Haji Khanmammadov

Haji Dadash oglu Khanmammadov (Azerbaijani- Hacı Xanməmmədov) (June 15, 1918, Derbent – April 7, 2005, Baku) was an Azerbaijani and Soviet composer. He is best known for writing the first concertos for the Azeri stringed folk instruments tar and kamancha. Haji Khanmammadov was born in Derbent (present-day Dagestan, Russia) and began studying tar at age 10.

 In 1932, the boy's life experienced a major change when his father and uncle were arrested during the Great Purge and permanently exiled to Siberia on account of owning land. After Khanmammadov graduated from middle school, his mother, who was struggling to take care of six children, sent him to Baku to find Uzeyir Hajibeyli, an Azerbaijani composer known for his patronage of the arts. Indeed, Hajibeyli did provide lodging for the boy and, after being convinced of his musical abilities, the composer enrolled him in the Zeynally Baku College of Music. Khanmammadov would go on to develop into a fine tarist. Haji Khanmammadov composed his first song “Gozal pari” ("Beautiful Nymph") in 1942

 In 1946 he was sent to Tabriz, then ruled by the Soviet-backed Azerbaijan People's Government to found a philharmonic orchestra but after the Soviets withdrawal returned to Baku. In 1947, Haji Khanmammadov was admitted to the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire to study folk music and musical composition taught by Uzeyir Hajibeyli and Gara Garayev respectively. He graduated in 1952.

 It was Garayev who challenged him to write a concerto for tar and symphonic orchestra for his graduation piece. Haji Khanmammadov also wrote two successful musical comedies: “Bir dagiga” ("One Minute", 1961; lyrics by Maharram Alizadeh) about the life of oil workers; and Butun arlar yakhshidir ("All Husbands Are Good" , 1971 lyrics by Alexander Khaldeyev in Russian). 

He also composed about 150 vocal songs, many of which were written specifically for the plaintive voice of Shovkat Alakbarova. In addition to his work as a composer, Haji Khanmammadov was involved in administration as director of the Azerbaijan Musical Comedy Theatre in 1944–1948), Artistic Director of the Azerbaijan State Folk Song and Dance Ensemble in 1952–1954, and Director of the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Society in 1966–1968.

 Haji Khanmammadov's contribution to Azerbaijani music was acknowledged on the State level with the following awards Honouary Art Worker of Azerbaijan (1967), People's Artist of Azerbaijan (1988), Professor of the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire (1993), Order of Honor (1998), and the coveted Presidential monthly benefit since 2001. Haji Khanmammadov was 87 when he died.