(Sources: Karabakh.org, Wikipedia, Literature.aznet.org, adapted)
Karabakh has historically developed as one of the biggest cultural centers of Azerbaijan.
The town of Shusha played the most important role in development of the Karabakh and of the wider Azerbaijan culture. Being the capital of Karabakh, Shusha consolidated the major creative and intellectual forces of Azerbaijan. Prominent Azeri poet S. Vurgun said: "...Shusha is called the cradle of music and poetry. Almost all the famous singers and musicians of Azerbaijan are natives of Shusha" . Thus, it is no coincidence that many novelties in the history of Azerbaijan culture are linked to Shusha: organization of the first modern theater performances, first European and oriental public concerts, establishment of first scientific, educational and music societies, first typography, modern-type public library and secular schools, have all took place in Shusha.
This page provides brief biographical information about some of many prominent people from Shusha and Karabakh.
Poets and Writers
Molla Panah Vagif
Molla Panah Vagif (1717-1797), - famous XVIII c. poet, the founder of realism genre in the Azerbaijanian poetry and also a prominent statesman and diplomat, eshikagasi - the minister of foreign affairs in the Karabakh khanate.
Vagif was born in 1717 in the village of Salahly in the Kazakh district of north-western Azerbaijan but spent most part of his life in Karabakh. Soon after coming to Shusha Vagif became popular and beloved among the people due to his knowledge and talents. There was even a saying: "Not every literate person can be Vagif".
Vagif began a new era in the Azeri poetry. In his poems he gave priority and praised the mundane feelings and desires, rather than the abstract divine ones. This was the main characteristic that distinguished Vagif from his predecessors and made him the founder of the realism genre in the Azeri poetry. The language of Vagif's poems was qualitatively innovative as well: vivid, simple, and closely approaching to the popular speech. That's why Vagif's poems – koshma have had a great influence on the Azeri folklore and many of them repeatedly used in the folk music of ashuks.
When being the eshikagasi, Vagif did a lot for the prosperity and political growth of the Karabakh khanate. Also, he played an important role in organizing the heroic defense of Shusha during the invasion of Aga Muhammad shah Qajar of Persia in 1795 and 1797.
Vagif was killed during the disorders, which followed Qajar's invasion of Shusha in 1797. At the time of his death his house was plundered and many of his verses were lost. However, interest to his poetry was preserved. In 1856 for the first time Vagif's verses were collected and published by Mirza Yousif Nersesov. Soon afterwards, with assistance of M.F. Akhundov, prominent XIX c. Azeri playwright, his verses have been published by Adolph Berge in Leipzig in 1867.
Vagif's remains were kept in Shusha in a mausoleum bearing his name. This mausoleum is half-destroyed now. The fate of Vagif's remains are unknown.
[Top]
Gasim bey Zakir
Gasim bey Zakir (1784-1857), - one of the most prominent Azeri poets of the XIX c. and one of the founders of the critical realism and satirical trend in the Azeri literature.
Zakir was born in 1784 in a noble family of bey in Shusha, then the capital of the Karabakh khanate. Zakir belonged to the clan of Javanshir, which was the ruling clan in the Karabakh khanate. His grand grandfather Kazim-agha was the brother of Panah Ali khan – the founder of and the Karabakh khanate and its capital Shusha.
Zakir's childhood and youth comes to the period of upheavals in Azerbaijan , which was made the battlefield between Russia and Iran . After the Karabakh khanate became a part of the Russian Empire, Zakir served in the Caucasian Muslim cavalry regiment and distinguished himself in many battles. He had special deserts in preventing the Iranian troops from relocating the Azeri population of Karabakh to the inner parts of Iran. For his courage during the Russo-Iranian wars Zakir was awarded with the silver medal from the Russian Tsar.
From the 1830's Zakir, who spent his life mostly in the battlefields, settled down and began to run his household. For his straightforward and generous nature he was highly esteemed among the people. However, Zakir had many enemies too, whom he earned mainly because of his satirical verses. In his satirical poetry and fables Zakir lashed out at the vices then rampant in society, at the hypocrisy and bigotry of the clergy, at the venality of the Tsarist officials, the greed of merchants and the cruelty of the landowners. Zakir had been constantly persecuted for his satire. In 1849, under pretext that Zakir gave refuge to his relative who was in odds with the Russian government, he was exiled from Karabakh to Baku , his son and nephew were exiled to the inner parts of Russia and family left alone in Shusha. Only after several months did Zakir, with help of his friends, writer M.F. Akhundov, Georgian kniaz I. Orbeliani, and the governor of Baku M. Golyubyakin manage to return back home, whereas his son and nephew lived in exile for three years. Zakir lived in need and under the police surveillance till his last days. Only in 1857 the authorities decided to allocate a pension for him “for his deserts before the Russian State ”. But when this pension reached Shusha, the poet has already departed.
Today Zakir's literary legacy has been preserved in verses ranging from sharply critical satire to the tender lyrics praising pure and passionate love.
[Top]
Khurshud-Banu Natavan 
Khurshud Banu Natavan (1830-1897), - considered one of the best lyrical poetesses of Azerbaijan.
Daughter of Mehdi Kulu-khan, the last ruler of the Karabakh khanate (1748-1822) Natavan is most notable for her lyrical ghazals (verses).
Natavan was born on August 15, 1830 in Shusha. Being the only child in the family she was the only heir of the Karabakh khan, known to general public as "Khan gizi" (Daughter of the khan).
After her father's death she was closely engaged in philanthropy, the social and cultural development of Karabakh.
Among Natavan's most famous deeds was a water-pipe that she first laid down to Shusha in 1871, thus solving the water problem of the townsfolk. The local Russian "Kavkaz" newspaper wrote at the time:
"...Khurshud Banu-Begum left an eternal mark in the memories of the Shushavians and her glory will pass on from generation to generation" ("Kavkaz" newspaper, August 29, 1873, no. 100). The springs built by Natavan from famous Shusha white stones were called by the townsfolk"Natavan springs" and were also considered historical monuments under protection.
Natavan also did a lot for the development and popularization of the famous breed of Karabakh horses.
Karabakh horses from Natavan's stud were known as the best in Azerbaijan.
In an international show in Paris in 1867 a Karabakh horse named Khan from Natavan's stud received silver medal. In second All-Russian exhibition in 1869 the Karabakh horse named Meymun won a silver medal, another stallion Tokmak won bronze medal and while the third Alyetmez received a certificate and was made a producer stallion in Russian Imperial stud.
Natavan also founded and sponsored first literary societies in Shusha and in whole of Azerbaijan. One of them called "Majlisi Uns" became especially popular and concentrated major poetic-intellectual forces of Karabakh of that time.
Humanism, kindness, friendship and love were the main themes of Natavan's poems-ghazals. These sentimental-romantic poems express the feelings and sufferings of a woman who was not happy in her family life and who lost her son. Many of these poems are used in folk songs nowadays.
Natavan died in 1897 in Shusha. When she departed people, as a sign of respect, carried her coffin on their shoulders all the way from Shusha to Agdam, some 30 km north-east, where she was budied in a family vault.
After occupation of Shusha, Natavan's residence, similar to other historical monuments, was ruined. The monuments to Natavan and to other famous Karabakh Azeris in Shusha were destroyed. Several years ago Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan bought statues to Natavan and several other famous Karabakh Azeris in a black market in Georgia. These monuments, which once decorated the central streets of Shusha were intended to be sold as a scarp metal.
Nowadays these monuments are kept in the courtyard of the Azerbaijani Museum of Arts in Baku. Pocked by bullet holes, Natavan's monument stands as another mute witness to the casualties that have resulted in the war over Mountainous Karabakh.
[Top]
Mir-Movsoum Navvab
Mir-Movsoum Navvab (1833-1918) occupies a prominent place in the history of Azeri culture as the last representative of old traditional school of science, arts and literature. Navvab was versatile person of his time. He is known as a poet, artist, music historian, astronomer, carpenter, chemist and mathematician.
Navvab was born in 1833 in Shusha and spent all his time in this town. His life and works reflect a period of history, when Azerbaijan was on the turning point of old and new, traditional and novel trends in culture and general way of life. And although, Navvab remained a traditionalist in the arts, he was a progressive person in the public life of Karabakh, who did a lot for the growth of literacy, culture and arts in Karabakh.
Navvab created first typography in Shusha, which was also the first typography in Azerbaijan . He published the poems of Karabakh poets and spread them among the local population. Soon after Natavan's “Majlis-i-Uns”, Navvab created second literary society in Azerbaijan called “Majlis-i-Faramushan” (‘Society of the Forgotten') and also established the first music society “Majlis-i-Khanende” (‘Society of Singers').
Navvab wrote more than 20 books dedicated to various fields of science and arts. He is the author of “Vuzuh-ul-Argam” (‘Explanation of the numbers'), a significant work which offers 82 mugams (an original improvisational classical folk music popular in Azerbaijan) and songs, performed in Karabakh at that time. He also provides information about the origins of these mugams and the rules for their performance. Navvab is also the author of the book “Tezkirey-i-Navvab”, which gives information about one hundred poets and writers of Karabakh at the time.
Navvab also gave us valuable information about the history of Armenian-Azeri conflicts. In his book “The history of Armenian-Moslem fights” (the name “Moslem” was commonly used as a substitute for the “Azeri/Turk” during the XIX c. and early XX c.) he described the first Armenian-Azeri ethnic clashes that took place in 1905-1906.
Navvab was also a talented artist. He illustrated his manuscripts with colorful pictures and portraits, and also decorated the interiors of the buildings with various ornaments. Before Shusha's occupation in 1992 some of these wall decorations splendidly remained in the house where he lived, school where he taught and the Minarets of the Upper Govharaga Mosque. Now they are lost.
Navvab died in 1918 in Shusha, where he spent all his life.
[Top]
Najaf bey Vezirov
Najaf bey Vezirov (1854-1926), – prominent playwright, has played an outstanding role in establishment and improvement of the Azeri dramatic art. He is the founder of the realistic tragedy genre, and also is the first Azeri actor, and the first feuilletonist.
Second half of 19 th c. – beginning of 20 th c. was a turning point in the history of Azeri culture. This was the period of formation of a new national and europeanized intelligentsia, which determined the future development of the Azeri nation. Native of Shusha Najaf-bey Vazirov was one of the first representatives of this new intelligentsia.
In his plays, such as “The Stone Thrown From Behind Hits the Heel”, “From Rain to Downpour”, "Pehlevani-Zemane" (Hero of the time), “Late Repentance is No Use” Vezirov exposed and criticized the remnants of feudal-patriarchal system in the society.
Vezirov's best work is considered to be “Musibet-i Fahraddin” (Fahraddin's Grief). Written in 1896 this drama marked the birth of the realistic tragedy genre in the Azeri literature. In this play Vezirov portrayed a personal tragedy of a young man from a noble family. His main hero, Fahraddin is a symbol of a typical enlightened Azeri liberal of 19th c., whose righteous progressive aspirations face resistance from the old feudalistic forces. He is surrounded by people brainwashed by fanaticism, medieval traditions and superstitions. At the end, Fahraddin dies when struggling against the remnants of the feudal-patriarchal society.
Najaf-bey Vezirov was a brilliant raconteur of the way of life, for what he was called a “Muslim Ostrovsky”. His dramaturgy have significantly enriched the repertoire of the then young Azeri theatre and decisively established realistic genre as the dominant one in the Azerbaijanian drama.
[Top]
Abdulrehim bey Hagverdiyev
Abdurrahim-bey Hagverdiyev (1870-1933), - well-known playwright, prose-writer and literary scientist.
He was born and raised in Shusha in a noble family. His interest to dramaturgy revealed from early youth when he, being a student of the Shusha secular school (
realny uchilishe ) participated in amateur performances and even wrote a comedy “Haji Dashdemir”.
In 1890s Hagverdiyev staged the first opera in Shusha and in the whole Karabakh province. Before this, opera was staged only in Baku. He was also the first person to organize first public concerts of national and oriental music with participation of famous singers and musicians of the time.
In his works, Hagverdiyev continued the traditions of Mirza Fatali Akhundov, the founder of the drama genre and another Najaf-bey Vazirov. In his plays “The Ruined Nest”, “Unfortunate Youth”, “Peri-Jadu” and others, the author similar to his Akhundov and Vazirov, exposes the negative aspects of life in 19 th c. Azerbaijan . In his historical drama “Aga Muhammad-shah Qajar” he criticizes the despotic way of governance.
Hagverdiyev was also one of the active writers for “Molla Nasraddin”, the famous satirical magazine which played a significant role in formation of Azeri socio-cultural and political thought in the early 20th century.
[Top]
Firidoun bey Kocharly 
Firidoun bey Kocharly (1863-1920), - prominent writer, literary critic, literature historian, teacher and public figure.
Kocharly was born in 1863 in Shusha. He was one of the first members of the national intelligentsia to begin struggle for the clarity of the Azeri literary language. Having collected valuable materials, he wrote a capital three-volume work "The Literature of the Azeri Turks" (1908). This work gave information about 130 Azeri writers and was an invaluable work of its kind about the Azerbaijanian literature at that time.
In spring 1920, during the Soviet invasion of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918-1920), Armenian dashnaks (dashnaks -members of the chauvinist Armenian party "Dashnaksutiun") pretending to be Bolsheviks, arrested Kocharly, who had no guilt, and took him to Ganje. After two days when special envoys were sent from Baku to Ganje to release Kocharly, it was late. Dashnaks killed him without trial.
[Top]
Yousif Vezir Chamanzaminli
Yousif Vazir Chamanzaminli (1887-1943), - prominent Azeri writer and public figure.
Chamanzaminli was born in Shusha and spent his childhood and youth in this town.
"Imagine a town in the mountains, shrouded in greenery in spring and summer; and in mist and snow in autumn and winter. This is my town." - Chamanzeminli, who always remembered Shusha with love and pride, wrote in his memoirs.
Shusha and Karabakh themes occupy the central place in Chamanzaminli's works. One can find a detailed description of late 19th and early 20th c. Karabakh in his novels "Twenty Years of My Life", "Copybook of a Youth" etc. These novels can be of great interest for the researchers learning the history of Karabakh.
Chamanzaminli's masterpiece novel "In the Blood" is also dedicated to Karabakh and describes the history of the Karabakh khanate of Ibrahim-khan, as well as the heroic defense of Shusha from the invasion of Shah Qajar of Persia in 1795.
Chamanzaminli is also claimed to be the author of famous novel "Ali and Nino", written by an anonimous writer under the pen-name Gurban Said.
Chamanzaminli was also a prominent political figure, first ambassador of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918-1920) in Turkey. After the Soviet invasion he had to live for several years in exile. His yearning for his country made him to return after a while but the Soviet government always persecuted him for his past. In 1940 in the height of the Stalin repressions, he was arrested and exiled to the village of Sukhobezvodnoye in Gorki (N.Novgorod) region of Russia. Chamanzaminli could not resist the deprivations of the life in exile and died in 1947 after a long period of illness.
[Top]
Ahmed bey Agaoglu
Ahmed bey Agaoglu /Agayev/ (1869-1939), - prominent educator, journalist, public figure.
Born in Shusha Agaoglu was one of the most prominent ideologists of the Azerbaijan national liberation movement in the beginning of the 20th century. He was a well-educated person of his time, who had graduated from the Universities in St.-Petersburg and the Sorbonne University in Paris. He was also a famous journalist, who spoke fluently in five languages and therefore, wrote articles on current affairs for many popular newspapers in the country and abroad.
Ahmed bey Agaoglu considered the cultural and educational progress to be the major provision for the national liberation. He viewed the emancipation of women as part of this struggle. Thus, Agaoglu was the first member of the national intelligentsia to raise his voice for the equal rights for women. In his book "Woman in the Islamic World" published in 1901, he proved that "without women liberated, there can be no national progress".
Agaoglu played an important role in prevention of ethnic clashes between Armenians and Azeris in 1905. In order to prevent the terrorist actions of the Armenian dashnaks (members of the chauvinistic "Dashnaksutiun" party), Agaoglu established the "Difahi" (Defender) organization and consolidated many members of the national intelligentsia for this purpose. In one of his articles he wrote: "Armenian dashnaks, be sure, that we will not allow you to build your happiness on the ruins of our people". The "Difahi" organization did a lot to prevent the Armenian dashnak actions against peaceful Azeri population of Karabakh and of other places of Azerbaijan.
During the years of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918-1920) Agaoglu was elected to the Parliament (Milli Mejlis), later became the deputy of the speaker.
After the Soviet invasion Ahmed bey Agaoglu had to live the country. He moved to Ankara, Turkey and continued his journalistic and political activities there, working as the director of the press bureau, the editor-in-chief of the official newspaper "Hakimiyyeti-Milliyye" ('People's Power'), and as a close advisor of Ataturk,- the founder of the modern Turkish Republic.
Agaoglu died in 1939 in Turkey.
[Top]
Uzeyir Hajibeyov
Uzeyir Hajibeyov (1885-1948), - great Azerbaijanian composer, the founder of the Azeri classical music, national opera, national anthem, and many famous operas.
U.Hajibeyov was born in a noble family of a Shushavian in Agjabedi settlement not far from Shusha. After finishing primary school in Shusha, he went to the Gori seminary in Georgia, and later took private courses in Moscow Philharmonic Society and St.Petersburg Conservatoire.
January 12, 1908 marked a new era in the history of Azerbaijanian music. Uzeyir Hajibeyov completed and put on stage his "Leyli and Majnun" opera written based on the motives of a famous poem by Fuzuli, the great Azeri-Ottoman poet of XVI c. This event marked the birth of a unique Azeri opera and classical music in general. Thus, U.Hajibeyov who was only 23 years old at the time, made Azerbaijan the first Muslim nation to have its own national opera.
Enormous success inspired Hajibeyov to continue his works. Quickly afterwards he write the operas "Rustam and Sohrab", "Sheikh Sanan", "Asli and Kerem" (which was a love story of an Armenian girl Asli and Azeri man Kerem), "Shah Abbas and Khurshid Banu", "Harun and Leyla". U.Hajibeyov was also the person to first organize national opera troupes to stage his works.
U.Hajibeyov was also the founder of the musical comedy genre in Azerbaijan. He splendidly captured the way of life of the 19th century Azerbaijan in his musical comedies "Husband and Wife", "Not this one, then that one" (or "Meshadi Ibad"), "Arshin mal alan" etc., which became the immortal classics of the Azeri music. The musical comedy "Arshin mal alan" achieved world-wide glory, was translated into many languages and staged in theaters in London, Paris, Berlin, New York, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Istanbul, Warsaw, Sofia, Teheran, Cairo, Beijing and many other cities of the world. In 1917, 1945 and 1956 movies were produced based on the motives of "Arshin mal alan" in Azerbaijan, and one movie was produced in 1937 in the USA. It is worthwhile to note that "Arshin mal alan" was also the first musical in the history of world music.
During 1932-1937 U.Hajibeyov wrote his most prominent opera "Koroglu", based on a Azeri-Turkic heroic epos of XVI c. As in all his works, Hajibeyov widely resorted to Azeri folk music when writing this opera.
U.Hajibeyov was not only a great composer, but also
a talented playwright. He personally wrote all the librettos to his operas and musical comedies.
Hajibeyov has also significantly contributed to the development of 
modern musical education in Azerbaijan. He founded the first music school in Azerbaijan, which later served as a basis for creating the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire. He also carried out significant research on Azerbaijanian folk music and along with his friend, composer Muslim Magomayev, published the first collection of Azeri folk songs.
U.Hajibeyov died in 1948 in Baku. The Azerbaijan State Conservatoire and the Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra, which he once headed are named after him.
Before Shusha's occupation in 1992 there was a home-museum of U.Hajibeyov and several monuments. After occupation the house-museum, where U.Hajibeyov used to live, and all his monuments were destroyed.
Several years ago Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan bought statues to Hajibeyov and several other famous Karabakh Azeris in a black market in Georgia. These monuments, which once decorated the central streets of Shusha were intended to be sold as a scarp metal.
Nowadays these monuments are kept in the courtyard of the Azerbaijani Museum of Arts in Baku. Pocked by bullet holes, Natavan's monument stands as another mute witness to the casualties that have resulted in the war over Mountainous Karabakh. [Top]
Fikret Amirov
Fikret Meshedi Jamil oglu Amirov (1922- 1984), a prominent Azerbaijani composer, the creator of symphonic mughams - a new unique genre of the Azerbaijanian classical music. The music of Fikret Amirov perhaps has been heard outside of Azerbaijan more than that of any other Azerbaijani composer.
Fikret Amirov was born in Ganje in a family of a well-known Shushavian family. His father Meshedi Jamil Amirov was a famous "khanande" (mugam singer) and tar player.
Born in a family of a musician from Shusha F.Amirov grew up in an atmosphere of mugam and folk music. During his childhood and early adolescence, Fikret began composing pieces for the piano. After graduating from Ganje Music College, he entered Baku State Conservatory and studied under Uzeyir Hajibeyov.
When World War II broke out in 1941 Amirov, who was only 19 at the time, was drafted, and his studies at the Conservatory interrupted. Amirov was wounded near Voronezh and hospitalized. He was demobilized from the military service and returned to Baku to continue his studies at the Conservatory.
Amirov's music was strongly influenced by Azeri folk melodies. He created a new genre called symphonic mugam. Amirov's symphonic mugams were based on the classical folk pieces and were performed by many renowned symphony orchestras throughout the world, such as Houston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leopold Stokowski.
Amirov was a prolific composer. His most famous pieces include symphonic works such as "Shur" (1946), "Kurd Afshari" (1949), "Azerbaijan Capriccio" (1961), "Gulustan Bayati-Shiraz" (1968), "The Legend of Nasimi" (1977), "To the Memory of the Heroes of the Great National War" (1944), "Double Concerto for Violin, Piano and Orchestra" (1948) etc.
His ballets include "Nizami" (1947) and "1,001 Nights," (sometimes referred to as "The Arabian Nights") which premiered in 1979. Amirov wrote the opera "Sevil" in 1953.
He also wrote a number of pieces for the piano including "Ballad," "Ashug's Song," "Nocturne," "Humoreska," "Lyrical Dance," "Waltz," "Lullaby" and "Toccata." He also wrote numerous film scores.
Amirov was honored as People's Artist of the USSR (1965) and awarded the USSR State Prize (1949, 1980). [Top]
Niyazi
Niyazi (real name: Kniaz Hajibeyov) (1912-1984), - most well-known Azeri musical conductor, composer, author of the famous "Rast" symphonic mugam - a new unique genre of Azerbaijanian clasical music.
Niyazi was born in Tbilisi in a family of prominent Shusha musicians. His father was the composer Zulfigar Hajibeyov, brother of Uzeyir Hajibeyov, the founder of the Azeri classical music.
Niyazi conducted the
symphonic orchestras in Prague, Berlin, Budapest, Bucharest, New York, Paris, Istanbul, London, Tehran, Beijing and Ulan-Bator and played an important role in making the Azeri classical music known to the world. American writer Philip Bonosky characterized him as "one of the most prominent conductors in the world". Well-known Italian conductor Carlo Chekki said: "Art of Niyazi deserves the highest appraisal. He has extraordinary hands, great will and strong character".
Niyazi was not only a great conductor, but also a talented composer. Building upon the traditions of U.Hajibeyov, he splendidly synthesized the traditional Azeri folk songs and mugam with the classical symphonic music.
Niyazi's most significant works include opera "Khosrov and Shirin" (1942), ballet "Chitra" (1960). His symphonic mugham "Rast" achieved world-wide popularity and was included to the repertoire of many symphonic orchestras around the world.
Maestro Niyazi also headed the Azerbaijan symphonic orchestra for 46 years, from 1938 to the end of his life. [Top]
Bül-bül
Bül-bül (real name: Murtuza Mamedov) (1897-1961), - famous vocalist, performer of opera and folk music, one of the founders of Azerbaijanian vocal arts and national musical theatre.
Bül-bül was born in 1897 in the village of Khanbagi, near Shusha. From his childhood he became famous for his beautiful voice, for which people called him “Bül-bül”, which means “nightingale”. He studied music and vocal arts in Azerbaijan State Conservatoire and Italian “La Scala” in Milan .
Bül-bül was famous not only for his beautiful tenor, but also for his ability to blend national manners of performance with traditions of Italian vocal school. Bül-bül was first to play the lead role of Koroglu in U.Hajibeyov's famous opera of the same name. The image of a legendary hero Koroglu he created have left a significant emotional impression in the minds of the Azeri people.
Bül-bül was also a prominent music scientist and pedagogue. He wrote several monographs, which serve as an important source for the students of history of Azeri music. He was also the first person to prepare study-books and manuals for teaching play on tar, kemancha and balaban, the national musical instruments in Azerbaijan . From 1932 till his death Bül-bül taught in Azerbaijan State Conservatoire and helped bringing about new talented generation of vocalists.
Bül-bül was awarded highest orders of the Soviet Union and also the Garibaldi order in Italy .
Before Shusha's occupation in 1992 there was a home-museum of Bül-bül and several monuments. After occupation the house-museum, where Bul-bul used to live, and all his monuments were destroyed, just like the other house-museums of many other prominent Shushavians.
Several years ago Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan bought statues to Bül-bül and several other famous Karabakh Azeris in a black market in Georgia. These monuments, which once decorated the central streets of Shusha were intended to be sold as a scrap metal. Nowadays these monuments are kept in the courtyard of the Azerbaijani Museum of Arts in Baku. Pocked by bullet holes, Bül-bül's monument stands as another mute witness to the casualties that have resulted in the war over Mountainous Karabakh.
[Top]
Rashid Behbudov
Rashid Behbudov (1915-1988), famous Azerbaijani singer and actor.
R.Behbudov was born in Tbilisi, Georgia. His father, Majid Behbudlu was a well-known singer from Shusha.
In his youth Rashid worked in Yerevan's Philharmonia and Opera House from 1938 to 1944. He moved to Baku in 1945. He became popular when he played the lead role of Askar, the wealthy peddler, in a movie Arshin Mal Alan ("The Cloth Peddler") which was based on a 1913 musical comedy by Uzeyir Hajibeyov.
R.Behbudov also sang in Russian, Persian, Turkish and Armenian.
In 1959, he was named "People's Artist of the USSR".
In 1966 he created the State Song Theater and became its soloist and Artistic Manager.
He toured and performed concerts in several countries including: the UK, Finland, Iran, Turkey, China, Albania, Bulgaria, Belgium, Ethiopia, India, Iraq, Chile, Argentina.
[Top]
Abdulbagi Zulalov
Abdulbagi Zulalov (1841-1927), (also widely known by his pseudonym 'Bulbul-jan'), - well-known folk and mugam singer (mugam - an original improvisational classical folk music popular in Azerbaijan). He became especially famous not only for his beautiful voice, but also for his performance of Azeri mugams in other regional languages - in Georgian, Armenian, Lezgian and Persian.
Abdulbagi was born in 1841 in Shusha. In his youth he travelled a lot throughout Caucasus and Iran. In one of his visits in Iran the Iranian shah liked his performance so much that he decided to award Abdulbagi the "Shir-i Khurshid" order, the highest Iranian order at the time (other Shushavians who shortly before and after received such award were singer Haji Husi and tar player Sadikhjan).
In 1875 Abdulbagi moved to Tbilisi, the regional cultural capital at the time. He gave concerts together with his fellow-countryman, a great tar player Sadikhjan.
Due to his wonderful voice, attractive appearance and high artistic performance, he quickly became famous throughout Georgia. Having learned Georgian language and began to perform Azeri mugams in Georgian, bringing the Georgian listeners into rapture. Beginning from this time, people started to call him 'Bulbul-jan', which means '[our] dear nightingale'.
Abdulbagi sang not only in Azeri and Georgian, but also in Armenian, Persian and Lezgian languages, for what he was loved among th representatives of these peoples.
Abdulbagi significantly influenced many prominent Azeri mugam and folk singers after him. Such masters of mugham as great Jabbar Karyaghdy, Musa Shushinsky, Meshedi Mamed Farzaliyev, Alesker of Sheki, Seyid Shushinsky and many others considered him their artistic master. The Abdulbagi Zulalov's family is also known in Azerbaijan, as the family of musical talents. Abdulbagi's daughter, granddaughter and nephews: respectively Aziza khanim, Sona khanim, Ali and Gambar Zulalovs continued his traditions of mugam arts.
Abdulbagi Zulalov died in 1927 in Baku. [Top]
Jabbar Garyagdy
Jabbar Garyagdy (1861-1944), - one of the greatest Azeri folk singers, who significantly contributed to the development of mugam music (mugam - an original improvisational classical folk music popular in Azerbaijan).
Garyagdy began his career of a singer at the age of 13. He travelled a lot throughout the Caucasus, Iran and Central Asia, places where his name quickly became famous. At the age of 20 he took part in the first theater performances organized by another Shushavian Najaf bey Vazirov.
Garyagdy
brought a new spirit, new shape and content to mugham.
In 1910-1915, by invitation of the firms "Sport-Record" and "Gramophone", Karyaghdy with famous Karabakh tarist Kurban Primov and kemanchist Sasha Oganezashvili (tar and kemancha -Azeri folk musical instruments) travelled to Warsaw, Riga and Kyiv and recorded several mugam examples. These records with Garyagdy's voice have been preserved till present.
Karyaghdy was also one of the founders of the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire, who taught there for many years. Many famous singers and musicians such as Bul-bul, Seyid Shushinsky, Kurban Pirimov, Sasha Oganezashvili, Zulfugar Adigezalov were the followers of the Garyaghdy school.
One of his disciples, famous singer Seyid Shushinsky, compared Karyaghdy's voice with a powerful torrent from the mountains, carrying away everything on its way. His another famous disciple Bul-bul compared Garyagdy's voice with that of Caruso writing: "Jabbar Garyaghdy has no equals. The range of his voice is two and a half octaves. Jabbar's voice is stronger than that of Caruzo. He can sing mugam for 2-3 hours. He was the first to created an Azeri style of performance of the songs."
Garyagdy also did a lot for the record and preservation of the Azeri folk songs. He collected about 300 folk songs, most of which were taken into notes by composers Uzeyir Hajibeyov and Muslim Magomayev.
[Top]
Seyid Shushinsky
Seyid Shushinsky (1889-1965), - prominent folk music mugam singer, who after Jabbar Garyagdy played the most important role in formation of contemporary Azeri folk and mugam performance.
Seyid Shushinsky was born in Horadiz village of Karabakh, but his life and works were always associated with Shusha, which explains the surname he took for himself. He got his first musical education in Navvab's musical school in Shusha.
Seyid Shushinsky brought many new elements, shapes to mugams and have done a significant work for the development of the art of mugam.
Seyid Shushinsky was also closely involved in the development of national theater and opera arts. He took the leading parts in many operas by U.Hajibeyov (e.g. roles of Majnun in "Leyli and Majnun", Kerem in "Asli and Kerem", Sarvar in "Not this one, then that one" etc.).
S.Shushinsky's art of performance have greatly influenced the new generation of mugam singers. Famous Azerbaijanian composer Fikret Amirov said: "If Jabbar Karyaghdy was the brain of the Azeri music, Seyid Shushinsky was the beating heart of this music..".
[Top]
Khan Shushinsky
Khan Shushinsky (real name: Isfandiyar Javanshirov) (1901-1979), - famous mugam and folk music singer, considered to be the last of the great classical mugam singers (khanende), who finalized the formation of the Azeri school of mugam arts.
Khan Shushinsky has further developed the mugam music traditions
set by Jabbar Garyagdy. The trinity of Jabbar Garyagdy, Seyid Shushinsky and Khan Shushinsky is considered to have the most significant influence on the contemporary art of mugam in Azerbaijan.
Khan Shushinsky is considered the classical and the greatest performer of "Karabakh Shikeste", famous mugam-type performance popular in Azerbaijan. He also authored several folk-music-style songs, such as "Shushanin daglary" ('Mountains of Shusha'), "Menden gen gezme", Ay guzel" and others, which remain very popular till present.
Since Khan Shushinsky's period coincided with significantly increased influence of mass-media on the people's daily lives (1960-70s), including wider access to television, he also was a mugam singer (khanendeh), who received more media coverage and publicity than his other famous predecessors. His concerts also were very popular and sometimes the queues for getting a ticket for his concert would reach several hundred meters in length.
[Top]
Sadikhjan
Mirza Sadikh Asad oglu (Sadikhjan) (1846-1902), - an outstanding musician, creator of the Azeri tar, the most revered national musical instrument. Tar is a central musical instrument when performing mugam, an original improvisational classical folk music popular in Azerbaijan as well as in Caucasus, and Middle East. It is also widely used in Azeri classical music.
Sadikhjan was born in 1846 in a poor family in Shusha. In his childhood Sadikhjan had a beautiful voice and wanted to be a folk singer. But he lost his voice when he was eighteen and started to learn play on various musical instruments. After trying several instruments he decided to play tar and soon became a virtuoso player. From this time people began to call him "Sadikhjan"-"dear Sadikh" ('jan' means darling, spirit in Azeri).
Sadikhjan travels a lot throughout the Caucasus, Central Asia and Iran. In 1880 he, together with two other famous Shushavian musicians – singer Haji Husi and kemancha player Ata Bagdagul-oglu were invited to Tabriz, Iran to the wedding of the son of the Iranian shah. In this wedding, which turned into an unofficial competition of singers and musicians Haji Husi was recognized the best singer and Sadikhjan was recognized as the best tarist and was awarded with the highest order of Iran – “Shir-i Khurshid”.
In approximately 1870-1875 Sadikhjan totally renewed the Persian tar, which he played so far and had small neck and five strings. He changed the shape of the neck, threw out unnecessary tones and brought the number of the strings from five to eleven. Besides, before Sadikhjan, people played tar holding it on their knees. Sadikhjan abolished this primitive manner and for the fist time presented the play on tar nestled to the breast.
These important renovations to the construction and style of performance on old Persian tar, introduced by Sadikhjan have greatly expanded the performing capabilities of tar and made the mughams performed on this instrument sound brighter and more colorful. Soon these novelties introduced by Sadikhjan were accepted throughout the whole Caucasus and Central Asia . The new tar he created, the Azeri tar, decisively replaced the archaic five-string Persian tar.
Sadikhjan was also a talented composer. He wrote some new parts to the already existing mugams, such as “Orta Segah” and “Bayati-Shiraz”. Sadikhjan was one of the organizers of musical spectacle “Leyli and Majnun” in 1897 in Shusha. Great composer U.Hajibeyov later wrote that he became inspired to writing the first Azeri opera (“Leyli and Majnun”) after having watched this play.
Sadikhjan died in Shusha at the age of 56. He left may disciples after himself, prominent tar players among them including both the Azeris (Meshadi Zeynal, Meshadi Jamil Amirov, Gurban Pirimov) and the Armenians (Arsen Yaramishev, Tatevos Arutyunyan, Bala Melikov).
[Top]
Grigor Bala oglu
Grigor Bala oglu Malikov (1859-1929), - Azerbaijanian musician of Armenian origin, well-known tar player.
Grigor Bala oglu was born in 1859 in Shusha. He began his professional career by accompanying in tar the famous mugam singer (khanende) of the time Haji Husi (?-1888). The trio consisted of Haji Husi, Grigor and a famous kemancha player Bagdagul oglu Ata (all were Karabakh musicians from Shusha) toured a lot throughout the Caucasus, Iran and Russia.
Grigor Bala oglu always took the first place in the musical competitions of that time. He also successfully participated in the first concerts of the national and oriental music, which took place in Shusha (1901) and Baku (1902-1903).
After Haji Husi's death Grigor accompanied other famous Karabakh Azeri singers - Zabul Gasim, Abdulbagi (Bulbul-jan), Meshadi Mamed Farzaliyev and finally, Seyid Shushinsky.
Grigor Bala oglu was also a good teacher. One of his best disciples was his son Bala Grigor oglu Malikov, who continued the traditions of his father.
[Top]
Gurban Pirimov 
Gurban Pirimov (1880-1965), - one of the most well-known tar players, considered to be second greatest tar player after Sadikhjan, the creator of this most revered musical instrument in Azerbaijan.
Gurban Pirimov was born in a village of Gulably in Karabakh.
He started to play tar at the age of 15. He was in a trio of famous musicians, great mugam singer Jabbar Garyagdy and wel-known kemancha layer Sasha Oganezashvili. Together they traveled a lot throughout the Caucasus, Middle East and Russia. Gurban Pirimov remembered Garyagdy and Oganezashvili with great respect and pride: "I am a happy man, - he used to say, - because, I played tar on the left of Jabbar [Garyagdy] and on the right of Sasha [Oganezashvili] for twenty years". But despite these modest words, he did not fall behind these famous artists and became known as the best tar player after Sadikhjan, the creator of modern tar.
Gurban Pirimov was also one of the most long-standing musicians in the history of Azeri music. Gurban Pirimov was 85 when he last played tar on stage, which meant that he and his tar served the Azeri music for almost 70 years.
[Top]
Farhad bey of Karabakh 
Farhad bey of Karabakh was a cavalry regiment commander who lived in 19th centuries. He became immortalized in a verse by a famous Russian poet A.S.Pushkin.
During Russo-Ottoman wars in 1828-1829 the Russians organized first Azeri regiments within the Russian Army. This was initiated by count Paskevich, the Russian commander-in-chief of the Caucasus front at the time. Initially a total of four Azeri regiments were organized under the command of general Rayevsky. These regiments distinguished themselves in many battles. Paskevich wrote in his report to Tsar Nicolas:
“…I cannot pass without mentioning the Muslim [here meaning Azeri]
regiments. They fought heroically in all the battles and distinguished themselves in all the attacks”.
It is worthwhile to note, that the first of the above-mentioned four Azeri regiments was comprised of the Karabakhis. The commander of this first Karabakh (as well as Azerbaijani) cavalry regiment within the Russiam Army was a Russian officer called Mesheryakov and his deputy was Farhad bey of Karabakh. When traveling to the Caucasus during the Russo-Ottoman war of 1828, famous Russian poet A.S. Pushkin met with Farhad bey and soon they became friends. Pushkin personally witnessed the heroism of the Karabakh cavalry regiment in the battle. The personal courage of Farhad bey didn't pass unnoticed either. Pushkin dedicated the following poem to Farhad bey:
Don't be captivated with your fame,
You young handsome man!
Don't rush to the bloody battle
With your Karabakh fighters!
I know, death won't approach to you,
Amongst the swards
Azrayil* will notice your beauty,
And his mercy will be on you!
But I'm afraid, amongst the battles
You lose forever
Modesty of your behavior
And charm of your shyness!**
* Azrayil - angel of death in Islam religion.
**
Pushkin [to Farhad bey], "Camp near Euphrates". Unofficial verbatim translation. [Top]
Faraj bey Agayev 
Faraj bey Agayev (1811-1891), a military commander, first Azeri lieutenant-general in the Russian Army.
He was born in 1811 in a noble family in Shusha. When 26 years old he joined voluntarily the Russian Army and served in the Caucasus Muslim regiment. In 1838 he got the officer rank. Soon afterwards for his exemplary service count Paskevich, the commander-in-chief of the Russian army in the Caucasus, transferred him to the Emperor's Guards. On the seventh year of his military service Agayev became rotmister (the Cavalry captain) of the Guard and three years later he was promoted to the colonel rank and was appointed the regiment commander.
In 1844, when inspecting the Guard troops, the Emperor Nicolas I attended Agayev's regiment, met him personally and was very satisfied with his work. Soon after this meeting, the Russian Tsar even formally adopted Faraj bey as his son. From that day all the official documents referred to Faraj bey as Nicolas Nicolayevich Agayev.
In 1850 Faraj bey Agayev was sent to his native region of Caucasus to continue his service. He worked in the Caucasus military headquarters, took an active part in the Caucasus wars (between Russian and mountain Caucasus people). Initially, Agayev headed the Ossetian cavalry and then he became a commander of his native Shusha cavalry detachment. In 1853 he was promoted to the rank of general for his heroism in the battle of Kerukdere. During the Russo-Turkish war in 1878, Agayev was further promoted to the rank of the general-lieutenant and was awarded with a sword from the Russian Emperor.
After 45 years of service Faraj bey Agayev retired from the army in 1882 at the age of 72. He spent his last years in Tiflis (present-day Tbilisi) and was closely engaged in philanthropy.
[Top]
Samed bey Mehmandarov 
Samed bey Mehmandarov (1856-1931), - prominent military commander, Artillery General, first minister of defence of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918-1920).
Mehmandarov was born in 1856 in Lenkoran in a noble Shushavian family. He graduated from 2nd Constantine Military School in St. Petersburg in 1875 and was conferred the rank of podporuchik. He served in Central Asia, Poland and Siberia. In 1898 he was conferred the rank of lieutenant colonel and sent to Manchuria. Mehmandarov participated in Chinese campaign in 1900-1901. When the Russo-Japanese War broke out in 1904, he was the commander of the Eastern Front Artillery during the 11-months-long siege of Port Arthur in China. For the services in battle he was made major general and awarded Order of Saint George of IV degree.
Mehmandarov was the commander of 7th East Siberian Artillery Brigade since 12 July 1906, artillery commander of 3rd Siberian Army Corps since 15 July 1907, and commander of 1st Caucasian Division since 24 May 1910. On 31 December 1913 he was appointed the commander of 21st Infantry Division and in this position entered the World War I within 3rd Caucasian Army Corps in the rank of lieutenant general.
Under Mehmandarov’s command the division earned the reputation of one of the best in the Russian Army, and 81st Apsheron and 83rd Samur regiments especially distinguished themselves. He was awarded Order of Saint George of III degree for the battles of 27 – 29 September 1914, and Saint George sword decorated with diamonds for the battle near Ivangorod on 14 February 1915. On 11 December 1914 Mehmandarov was appointed the commander of 2nd Caucasian Army Corps.
Mehmandarov’s corps was engaged in the fiercest battles with German troops and during the whole war had not surrendered to the enemy a single piece of ordnance. On 22 March 1915 Samedbey Mehmandarov was promoted to the rank of Artillery General, first Azeri to achieve this rank. He was decorated with British, French and Romanian orders.
With the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918) Samed bey Mehmandarov became the first minister of defense of Azerbaijan. He helped build a new national army from virtually a scratch.
After the fall of the national government and the Soviet invasion (1920), Mehmandarov did not leave the country despite serous risk to his life. He was arrested but due to Nariman Narimanov, the Azeri communist leader of the time, he was released two months later. Mehmandarov spent his last years teaching in the Soviet Azerbaijan military school. Together with his friend, general-lieutenant Aliaga Shikhlinsky, who also did not leave the country and preferred to stay, Mehmandarov did a lot for preparation of many military specialists in Azerbaijan.
Samed bey Mehmandarov died on February 12, 1931 in Baku.
[Top]
Nelson Stepanyan 
Nelson Gevorkovich Stepanyan (1913-1944), - fought against the German fascism, was the only person from Karabakh to be twice awarded with the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union, the highest title in the former USSR.
Nelson Stepanyan was born in Shusha in 1913. During the war lieutenant-colonel Stepanyan fought in the Baltic Sea front. He carried out 229 flights,
destroyed 78 German trucks, 67 tanks, 63 anti-aircraft guns, 19 mortars, 36 railroad cars, 20 merchantmen and warships (including one destroyer) 13 fuel tankers, twelve armored cars, seven long-range guns, five ammunition dumps, five bridges. Once, wounded, he was forced to land behind the German lines, but guerrillas helped him escape. He was called "Storm Petrel of the Baltic Sea". Stepanyan was awarded twice with the title of a Hero of the Soviet Union, posthumously.
Before the Karabakh conflict started, there was a statue to Nelson Stepanyan in entrance to the Shusha town. Unfortunately, as the conflict escalated and Azeris and Armenians started pillaging and destroying each other's houses and monuments, this statue to the prominent World War II hero was also destroyed by the Azeris.
[Top]
Aslan Vezirov 
Aslan Vezirov (1910-1988), - fought against the German fascism, was awarded the title of the hero of the Soviet Union.
Aslan Vezirov was born in 1910 in the village of Zumurkhach. In 1928-1930 he studied in the military engineering schools in Leningrad (present-day St-Petersburg) and Moscow.
Vezirov was serving in Ukraine, when Germany attacked the Soviet Union. Therefore, he fought against the fascists from the very beginning of the war, having covered a battlefield from Min. Vody in the Caucasus to the Elba river in Germany. Throughout the war he fought in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Ukrainian Fronts, Caucasus Front, 1st Baltic and 2nd Byelorussian Fronts.
When serving in the 2nd Byelorussian Front, the commander-in-chief of the Front Marshall Rokosovsky appointed him the commander of the 1st military engineering brigade. For his exemplary fulfillment of the battle tasks colonel Aslan Vezirov was awarded the highest title - the Hero of the Soviet Union.
Vezirov retired from the Army in 1947. From 1965 till his death in 1988, he was the chairman of the Azerbaijan War Veterans Committee.
[Top]
Khalil Mamedov 
Khalil Mamedov (1916-1989), - fought against the German fascism, was awarded the highest title in the former USSR, the hero of the Soviet Union.
Khalil Mamedov was born in Shusha in 1916. When Germans attacked the Soviet Union in 1941 he was serving in Ukraine. During 1941-1943 he fought in the Ukrainian front, was wounded several times and each time returned to the battlefield after recovery. In 1943-1944 Mamedov commanded a tank battalion in the 3rd Ukrainian Front. He and his battalion fought heavy battles in Ukraine, when liberating the Ukrainian towns and villages, especially was distinguished in the famous "Korsun-Shevchenko" battles.
Mamedov's name became popular throughout the front during the battles for Romania. He played a key role when liberating a heavily-defended town of Mergus. During the battle for the town Mamedov was ordered to break through the enemy lines with only 5 of his tanks to and to explode a strategic bridge in the enemy rear. The operation was daring and dangerous.
Mamedov's tanks broke through the German lines and exploded the bridge, thus cutting out the enemy's way for retreat. Despite being wounded and being encircled deep in the fascist rear, Mamedov went even further and turned his tanks right to the enemy's central position and seized it. Fighting in the town continued for 10 hours, but the fate of the battle was already predetermined. In the evening, the main Soviet armed forces entered the town.
In this battle Mamedov with only 5 of his tanks destroyed 4 enemy tanks, 2 motorized cannons, 191 automobiles, 64 cannons, 105 machine-guns and 1375 fascist soldiers and officers. For his courage and brilliant fulfillment of this operation Khalil Mamedov was awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union.
[Top]
Home |