On Friday 12 May we witnessed a magnificent commemorative concert at the Brussels BOZAR by the Baku Chamber Orchestra dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Azerbaijani National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The concert was organized by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Belgium at the BOZAR Art Palace in Brussels, called “Spring Mood from Land of Fires”
It certainly brought us in the mood of the joyous spring season indeed.
The concert was enhanced by a joyous and elegant dance performance by the “Land of Fire Dance Group”…
We discovered the romantic melodiousness and beauty of the Azerbaijani classical music. The concert made us discover prominent composers like Uzeyir Hajibeyli. An Azerbaijani composer, conductor, publicist, playwright, and social figure who seduced us immediately with his composition “Arazbari”, which set the tone and the mood of the concert. Pieces from composer Fikret Amirov, who grew up in an atmosphere of Azerbaijani folk music, also brought also a joyous and melodious accent to the whole concert. It really opened a new world for us.
Gara Garayev was also a prominent Azerbaijani composer: he wrote nearly 110 musical pieces, including ballets, operas, symphonic and chamber pieces, solos for piano, cantatas, songs, and marches, and was quite intriguing to discover.
The performance of the soloists was impressive, notably the solo performances of the director of the Orchestra Yegana Akhundova, who is an Azerbaijani pianist, composer, and teacher. She has held the title of people’s artist of Azerbaijan since 2012.
Arslan Novrasli (see photo above) played the tar, but he is actually also a celebrated Azerbaijani jazz pianist and composer. The tar is a traditional instrument in the shape of a long-necked lute, characterized by the double-bowl shaped body carved from mulberry wood. Its sound is quite captivating, and again beautifully melodious.
The two singers Gulnar Gudratli (right) and Orkhan Jalilov (left) also put forward a delightful musical oeuvre. Together they sang a “Love Waltz” by composer Tofig Guliyev.
Gulnar Qudratli also seduced our ears with the folk song “Qaragila” (see photo below)
One of the highlights of the concert was also the stunning violin solo of the summer of Vivaldi’s four seasons, played by Nazrin Aslanli, a wonderful talent. See photo below.
As said, the concert was further enhanced by a joyous and elegant dance performance by the “Land of Fire Dance Group”…
We were totally seduced by the melodious character of the Azerbaijani compositions and songs, which are both romantic and moving, and which we certainly will investigate more.
Last but not least, the Baku Chamber Orchestra was expertly directed by the laureate of international competitions, conductor Farhad Garayusifli.
Various officials of Belgium and Luxembourg, representatives of European Union institutions, diplomatic corps in Brussels, scientific and cultural circles and of course the Azerbaijani community living in Belgium attended the concert, which also led to interesting conversations at the reception following the concert. The beautiful music also awakened the artistic spirit in your servant, paving the way to a new art project in connection with the flora of Azerbaijan, of which more soon…
Hans Knol ten Bensel