Uzeyir Hajibeyli Music Festival: Baku's four-day celebration of classical music

The 15th edition of the festival celebrated Hajibeyli’s contribution to Azerbaijani culture and welcomed classical musicians from around the world.

Transcript

00:00 It's become one of the most important fixtures on Azerbaijan's cultural calendar, and this

00:06 year's 15th edition of the Uzair Hajibeyli Music Festival was no exception.

00:13 Recently held in the capital, Baku, the event welcomes classical musicians from around the

00:21 world. A celebration of Hajibeyli's contribution to Azerbaijani culture, the festival seeks

00:27 to foster young musical talent.

00:34 It also attempts to push the boundaries of artistic expression and innovation, while

00:39 promoting the works of maestros that are not so well known.

00:46 It's not exactly the same.

00:53 More like a curve from downside to upside.

01:00 And give a slightly lighter articulation.

01:05 They've attacked a piece by a French composer who is not well known.

01:08 Gabriel Faure, who was celebrated next year as the centenary of death in 1924.

01:14 He's a great French composer, very special, perhaps the most French of all.

01:19 He has a very particular personality, very different from German music, which is generally

01:26 the dominant one.

01:28 I think they've found this French spirit remarkable, so we congratulate them warmly.

01:35 Masterclasses are a major feature of the festival.

01:40 Just in 1996, the renowned Diotima Quartet held one of their own for the students of

01:46 the Baku Music Academy.

01:53 In addition to honing student skills, the festival plays host to several concerts and

02:07 live performances, many of which attempt to bring new meaning to the greats.

02:12 Today's project is called Paradox of Serenity, and the main idea in choosing repertoire was

02:17 Beethoven's slow music.

02:18 Why?

02:19 Because nowadays in the 21st century we have an image of this composer only from a pathetic

02:25 and dramatic side, and in this concert I try to show his more serene side.

02:31 Along with Baku, the annual Uzair Haji Bailey Music Festival stages several concerts in

02:36 cities across Azerbaijan over the course of four days.

02:43 [Music]

02:49 [Applause]