"THE PROPHET OF THE MUSIC OF THE EAST"

We know about singer Cabbar Qaryagdioglu not only from what was written about him and his recordings, but also from conversations with the singer's youngest daughter Sahla. She was a radiant person. And as she spoke about her father, her face seemed to glow with light. Like everyone else, she called her father Cabbar ami. It was from her that we learned that children also called him ami.

She went through a lot of trials and tribulations. As a child, she lost her young mother. Then she lost her husband - poet Aliaga Kurcayli, her child who did not even have time to taste the joy of life, and her brothers. The pain of these unexpected losses was reflected in her eyes and soaked in her facial features. But when it came to her father, Sahla turned into a small, spoiled child. Perhaps the reason for that was the difference in their ages - Sahla was born in 1928 (she said that at the request of Cabbar ami, she was given two extra years and 1928 was shown as her date of birth) while Cabbar Qaryagdioglu was born in 1861. She also said that when she was an infant, her father took her to Susa, dipped her in the water of Isa Bulaqi and proudly said: "Now you are a Susa resident too." That's how much Cabbar Qaryagdioglu loved his native Susa...

Majnun of Susa

Cabbar Qaryagdioglu was born in the springtime. Susa was buried in flowers at that time. His father's house in Susa was in the Seyidli quarter, close to Cidir duzu. His father Mashadi Ismayil was a dyer. He dreamed that his son would follow in his footsteps. Cabbar was still enjoying his childhood. Like all kids of the same age, he grew up listening to enchanting music, mugams. Occasionally, to the murmur of streams and nightingale trills, he himself began to sing folk songs, mugams.

At 10, he entered a music school in Susa. His first teacher, poet Mirzali Zeynalabdin oglu, was a great connoisseur of literature and oriental mugams. He taught Cabbar the secrets of music and poetry and instilled love for art in him. Cabbar wrote poetry since childhood.

The teacher took him to weddings. He started singing at 13. At 16, he was already famous in Susa for his performance of Sustar and Kurd Sahnaz mugams and was often invited to various events and folk festivals.

Once the famous tar player Sadiqcan invited him to perform at a charity evening organized in Susa's famous Theatre Salon of Xandamirov. The Xeyrati mugam Cabbar performed there charmed singers of the older generation who were there so much that they did not perform, preferring to listen to this talented young man.

At 20, Cabbar was a professional singer already. He was known not only in Karabakh, but also in Ganca, Samaxi, Baku and elsewhere and was invited to festivals and weddings. He received invitations from Iran, the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

In 1897, a musical scene called "Majnun on the grave of Layla" was prepared under the leadership of Abdurrahim Haqverdiyev in Susa and presented to the audience. Playing the role of Majnun, Cabbar Qaryagdioglu inscribed his name in the history of opera art in Azerbaijan as one of the first performers. A 13-year-old spectator of the scene and later the author of the first opera in the East, Uzeyir Hacibayov, wrote: "Despite the fact that I began to compose the opera 'Layla and Majnun' in 1907, I got the desire to create it as early as 1897-1898, when, as a 13-year-old boy, I had the chance to watch the musical tragedy 'Majnun on the grave of Layla' staged by the music lovers of Susa."

In 1901, the first Eastern concert was organized in Susa. It was attended by famous masters - Kecaci Mahammad, Mashadi Dadas, Cabbar Qaryagdioglu, Qasim Abdullayev, tar player Sadiqcan, Mashadi Zeynal, and others. The mugams Cabbar Qaryagdioglu performed at the concert fascinated the audience.

In 1911, the premiere of the opera "Farhad and Shirin" took place at the Theatre of the Nikitin Brothers in Baku. The role of Farhad was played by Cabbar Qaryagdioglu.

Incomparable singer

Cabbar Qaryagdioglu became the first Azerbaijani singer whose voice was recorded on a gramophone. In 1906-1912, at the invitation of the joint stock companies Gramophone, Sport-record and Ekstrofon, he travelled to Kiev, Moscow and Warsaw, where his mugams were recorded on a plate.

He knew Azerbaijani folk music and mugams to their subtleties, which is why he was called "a living encyclopedia of Azerbaijani folk music".

He was a master - a singer of the highest class. He performed mugams and folk songs in his own way. Here's what Bulbul said about his great mentor: "It is unlikely that in the history of Azerbaijani music there is a second performer of Xeyrati, Mahur and Mansuriyya as Cabbar Qaryagdioglu. The unparalleled roulades with which he adorned the mugam are a rare gift of our musical treasures." To the accompaniment of tar player Qurban Pirimov alone, he performed nearly 300 songs and mugams that Bulbul and composer Said Rustamov notated.

Cabbar Qaryagdioglu also wrote poetry and composed music. More than 30 of his songs were notated by Uzeyir Hacibayov and Muslim Maqomayev. Each song of Cabbar Qaryagdioglu is the memory of his life. That's what they say about the history of one of his famous songs - "Iravanda Xal    Qalmadi": the singer once went to a wedding in Iravan, where the bride's father asked him to perform a song of praise in honour of his daughter. The singer immediately sang the song "Iravanda Xal Qalmadi", which later gained unprecedented popularity. That is why, like many of his songs, this one was also touted as a folk song for years.

Cabbar Qaryagdioglu was one of the first organizers of the Azerbaijan State Conservatory, where he taught in the vocal class. He handed over lyrics and music for 220 songs and tasnifs to the scientific office. When Uzeyir summoned him to the conservatory to hand over a fee of 10,000 roubles, Cabbar Qaryagdioglu was offended by it. Muslim Maqomayev and Bulbul who were there could not persuade him either. From the story of Sahla: "Cabbar ami said I didn't sing these songs for money." As he left, he turned to Uzeyir Hacibayov at the door: "Uzeyir, I humbly beg you never to call me for such a reason anymore."

Four hours in a row

Cabbar Qaryagdioglu was also a caring teacher who is remembered by his pupils with gratitude - Seyid Susinski, Bulbul, Zulfi Adigozalov, Cahan Talisinskaya, Yavar Kalantarli and Mutallim Mutallimov.

Sahla says: "Cabbar ami guarded his voice. He didn't allow us to open the window even in summer. He said: The voice and beauty are gifts of God. It's necessary to appreciate them. The voice must be protected. Watch your food and sleep. A singer must eat little. He encouraged the young to safeguard their voice."

Cabbar ami said: "He who sings a song but doesn't play the gaval is not a singer." 24-year-old Seyid Susinski, who was invited in 1913 from Tiflis to Baku to the wedding of the daughter of millionaire Samsi Asadullayev, sang so beautifully that Cabbar Qaryagdioglu gave him his famous expensive gaval.

Cabbar Qaryagdioglu performed one mugam for two to three, and at major events even for four hours in a row. He worked as a soloist of the Muslum Maqomayev Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Society and on the radio. Performing at concerts, weddings and festivals, the singer was one of the most celebrated artists of his era. He fascinated listeners with his voice and performance at the celebrations hosted by the Shah of Iran and the Sultan of Turkey, to which he was invited again and again.

Yesenin and Chaliapin, whom he met in Baku, were surprised at his voice. Yesenin even called him a "prophet of the music of the East".

Performing at the Arts Olympics held in 1934 in Tiflis, 74-year-old Cabbar Qaryagdioglu was given the first award. In 1935, he received the honorary title of people's artist. Not seeing Cabbar Qaryagdioglu in our delegation during the days of Azerbaijani literature and art held in Moscow in 1938, Stalin asked: "Where is the old eagle of the Caucasus?"

... He came to Baku after 40 years. He was still a bachelor. He rented a two-storey house in the Old City. One early morning, he woke up and looked out of the window. He saw a girl who was watering the trees. To see her face, he tore off a flower from the rose bush growing under the window and threw it at the girl. She looked up. He liked the girl. He found out that she was the daughter of the owner of the house he rented. Sahla said that Cabbar ami sent matchmakers to that girl - Salima. They returned with rejection - her parents did not want to give their daughter to a man who had no house. Cabbar asked them to convey to them - no matter if they give him the girl or not, he will have his own house. This time, the matchmakers returned with good news. Cabbar ami built a two-storey house and married Salima. They had eight children - two sons and six girls.

When they married, Cabbar ami was 45 and Salima - 15. Sahla recalled that Cabbar ami was an extremely kind and caring family man. The happy days of the family ended with the illness and death of Salima. Cabbar ami was shocked by what happened. However, he lived for the sake of children, especially the youngest daughter Sahla who kept asking when mum would return.

During the Second World War, one of the sons and then one of the daughters of Cabbar Qaryagdioglu went to the front. Sahla recalls: "When my sister went to the front, all relatives and friends reproached my father for having allowed her. Dad replied that he did what everyone else was doing. Sparing no effort to deal with the problems of anyone who approached him, the acclaimed master never asked anyone for himself and his children. At the end of his life, he told them: "We are all mortal. Today you exist, tomorrow you don't. Take my covenant: after my death, never appeal to any state bodies. If I've been able to do something for my people and nation, they will find me and you."

Cabbar Qaryagdioglu died on 20 April 1944 at the age of 84. He served the musical art of Azerbaijan for 70 years. He retained the charm of his voice until the very end. Already being old, he performed our mugams and folk songs with the same skill and enthusiasm as a young man.