Mugam, a national heritage of Azerbaijan, is a pearl of the world music art: Mehriban Aliyeva

Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 11 / corr Trend S.Agayeva /

Mugam, a national heritage of Azerbaijan, is a pearl of the world music art, Azerbaijani First Lady, Heydar Aliyev Foundation President, UNESCO and ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva said in a presentation of the Foundation's new projects.

With regard to preserve and propagandize mugam the Heydar Aliyev Foundation presented today its two projects - publication of multimedia collection "Azerbaijani mugam" and edition "The World of Mugam".

"Azerbaijani mugam", presented as a textbook, includes materials about types of mugam, its genres, musical theme and compositions. The multimedia collection is comprised of eight compact disks and was issued in Azerbaijan and English languages.

"This is a unique project - the first multimedia textbook about the Azerbaijani mugam," Mrs. Aliyeva said. "The collection includes history of the Azerbaijani mugam, its role and place in the Azerbaijani art, materials about Azerbaijani national musical instruments and outstanding figures."

"No textbook can replace a live communication with mugam masters. Mugam has lived and sounded in Azerbaijan in all periods, independently on political, pubic and economic situation and reserved its place in Azerbaijani culture. The mugam masters play tremendous role in transition of mugam from generations to generations," Mrs. Aliyeva said.

Mrs. Aliyeva said the Foundation's second project is dedicated to the International Mugam Festival, which took place in Baku in March 2009. "The World of Mugam" which is comprised of 33 DVD-disks includes mugam operas, symphonic operas, classical Azerbaijani mugams, and compositions in the performance of foreign performers.

The First International Mugam Festival held in Baku once more showed the world that mugam is a national heritage of Azerbaijan, as well as pearl of the world music art.

"The festival once more demonstrated that mugam has no borders and there is a place of lovers of this art. This is Baku," Mrs. Aliyeva said.

Since 2005 the Heydar Aliyev Foundation holds "The Azerbaijani Mugam" project. The musical album "Karabakh singers", which included performances by 24 mugam virtuosos - the first and successful project -- was of great interest. "Musical encyclopedia", developed by the Foundation in 2008, is estimated as a worthy publication in preservation and development of musical heritage of Azerbaijan.

The International Mugam Center, which was built at the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, mugam contests held in the country in 2005-2007, an International Mugam Festival held in 2009 with participation of 11 countries target to reveal young talents, who will further develop ancient traditions of performance and propagandize mugam worldwide.

Other speakers to the ceremony, Azerbaijani Composers Union Chairman Firangiz Alizade, People's Artist of Azerbaijan Arif Babayev and First Mugam Festival Winner Tayyar Bayramov thanked the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and its President Mehriban Aliyeva for contribution in the development and propaganda of the Azerbaijani mugam worldwide.