Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31
Trend:
Plagiarism attempt by the Armenians of the song “Chirpinirdi Qara Deniz” (the Black Sea was Fluttering), created by the outstanding Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibayli, will be prevented in accordance with international legislation, the Intellectual Property Agency of Azerbaijan told Trend.
The agency notes that the song “Chirpinirdi Qara Deniz” (lyrics by Ahmad Javad, music by Uzeir Hajibayli) was performed by Russian singer Avraam Russo as an “Armenian” one under a different name. This song became the “Song of the Year” in Armenia, and is available in Youtube under the name “Kamancha”, written to the words of the Armenian ashug Sayat-Nova.
“Back in 2014, the Turkish newspaper Sabah reported that the song “Chirpinirdi Qara Deniz” allegedly refers to an Armenian ashug Sayat-Nova, who wrote most of his works in Azerbaijani,” the message said. “On May 7, 2014, the Copyright Agency immediately sent by fax and then by an official letter to the Azerbaijani Embassy in Turkey all the necessary documents confirming that the music of this song belongs to Uzeyir Hajibayli, and the words to Ahmad Javad. In addition, a comment on this issue was posted on the Agency’s website and was spread in the media.”
The Agency added that after the restoration of Azerbaijan’s state independence, this song sounded on March 10, 1993 before the public in Baku in the Republic Palace at the anniversary evening on the occasion of the 100th birth anniversary of Ahmad Javad.
“In addition, in many publications, including in those of the Azerbaijan Publishing House, the Musical World magazine, as well as in electronic encyclopedias, it is stated that namely Uzeyir Hajibayli is the author of this composition,” the message noted.
In accordance with the conclusion of the agency’s musical expert, people’s artist, professor Faig Sujaddinov, the song “Kamancha” performed by Avraam Russo, fully matches the song “Chirpinirdi Qara Deniz”, the lyrics of which belong to Ahmad Javad and music to Uzeyir Hajibayli.
The agency notes that highlighting an artist’s name instead of indicating the name of an author of the composition is a proven tool for Armenian plagiarism.
As for the authorship of Sayat-Nova, up to 70 percent of his poems and songs were created and distributed in the Azerbaijani language.
The founder of modern Armenian literature Khachatur Abovyan acknowledging this, wrote that “Armenians sing only in Turkic languages” and that “Armenians don’t have songs along with dastans”. The well-known Armenian literary critic S. Palasanyan adds that “depending on the influence of people under which we are, we take the melodies of those people as ours” (S. Palasanyan “Armenian melodies”, St. Petersburg, 1868).
Another Armenian art historian, who recognized the misappropriation of songs of other countries by the Armenians, M. Nalbandyan stressed that "most of the melodies are borrowed from the Turks [Azerbaijanis].
“I have visited many places where Armenians lived. I always tried to hear something Armenian. Unfortunately, I did not hear anything" (N. Nalbandyan "On ancient poems and melodies", Collection of selected works, volume 1).
The research in connection with the works by Sayat-Nova also demonstrates that there is no poem “Cirpinirdi Qara deniz” in the list of his works. There is no poem with such a title or content in the book entitled "Sayat-Nova. Poems", published in 1982 in the Leningrad branch of the ‘Soviet Writer’ publishing house. The poem by Sayat-Nova "Kamancha" was translated into the Russian language by Valery Bryusov.
As for kamancha (little bow), the Armenians have repeatedly recognized that tar (string instrument) and kamancha belong to the Azerbaijani Turks. Religious activist, folklore collector and publisher Tridat Balean stressed: "The names of the ashug instruments are Turkic - saz, santur, kaman or kamancha, baglama. (Armenian ashugs. folklore collector Tridat Balean. Volume I, Mamuryan Publishing House, 1911, page 9 in the Armenian language)
According to the issue of Mshag newspaper, published in Tbilisi in the Armenian language dated Sept. 3, 1916, such a phrase as “their ears hear the sound of tar and kamancha, therefore, Eastern music infiltrated the bodies and blood of the Armenian people" was written (K. Imanov, from an interview to Interfax-Azerbaijan agency, dated Nov. 15, 2011).
As a result of Azerbaijani First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva’s tireless activity, Azerbaijani culture and its pearls are recognized throughout the world. The musical instrument kamancha belongs to the Azerbaijani people and this has been recognized at the international level.
The art of playing kamancha and the art of crafting kamancha were included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage at the 12th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Moreover, the Intellectual Property Agency published dozens of scientific articles about kamancha, which were translated into foreign languages and distributed.
The Intellectual Property Agency stressed that in connection with the expiration of the copyright term of "Cirpinirdi Qara deniz" song, this song and poem are considered public heritage. Taking into account great significance of this song, it is transferred from the public heritage to the state heritage and it is currently protected by the state.
"Moreover, the protection of personal (non-property) rights of authors is indefinite,” the agency said. “The replacement of the text of "Cirpinirdi Qara deniz" song is a violation of the personal (non-property) rights of authors of the works and is considered international legal violation.”
Accordingly, a change in one form or another of the works without the consent of the authors or their legal successors, and moreover, its misappropriation is plagiarism, ”the agency said.