THE MAGIC FLUTE

"Living legend", "Seductive Flute", "Flautist of the World", "Reliable Friend" and a "Musician from God" - these are terms often applied to the Azerbaijani Merited Artiste and Doctor of Philosophy, Professor Telman Haciyev. It is impossible not to be enchanted by his playing, because it is full of taste, splendour and virtuosity. His immense love for music and the flute and his strong work ethic have placed this celebrated Azerbaijani flautist among the world's leading musicians. The maestro Haciyev was also the founder of the Department of Theory and History of the Arts of the Uzeyir Hacibayov Baku Academy of Music, a member of the Union of Azerbaijani Musical Figures and an academic in the sphere of aesthetics. As a soloist he not only travelled all over the republics of the former Soviet Union but also Europe and the Middle East, Latin America and Scandinavia - in all 63 countries, where he was greeted with standing ovations. Several films have been made and books written about his life and work and recordings of his 13 albums have been heard on radio and television and entered in the Gold Fund of All-union and Azerbaijani Radio. In an interview for R+ the maestro talked about himself, his tours and his family.

- Could you tell us something about your family and your younger days? What made you choose the flute?

- I was born in Baku. I grew up to the sounds of the tar being played by my father, Muxtar Melikovich, who was a psychologist, and also an amazing singer of the mugam and other songs. My mother - Saria xanim [term of respect] - was a biology teacher and she usually accompanied my father on the tambourine and the accordion at family musical gatherings. It was mother who introduced me to the masterpieces of classical opera and it was in the theatre that I met my future teacher and member of the orchestra, Petr Zilberman, who showed me how to play the magic flute and this had an extraordinary impression on me. It was fate. I completed my five-year course at school ahead of time - in two years. Then I studied at the Asaf Zeynalli Baku Music School and the Uzeyir Hacibayov Azerbaijani State Conservatoire, from which I graduated with an outstanding mark in the flute class from the Azerbaijani Merited Artiste, Professor Alakbar Iskandarov. While at the conservatoire I also studied at the economic faculty of Azerbaijani State University. It was at university that I met my future wife, my Guardian Angel for all time, Alla Gegiadze.

- What do you remember most about your student years?

- While I was a student Qara Abdulfazovich Qarayev frequently called on me to help his students who were writing compositions for the flute, and I would advise them how to write this part or that part and how best to play it. And later, when composing some work with a flute solo, he would refer to my arrangement. For example, in Symphony No 3 he also asked me to play the difficult flute part. The premiere of this work was held in Moscow and performed by the chamber orchestra led by Nazim Rzayev. And in his performance Qara Qarayev underlined the more emotional arrangement of the Azerbaijani orchestra.

When it comes to strange stories I remember the occasion when the young composer Murik Makovskiy slept through a morning composition examination on the beach after a wild party. And in a work for the flute and piano there was nobody to play the piano. I had to cover up for my friend, urgently find a replacement for the pianist and almost without rehearsal perform the work for flute and piano on the fly. Fortunately, it all turned out OK. 

- When did you have your first success?

- When I was studying at the conservatoire I twice took part in a competition for the best performance of works by Russian, Azerbaijani and West European composers, won first prize and was awarded a diploma.

- It has been said that you studied 8-10 hours a day. Is that possible; after all, we are not talking about the violin or the piano, but the flute - that's a lot of pressure on the lungs! It's also said that you can do a two-part concert of 50 minutes each with a short interval and your musical career totals 50 years instead of the usual 20, which is pretty rare for players of wind instruments…

- It's not just about genetics, but rather having the proper daily instrument lessons, for which I thank all my demanding teachers, including the Merited Artiste and outstanding musician, Professor Nikolay Platonov, under whom I developed in his Moscow master-class.

- Why didn't you stay in Moscow?

- I went to Moscow on the recommendation of the dean of the conservatoire, Covdat Haciyev. A Komsomol leader, I went boldly up to the leader of the master class and said: "I can play the flute well and I want to carry on learning with you" and I was taken on board with two others while a lot of musicians were rejected. But despite the good conditions in Moscow - the teaching and the tours - my homeland was calling me back and I was invited by C. Haciyev to work at the Azerbaijani State Conservatoire as a teacher. During my work - from teacher in the wind instruments department and the chamber ensemble to professor - I was lucky enough to train a whole host of musicians who are titled and now work in different corners of the world.

- What about now, are there many people wanting to learn music?

- Yes, they study but few remain for various reasons. This particularly applies to orchestral players of string and wind instruments. That way we will be deprived of a symphony orchestra, and that would be a disaster.

- So what needs to be done to turn things round? Do you think it's worth creating in Azerbaijan a music school of a higher standard for musically gifted children with a bursary, leisure facilities and an after-school club on the lines of the existing Bulbul Music College and Special School?

- Yes, it wouldn't be a bad idea to resume philharmonic matinees for children and adults on subscription, which would definitely raise the music culture of the city to a higher level.

- How did you get your PhD?

- While I was on my post-graduate course at the Moscow Conservatoire I started studying musical aesthetics and philosophy and passed my master's and then my PhD thesis in the "Social Intensity of the Arts". For 40 years I lectured at the departments of philosophy and aesthetics at Azerbaijan State University, published works and books and also teaching material on musical aesthetics. In conjunction with academician Fuad Qasimzada I wrote a book "From the Avesta to Modern Times", as well as other academic works.

- Having played "mountains of flute literature" over and over again, which composer do you like to play best and what do you think of jazz music?

- I can't have too much of anything - from the old masters to modern composers. I was also privileged to be the torch-bearer and pioneer of the works of Azerbaijani authors. Who is going to campaign for Azerbaijani culture if we don't? For example, I have been friends with the composer Tofiq Bakixanov for 50 years, which has resulted in many works, including three concerts with orchestra, three sonatas and eight pieces and miniatures for flute with piano and organ. I always included works by Qara Qarayev, Fikrat Amirov, Soltan Hacibayov, Arif Melikov and Tofiq Bakixanov in my concert programmes. I am very fond of rare combinations of instruments in an ensemble, for example, two flutes and a cello and two flutes, a clarinet and piano. Or works for an ensemble of two flutes, organ and bassoon and I like it when the flute can be heard with harpsichord and oboe or with clarinet, bassoon and piano… I love good jazz music. Among our jazz performers I would single out the jazz pianist Isfar Sarabskiy and his fantastic rich improvisation.

- You have played in many countries: which ones do you remember most?

- The tours in Cuba which went on for about two months. We gave concerts in Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Trinidad, Varadero and other towns. I can say that I became a close friend of Cuba, and this was shown by the fact that I was presented with the republic's national flag: in Cuba it is customary to present it only to its much-loved people. Also, a Cuban tom-tom percussion instrument with score was also presented to me. And during my contract work as professor of the flute at Cairo Conservatoire, I gave a series of solo concerts not just in Cairo, but also in Alexandria, Luxor and Nag Hammadi. Significantly, my Turkish students also played works by Azerbaijani writers. For example, one student - Amani Soleyman - had real success with a concert for flute and Arif Melikov's chamber orchestra. And Maha Gorrana brilliantly performed Aldona from Qara Qarayev's Don Quixote and Tofiq Quliyev's Scherzo. The press raved about these performances, including my concerts. This was very nice and I shall remember it all my life.

- Are any of your children following in your footsteps and will your musical dynasty continue?

- My son Vaqif Haciyev also plays the flute and is a student of mine and won a prize at a Caucasian concert. He is a candidate of philosophical sciences, a professor at the Baku Music Academy (BMA) and is continuing his concert, teaching and academic work. My daughter, Mina Haciyeva, is a doctor of philosophical sciences, an associate of art history and music studies, a campaigner of Azerbaijani composers' music and a professor at the department of the theory and history of the arts at BMA. She is studying the synthesis of music and other forms of the arts in the aspect of people's memory. However, there are also heirs among my students. I am very proud of my grandchildren. My granddaughter is a diplomat, she studied in the US and knows six languages. My grandson is a twice winner of international competitions and plays a rare American instrument - a marimbophone - and is studying at BMA.

- What do you do in your spare time, if you have any?

- I find recreation in mixing my pursuits - from music to science and science to music. That's the way my life is - it's a creative process. In a juxtaposition of opposites one finds the truth.

- What would be your advice for young people to stay as fit as you are at your age?

- You know, genetics are quite important in this process. I think that a healthy way of life, physical exercise, a simple diet, goodwill and - most importantly - creative work nurture and stimulate life's processes. They say that creative gifted people should sleep for no more than 4-5 hours a day with a rest in the daytime to ensure that the brain doesn't freeze up. My brain has been trained and is constantly producing thoughts, ideas and images which have to be worked out. That's the only way I can get by. I would also like to add that everything in this world stems from love. It is a powerful stimulus and the main formula of life on which everything clings and revolves. It is the greatest fantasy and God's creation. There should be love in everything. Without it everything would come to a halt and freeze…I think that is the pattern of life - and a good example for the young.