Mugham triads
[1] It is a traditional musical group of Azerbaijani musicians who perform the mugham repertoire and represent the ensemble of khanandas and sazandas.
[4] In the early times, the sazanda (ensemble of musicians) used to include the tar, kamancheh, and balaban for playing tasnif and rangs.
After famous musician Mirza Sadiq Asad oghlu made improvements to the tar, the need for the loud qoshanaqara disappeared and it was replaced with the soft and subtle sound of the shepherd's flute (qaval) held by khananda.
When performing the mugham, khananda brings the qaval close to their face, ensuring that its sound is directed towards the listeners and resonates.
When the khananda sings, the tar player accompanies him with the organ point, playing solo mugham pieces between the vocal lines and modulating to new modes.
The tar player must have a keen sense of ensemble, supporting the khananda while also being sensitive to his individual capabilities and knowing when to breathe.
In the most lyrical and passionate episodes of mugham, after the khananda's declamatory passages, the solos of the kamancheh sound as expressive and impactful as the human voice.
[6] The instrument was developed in the second half of the 19th century by the renowned Azerbaijani artist Mirza Sadig, known as Sadigjan, based on the Iranian tar.
[7] The name of kamancheh is mentioned in Nizami Ganjavi's "Khosrow and Shirin" poem, and it is depicted in miniatures of Tabriz art (Aghamirak Isfahani, Mir Seyid Ali).
The instrument consists of a wine bowl-shaped resonator, a circular neck, a "kelleh" (the part where the "ashiqs" rest their chin), and a steel rod called "sish."
[6] In the 19th century, the famous tar player Mirza Sadig accompanied the great musician of the East, Haji Husu, playing the kamancheh first with Ata Bagdagul oglu and then with the trio of Shusha khananda Mashadi Isi.
[9] In this regard, it is possible to note the records written by "Potte," "Sport-Rekord," and "Gramophone" companies in the cities of Riga, Warsaw, and Kiev between 1906 and 1916.
The famous composer, pianist, and founder of the jazz-mugham style, Vagif Mustafazadeh, created the "Mugham" jazz trio in 1977.
In 1997, Aghakhan Abdullayev was replaced by an unknown female student, Simara Imanova,[13] and they performed under the name "East Nightingale mugham trio".
[14] The trio participated in the "Melodies of the East" festival in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in 1997, and among 46 musicians from different countries, they were awarded the highest prize, the "Gran-Pri".
[13] The trio's successful performance and bright victory were acknowledged by the then-President of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, who awarded all three with the honorary title of "Honored Artist".
For example, in May 2010, at the invitation of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in France and with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the "Vefa Orucova mugham trio" – laureate of the International Mugham Festival, young khananda Vefa Orucova, tar musician Rufat Hasanov, and kamancheh player Elnur Mikayilov participated in the 1000th anniversary celebrations in France.
[20] Later, this trio performed concerts in the UK, Italy, Iran, Turkey, the Netherlands, India, and other countries and received several diplomas and awards.
This created an opportunity for the delicate sound of our mugham trio to be heard.This group, which used to participate in wedding and other festive gatherings, now performs in theaters and concert halls in modern times.
At that time, the art of singing had moved from gatherings, weddings, and festivals to theaters and concert halls, and musical performances began to emerge..[23] This idea was first realized by the distinguished writer Abdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev, who was then a student at the University of St. Petersburg, in Shusha.
This was the theatrical musical interpretation of the last part of the poem "Layla and Majnun" by the great Azerbaijani poet Muhammad Fuzuli.
[24] Onların ifası Mirzə Sadıq Əsəd oğlunun başçılıq etdiyi ənənəvi muğam üçlüyü ilə müşayiət olunurdu.
[4] Additionally, clothing collections featuring garments inspired by this trio of instruments – the qaval, tar, and kamancheh – have been showcased and presented.
For example, in the 1956 Azerbaijani film "If Not That One, Then This One", a trio consisting of Khan Shushinski, Bahram Mansurov, and Talat Bakıkhanov played a role.
[31] On 17 February 2014, a postage stamp featuring the image of the mugham trio was released as an Azerbaijani philatelic product by Azermarka.
During his trip to Paris, the famous Azerbaijani millionaire and philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev was accompanied not only by his business team but also by the mugham trio.
