherman's song", "Gilavar", "Cay", "Good morning, Baku", "Look for me", "Don't part with me", and other songs were also performed by such luminaries as Sovkat Alakbarova, Mirza Babayev, Zeynab Xanlarova, Yalcin Rzazada, Flora Karimova, Ilhama Quliyeva…

"Emin Sabitoglu's name is referenced in art alongside the names of Tofiq Quliyev, Said Rustamov and Rauf Haciyev," Farah Aliyeva says. "He is among the best authors of the national popular music -- the music which many generations have grown with. And it is worthy of note that his songs continue to be sung anew by new performers, they are still popular and relevant."

Sabitoglu's talent goes far beyond popular music. He has created a symphony, three symphonic poems, three cantatas, a string quartet as well as poems for the violin and the piano. He has also created a great number of musical compositions for theatrical productions.

A significant contribution to the composer's heritage was made in 2007 when on the occasion of his 70th birthday a short documentary feature film with his music, "The unusual hunting", was restored. The film was directed by Abdul Mahmudov. This film was specially restored at Russia's State Film Fund.

Several documentaries about the Azerbaijani composer have been shot as well, with the latest one released in 2012. The composer's daughter, Baku Music Academy professor and musicologist, Ceyran Mahmudova, co-authored the script for the film. The film, which was directed by Tariyel Valiyev and Elnur Kazimov, features a collection of unique records reflecting the greats who performed his songs.

 During his prolific creative life, Sabitoglu has composed over 600 songs. It is beyond a doubt that he will be remembered by the descendants as an inimitable creator of musical lyricism and will always be a young Emin Sabitoglu. On November 2 he would have turned 76. Sabitoglu, whom the whole nation was fond of, died on November 18, 2000.