Today is the Memorial Day of People's Artist Gabil Aliyev

Today is the Memorial Day of People's Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR, the renowned kamancha player Gabil Aliyev.

G. Aliyev was born on May 28, 1927, in the village of Uchgovag, Agdash district.

After graduating from secondary school in Agdash and simultaneously completing a seven-year music school, he studied at a pedagogical technical college, and from 1952 to 1956, he received his education at the Baku Secondary Specialized Music School named after Asaf Zeynally in the kamancha department.

Studying all the intricacies of Azerbaijani folk music and mugham here under great masters — tar player Gurban Pirimov and singer Khan Shushansky — he mastered the secrets of performing art even more deeply.

Having fallen in love with the kamancha from an early age and having been performing since his years of music education, Gabil Aliyev began his professional career at the Agdash State Drama Theater named after Najaf bey Vezirov, and from 1953, he was a kamancha performer in a mugham trio at the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic named after Muslim Magomayev. From 1956 to 1978, he was a soloist at the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic named after Muslim Magomayev, and from 1978 — at the Azerbaijan State Touring and Concert Association.

In 1962, G. Aliyev's television performance premiered on Azerbaijan State Television and Radio. His first foreign tour took place in Great Britain, where he accompanied Rashid Behbudov and Tamara Sinyavskaya. These performances produced a stunning effect, and the British press, quoting Glasgow Mayor Harrison, dubbed Gabil Aliyev the "Azerbaijani Paganini."

In subsequent years, he toured in Tunisia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Syria, the USA, Turkey, Germany, India, France, Iran, Pakistan, Japan, Greece, and Italy, where he performed mugham and Azerbaijani folk songs on the kamancha. Albums by Gabil Aliyev were released in the USA, France, Japan, Greece, and Italy.

Gabil Aliyev was the creator of more than 15 mugham compositions and a master of improvisation. The musician, who possessed an extensive repertoire, formed a new style of performing mughams "Segah", "Bayatı-Qacar", "Bəstənigar", "Bayatı-Şiraz", "Rahab", "Şur", "Cahargah", "Rast", "Mahur", which are considered the national heritage of the Azerbaijani people, achieving a synthesis of tradition and innovation. Folk songs "Sarı Gəlin", "Qaragilə", "Sona bülbüllər" and others performed by the master are part of the golden fund of our culture. Gabil Aliyev's style of performance paved the way for the creation of symphonic works dedicated personally to him.

On June 29, 1964, Gabil Aliyev was awarded the honorary title of "Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR," and on January 11, 1978 — "People's Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR." For significant achievements in the development and promotion of national culture, he also received various awards and was honored with the highest awards of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan — the orders "Shohrat" and "Istiglal." He was awarded a personal scholarship from the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In 1954, Gabil Aliyev married Shargiya khanum. They have three daughters and a son.

Gabil Aliyev passed away on September 8, 2015. He is buried in Baku at the First Alley of Honorable Burial.