Rauf Soltan oghlu Hajiyev (15 May 192219 September 1995) was a Soviet and Azerbaijani

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

and politician. He was awarded the honorary title of

People's Artist of the USSR People's Artist of the USSR, also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to artists of the Soviet Union. The term is confusingly used to translate two Russian language titles: Народный арти ...

(1978). He was Chairman of the Union of Composers of the

Azerbaijan SSR The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, also referred to as the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic, Azerbaijan SSR, Azerbaijani SSR, AzSSR, Soviet Azerbaijan or simply Azerbaijan, was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union be ...

, minister of culture of the Azerbaijan SSR (1965–1971).

Biography

Rauf Hajiyev was born on 15 May 1922 in Baku. He wrote his first operetta "Pranks of students" when he was 18 years old. From 1948 to 1949, Hajiyev studied at

Moscow Conservatory The Moscow Conservatory, also officially Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory () is a higher musical educational institution located in Moscow, Russia. It grants undergraduate and graduate degrees in musical performance and musical research. Th ...

at Nikolai Rakov, but in 1953, graduated from Azerbaijan Conservatoire with the class of compositions at Gara Garayev. In 1955, he became the organizer of stage orchestra at the Azerbaijan SSR and was its artistic Director until 1964. He was the member of the

Communist Party of the Soviet Union The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU),. Abbreviated in Russian as КПСС, ''KPSS''. at some points known as the Russian Communist Party (RCP), All-Union Communist Party and Bolshevik Party, and sometimes referred to as the Soviet ...

until 1958. In 1964, he became the director of Azerbaijan Philharmonic Orchestra, and after a year, in 1965, he was appointed the minister of culture of the Azerbaijan SSR and remained at this post until 1971. At the initiative of the Soviet leadership, Rauf Hajiyev was sent to Algeria as the General Adviser of Art throughout the African continent. Living for 8 years in Africa, Rauf Hajiyev put on three

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

s, which were demonstrated in Paris, and established three academies in Algeria-Academy of Dances, Academy of Music and Academy of the Theater during this period. After returning to the USSR, he became the chairman of the Union of Composers of the Azerbaijan SSR, and remained at this post to the end of his life. He was buried in the Alley of Honour in Baku.

Creativity

Rauf Hajiyev, was the author of many musical works, including musical comedies "Romeo is my neighbor" (1960), "Don't hide your smile" (1969), "Mother, I'm going to marry" (1976), " Guba-my love!" (1963), two ballets, there symphonic poems-"Sheykh Sanan" (1982), "Sabuhi" (1983), "

Azi Aslanov Hazi Ahad oghlu Aslanov (; ; commonly described as Azi Aslanov or A. A. Aslanov,Aleksander A. Maslov, David M. Glantz, ''Fallen Soviet Generals: Soviet General Officers Killed in Battle, 1941-1945'', Routledge, 1998, p. 251./ref> 1910 – 25 Ja ...

" (1984). In 1976, the composer created a

cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian language, Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal music, vocal Musical composition, composition with an musical instrument, instrumental accompaniment, ty ...

, dedicated to Samad Vurgun. This composition is considered to be one of the best Azerbaijani compositions in this genre. During his creative life, Rauf Hajiyev composed music for spectacles, musical comedies and films. One of them is the film "Gipsy woman". Rauf Hajiyev is the author of 150 songs and the most popular including-"My Azerbaijan", "Spring is coming", "My Lover", "Baku", "Leyla".

Awards and titles

* Honored Art Worker of the Azerbaijan SSR;Театральная Энциклопедия. драма опера балет оперетта цирк эстрада драматург режиссер
/ref> *

People's Artiste of the Azerbaijan SSR The People's Artiste of the Azerbaijan SSR () was an honorary title awarded from 1931 to 1991 (and active from 1928 to 1991), it was granted to artistes of the Azerbaijan SSR for their contributions to the development of Azerbaijani culture in th ...

; *

;

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hajiyev, Rauf Azerbaijani composers Musicians from Baku People's Artistes of the Azerbaijan SSR People's Artists of the USSR Recipients of the Order of Lenin Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour Soviet Azerbaijani people Soviet film score composers Male film score composers Baku Academy of Music alumni Burials at Alley of Honor 1922 births 1995 deaths 20th-century classical musicians 20th-century Azerbaijani composers 20th-century male composers Politicians from Baku Honored Art Workers of the Azerbaijan SSR Culture ministers of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic Moscow Conservatory alumni