Today marks the 129th anniversary of the birth of Bülbül, the founder of the Azerbaijani vocal school.

Today marks the 129th anniversary of the birth of Bülbül - the founder of the Azerbaijani vocal school, an outstanding opera singer (lyric-dramatic tenor), musicologist-folklorist, pedagogue, one of the founders of the Azerbaijani national musical theater, People's Artist of Azerbaijan and the USSR.

As BAKU.WS reminds, Bülbül (Murtuza Meshadi Rza oglu Mammadov) was born on June 22, 1897, in the village of Khanbaghy in the Elizavetpol Governorate, which was part of the Russian Empire.

For his rare musical gift, Murtuza was nicknamed "Bülbül" (meaning "nightingale" in Azerbaijani) as a child. This nickname later became his stage name.

Bülbül's childhood and youth were spent in Shusha, and the atmosphere of this city, permeated with poetry and mugham, served as a fertile foundation for his creative work. He received his first education at a local madrasah, and learned the intricacies of the art of mugham at the school of Molla Ibrahim, where many celebrated masters acquired their first musical knowledge. He learned the secrets of the art from the famous singer Jabbar Garyaghdyoglu. Bülbül's stage career began in 1916 in Ganja, where he performed in the opera "Seyfalmulk" staged by Meshadi Jamil Amirov.

From 1920, Bülbül was a soloist at the Azerbaijan State Theater (now the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater). In the early years of his career, the singer created the roles of Ibn Salam, Kerem, and Garib in the operas "Leyli and Majnun" and "Asli and Kerem" by Uzeyir Hajibeyli, and "Ashig Garib" by Zulfugar Hajibeyli. He also performed as a concert singer.

In 1921, Bülbül enrolled at the Baku Conservatory (class of N.I. Speransky), which he graduated from in 1927, and until 1931 he trained at Milan's La Scala theater under G. Anselmi and R. Grani. After completing his studies at the Milan Conservatory, he returned to his homeland and began teaching at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory.

Having masterfully mastered the art of classical vocals, Bülbül strived to create a new style without abandoning his national roots or violating the characteristics and traditions of folk music. He embodied the best features of the Italian and Russian vocal schools and linked them