GREAT MUSIC: AS IT SHOULD BE

The People's Artist of Azerbaijan, composer and conductor Yashar Imanov has lived and worked in Sukhumi for 35 years. Now he is 83 years old. He is a member of the Union of Composers of Azerbaijan and Georgia. He married in Sukhumi, has two sons, two grandchildren, one great-grandson, and all of them are attached to music. In Sukhumi, he created a symphonic orchestra. Upon arrival to Baku at the beginning of the 90s, Professor Imanov led the Gara Garayev Chamber Orchestra, the Niyazi Symphonic Orchestra at the Azerbaijan State Radio and Television. He is currently Professor of the Baku Music Academy and continues writing new compositions. In his interview with R +, Maestro Imanov spoke about his career and family. 

- What instrument did you play in high school?

- Actually, I am a trumpeter and graduated the Asaf Zeynalli Music School ahead of schedule. Then I studied at the Faculty of Conducting of the Moscow Conservatory, where I was lucky enough to meet with the composer Dmitri Shostakovich, who led a workshop on the composition for the young musicians at the Union of Soviet Composers. At the same time, I was close to finish a ballet suite and Shostakovich advised me to conduct it at examination session. This suite was performed on the stage of the Drama Theatre of the Soviet Army in the Gorky Park in Moscow. Then I was sent to work in Georgia. It was at that time that I staged operas Aleko, Eugene Onegin, and Daisi, and was on tour to many of the republics of the former Soviet Union, and visited Baku at the invitation of Maestro Niyazi.

- What are your memories about Maestro Niyazi?

- When we were in the conservatory, we did not miss any of his concerts. Although we were listening from the gallery, it was a chance take part at his concerts for free. During one of my visits to Baku, I found him at the hospital and was visiting him every day. He greatly missed his friends and was asking about our work and colleagues. Before leaving, I went to say goodbye. He telephoned his wife, who was known for her great pilaf, and asked her to prepare the best for me. It turned out later that the Central Committee raised the question of my transfer to Baku at that time.

- You are the author of four symphonies, an opera, a string quartet, a poem dedicated to January 20, works related to Karabakh, and many other works. How do you write new music? Do you need any memorable impression as an incentive, or the study of related materials is enough?

- If my work is dedicated to any program event, for example, the Karabakh events or the tragedy of January 20, I need to study the materials by reading books and related documents. But in general, it is better to have a very memorable event, which would have inspired me for the creation of large-scale works. Sometimes I write a few variants of the same piece of work and am still unhappy. Then it turns out that the best variant is the first one, the rest flies into the bin. One needs a special mood, a favorite literary source, and most importantly a desire to create an appropriate image to compose a romance or song.

- What is your most vivid memory from childhood?

- Almost all of my childhood memories are full of colours and joy. But that's what my mom told me once. I was born on the eve of Novruz, on March 21. I had two elder brothers who died still young. Fearing for my life, my mother took me to Mir-Movsum Agha, who was residing in Icheri Sheher. As you know, he was a Seyyid and venerated by the population as a holy man able to heal the sick. Mir-Movsum Agha was suffering from underdeveloped bones, and he could not walk or even sit without assistance. And the people believed that he was born without bones, hence calling him Et-Agha (the Meat Man, Ed.). He asked to put his hand onto my head and named me Yashar (the one who lives long, Ed.). He said that I will live long. And I do since then and will turn 84 soon.

- We know that your all members of your family are attached to music. Was it your influence or something else?

- My children have heard the music since childhood and grown up in a musical environment. My wife is a pianist, she graduated from the Tbilisi Conservatory and is Associate Professor of the Baku Music Academy (BMA). She led the class of piano and the Accompanists’ class. My eldest son is the Honored Art Worker of Azerbaijan, the first oboe at the U. Hajibeyov State Symphony Orchestra and the Accompanist of the Musical Theater of Opera and Ballet. My youngest son is a violist, also the Honored Art Worker of Azerbaijan, the member of the State Quartet. They both teach at the Conservatory and lead the chamber ensemble at the BMA. One of the students of my son is Elnara Taghizade, who won the Grand Prix at the international competition held in Batumi and was the second at the international competition in Lithuania.

My grandson is plays cello and graduated from the BMA and obtained his Masters of Art degree in Norway. He is currently the concertmaster at the Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra. The wife of my brother is a singer, who sings at the chapel and leads the vocals class at the BMA.

- Well, you can create a family ensemble, and perform your compositions on tours. By the way, when did you start composing your first works?

- At the age of 14. At that time, I wrote my first piano pieces and showed them to my professor, the composer Boris Isaakavovich Zeidman. He was also a music teacher, the Honored Art Worker of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. My major works include the opera "In the night of the new moon", Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Concerto for Violin, Concerto for Vocal and Orchestra, a ballet symphony in 5 parts, an overture-fantasia, the Caucasian Rhapsody, a number of songs and romances.

- What do you teach at the BMA currently?

- Orchestration. After completing this course, the students will be able to do the orchestration of music written for the piano and arrange music using different instruments. I also teach orchestral conducting. My graduates now play in various orchestras including the military. Some of them are also conductors and teach in many music schools around the country. One of my gifted students, Mukhtar, will complete his studies soon. He is a clarinetist working in the orchestra. He will probably become a conductor of a military band. When I was teaching at the Department of Opera Training at the BMA, I helped many talented singers to take the stage of the Theatre of Opera and Ballet.

- How do you find the level of young musicians in Azerbaijan?

- Few students today are capable of making good music. Most of them are more interested in making business with a decent salary. To get into a good band, it is necessary to be patient to during the qualifying competition.

- Can you share some news from your creative life with us?

- Recently, I have held a chamber music concert in the great hall of BMA, which involved not only the instrumentalists and vocalists but also the State Quartet of Azerbaijan. I try to devote my spare time to composing new pieces.

I also conducted (along with other conductors) five pieces at a concert dedicated to the 85^th anniversary of the Niyazi Symphony Orchestra of the State Radio and Television.

- Good luck to you!