Mirza Babayev: A Luminary of Azerbaijani Estrada Music
Mirza Babayev, People’s Artist of the Republic of Azerbaijan, laureate of the “Shohrat” Order, considered one of the founders of Azerbaijani national estrada music, was born on July 16, 1913 in the village of Mashtagha. Mirza Babayev’s father, Abdul Jabbar, was a renowned dentist of his time. Mirza Babayev’s mother, Sona Khanlarova, was a musician and accordion performer.
From 1935 to 1940, Mirza Babayev studied at the Architecture Faculty of the M. Azizbeyov Industrial Institute (now Azerbaijan State University of Oil and Industry). After graduating from the Industrial Institute, Mirza Babayev enrolled at the Azim Azimzade Art School. Before seriously dedicating himself to music, he worked both as an architect and painter. Mirza Babayev was the design author of numerous buildings and museums in Baku and other cities of Azerbaijan. The “Vatan” cinema theater and several administrative buildings in Ganja and Aghdam were constructed according to his designs. He also participated in designing the halls of the Nizami Museum. In 1948, he entered the class of the famous singer Bulbul at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory. Tofig Guliyev invited him to perform with the jazz orchestra he had established under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Generally, Mirza Babayev was a close friend of Tofig Guliyev. Tofig Guliyev specifically composed music for many films for him to perform.
Mirza Babayev appeared in over 40 films. His episodic roles in “Shadows Crawl”, “Dark-complexioned girl”, “The Crazy Kura”, “The Dervish Explodes Paris”, “Don't Be Afraid, I’m With You”, and other films left an eternal mark in collective memory. He participated not only in films produced in Azerbaijan but also in those made at the Odessa, Tashkent, and Ashgabat film studios. Being the founder of the estrada genre in Azerbaijan, he was also the only performer who sang in both ironic and chanson styles. Renowned composers Tofig Guliyev and Emin Sabitoghlu wrote chanson songs specifically for him. Mirza Babayev conquered the hearts of his people through his performances of songs like “You Are a Distant Green Island”, “Who Came and Went From This World”, “I'll Put Flowers in Your Hair”, “The Port”, and others.
The beloved artist, being among those rare individuals both in musical creativity and in life, never remarried after the untimely passing of his wife Gullu khanim - originally from Shusha, always cherishing her memory.
Having worked for many years at the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic, the Estrada Orchestra of the Azerbaijan State Television and Radio Committee, and the Azerbaijan State Song Theater, he made significant contributions to the development of our national musical culture.
The beloved People’s Artist Mirza Babayev was a two-time laureate of the “Humay” Award and had been a presidential pensioner since 2002. Mirza Babayev passed away on January 13, 2003, at the age of 89.
Recommended literature:
- ağızadə, Aida Zeynal qızı. XX əsr Azərbaycan musiqisi : məqalə, oçerk, esse toplusu / A. Z. Tağızadə ; red.: K. Nəsirova, İ. Pazıçeva ; Azərbaycan Respublikası Mədəniyyət və Turizm Nazirliyi, Ü. Hacıbəyli adına Bakı Musiqi Akademiyası, Azərbaycan Bəstəkarlar İttifaqı. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2011. - 372 s.
- Azərbaycanın ənənəvi musiqisi = Traditional music of Azerbaijan = Традиционная музыка Азербайджана = Musique traditionelle d'Azerbaidjan = Traditionelle Musik Aserbaidschans = Musica tradicional de Azerbaiyan / Azərbaycan Respublikasının Prezidenti yanında Elmin İnkişafı Fondu ; tərt., ön sözün müəl., layihənin rəh. T. Məmmədov ; ing, rus, fr., alman və ispan dillərinə tərc. C. Yusifli ; mətnin müəl. E. Hüseynova ; elmi red. V. Qafarov. - Bakı : Elmin İnkişafı Fondu, 2015. - 86 s.
- Abdullayeva, Səadət Abutalıb qızı. Azərbaycan musiqisi və təsviri sənət / S. A. Abdullayeva ; elmi red.: R. F. Zöhrabov, C. Y. Həsənzadə. - Bakı : Oğuz eli, 2010. - 416 s.